Condensed milk.

You are going to love this explanation. You already know that waiū is the Hawaiian word for milk. Kia is the word for deer. Why would condensed milk be called “deer milk”? I don’t think even the old timers would get this one!

It is called waiū kia because the first cans of condensed milk had a picture of a deer on the label. So I guess the name seemed to stick. “Go grab the can with the deer on it. The waiū kia!” Waiū kia reminds me of morning breakfasts, smearing some of that thick gooey goodness on creme crackers, with a side of cocoa. YUM! Keu a ka ʻono!

Want a delicious dessert? Boil a couple of sweet potatoes (purple Okinawa sweet potatoes are the prettiest for this), them peel, mash, add some coconut milk and then some waiū kia to sweeten it up a little more. Talk about delicious! That is kōʻelepālau.

ʻOno ka waiū kia ma luna o ke pelena – Condensed milk is delicious on crackers.

He waiū kia kēlā – That (far) is condensed milk.