nvs. Life, health, well-being, living, livelihood, means of support, salvation; alive, living; curable, spared, recovered; healed; to live; to spare, save, heal, grant life, survive, thrive. (See Gram. 4.4.) Ola loa, long life, longevity. 

Life. Health. Well-Being.

Ola is a popular word in Hawaiʻi, used by many businesses and organizations striving for health and well-being. Frequently the word pono is attached – Ola Pono – pono meaning righteous, goodness all that is correct and just. Perhaps a stronger focus on WELL-being. In all ways, inside and out, all four corners of the body (nā kihi ʻehā o ke kino).

Ola nā iwi – The bones live. (Said of a respected elder who is well cared for by his family.)

An elder who is cared for by his ʻohana is one who is not forgotten. His iwi, his bones, live. Iwi is figuratively used to refer to old age. Ola nā iwi goes beyond life though. Bones contain the mana (“divine” power, of sorts) of each individual. In times gone by, the iwi were hidden or watched over lest they get into the hands of the enemy. Iwi must always be protected.

I will spend a few days on this word ola, getting you acquainted with ola as it relates to Hawaiian manaʻo.

Copyright: 2017 – Liana Iaea Honda. All rights reserved. All versions of “He Momi e Lei ai”, in its entirety, past and present, is the property of L. K. I. Honda. Reproduction and use of any kind other than the sharing of this website is prohibited. Alteration to the original content in any form is prohibited in every and any instance, and use in any other variant is prohibited without written consent of the author. Adress inquiries to: hemomi [at] gmail.com. Definitions and wise sayings are from: Hawaiian Dictionary by Pukui and Elbert, 1986. ʻŌlelo Noʻeau – Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings by Mary Kawena Pukui, 1983.