1. n. Crescent; arch, as over door of ancient house (Kep. 101); crescent-shaped design at base of temple drum; crest, as on a helmet.

2. (Cap.) n. Second day of the month. (Kep. 101) (PCP (F,S)oata, cf. Easter oʻata.)

3. nvi. Brightness; shining, glittering, splendid; to glitter, shine, flash as lightning, become daylight; to flame. 

4. v. To cast a shadow; to brandish, as a spear (2 Sam. 23.18), to drive away, ward off, frighten. Cf. aka 1. Mai hele maʻō e hoaka ai i ke kai o holo ka iʻa, don’t go over there and cast your shadow in the sea lest the fish run away.

5. vt. To open, as the mouth. (Hoik. 13.6.)

6. n. Spirit, apparition, ghost (For. 6:370). Lele ka hoaka, the spirit has flown [of death; the glory of the land has departed].

7. n. Disease of the abdomen, perhaps appendicitis, rupture (followed by a qualifier). See hoaka ʻīpuka hale, hoaka kākala. Other qualifiers reported are hāwele, kū, kū kahi, kū lua.

So I am staying a bit on the moon theme for as long as the mood suits me. Yesterday’s word, Hilo, reflected the moon on Sunday. Today’s word, Hoaka, reflects yesterday’s moon.  And like the shape of the actual moon, hoaka is also the word for crescent.  As far as the moon phase is concerned, it is a good time to plant, especially tuber plants, say ʻuala (sweet potatoes).  Also a good time to go torch fishing on the reef.

Interesting that hoaka is also a spirit or ghost. Not sure if it is because a part of the word, aka, means shadow. I am just drawing my own conclusions here.

Having a moʻopuna (granddaughter), Hulali, whose name means glittery or shining, I like this word, hoaka, because it has a similar meaning.

Lele ka hoaka – The spirit has flown away (someone has died).

Muku ka malama; Hilo nei, kau ka Hoaka – Muku is here, Muku the moon; Hilo comes next, then Hoaka (Part of a child’s chant for learning phases of the moon.)

Aia hiki mai ka la o Hoaka oia ka wa e kanu ai, e kanu e like me ka mea i hoike ia maluna… – When the day of Hoaka arrives, that is the time to plant, plant as was noted above…(from Fornander)