Author Archives: Liana

nvs. Vanity, foolishness, worthlessness; worthless, mischievous, of no value; wretch, scoundrel. See ex., niho mole. Lapuwale o nā lapuwale, vanity of vanities. The fact that I know this word from “small kid time” could be viewed as a blow to the self … Continue reading →

nvt. To uphold, support, favor, assist, prop up; to bind, as with a sash or belt; support, aid, recommendation, girdle. Cf. koʻo, support. Mea kakoʻo, sponsor. Ā ʻo ka ʻoiaʻiʻo hoʻi ke kākoʻo o kona kīkala (Isa. 11.5), truth then … Continue reading →

n.1. Scrotum; with qualifiers, a term of abuse. Cf. hoʻolaholaho, laho kole, laho oʻo, laho paka, laho ʻula. See saying, ule 1. (PPN laso.) 2. Male, as pipi laho, bull; puaʻa laho, boar (fig., promiscuous male). Laho, as I know it, refers to the scrotum, but another term used is ʻeke laho (or … Continue reading →

Interj. Syllables repeated in chants, usually at ends of verses, similar to ēhē; a taunting singsong teasing phrase, used especially by children, meaning “Oh! Oh! Aha! Shame on you! You are going to catch it!” As a verb, to tease. … Continue reading →

1. nvs. Industrious, busy, hard-working; workman, laborer, worker, industry. 2. n. Implement, tool, utensil, furnishings (Nah. 7.1). Mea paʻahana, tool, workman. Paʻahana is considered a “Hawaiian value”. A way to live your life. Surely if you look back through our history, … Continue reading →

n. Intestines, bowels, guts; mind, heart, affections; of the heart or mind; mood, temper, feelings. Fig., child. Cf. naʻau aliʻi, naʻau ʻino, naʻaupō. Helu naʻau (name of an arithmetic book), mental counting. Pōkole ka naʻau, short-tempered, cross. Hoʻopaʻanaʻau, to memorize. Naʻau pōkole, short-tempered; lit., short intestine. (PPN ngaakau.) Yum! Intestines, … Continue reading →

vs. Smooth, thin, as poi; fine, mashed, soft, powdery, supple, limber, as a dancer’s body. Cf. nāwāliwali, niu 1,ʻōnāwali, ʻōnāwaliwali. hoʻo.wali To make soft, smooth, as soil, to mix, as poi or dough; to digest. ʻAila hoʻowali pena, paint thinner. … Continue reading →

1. vi. To flash, as lightning; to blaze suddenly, flare up; to rumble uneasily, as a queasy stomach. ʻŌlapa ka hoe a ka lawaiʻa, he ʻino, the fisherman’s paddle flashes, a storm [of haste]. 2. n. Several native species and … Continue reading →

1. n. Time, turn, season, date, chronology, period of time. Cf. haʻi manawa. No ka manawa, for the time being, for a short time or while, temporary. Ia manawa, ia manawa nō, at this time, then, contemporary. Nā manawa āpau … Continue reading →

vi. To wander, drift, ramble, go from place to place; to stray morally or mentally. Cf. hula ʻauana. ʻAuana ka noʻonoʻo, delirium. hō.ʻauana To cause to wander, disperse, as a conqueror disperses an enemy. Sometimes spelled ʻauwana, we hear this … Continue reading →