He Momi e Lei ai (a pearl to wear as a lei)

1. nvi. To grow, increase, spread; growth; increase or rising of the wind; to protect (PH 116, For. 6:474). Also unu. Cf. mea ulu. Ka ulu o ka lā, the rising of the sun. Kai ulu, sea at full tide. Ulu ehuehu, to grow fast, as a child. Mauka ʻoe e hele ai, ma ka uluo ka makani (PH 213), go inland where the wind blows. hoʻo.ulu To grow, sprout, propagate; to cause to increase, as the surf. Cf. mea hoʻ oulu, growth, crop. Ho ʻoulu mea kanu, horticulture. Mea hoʻoulu pilikia, troublemaker, agitator. Hoʻoulu lāhui, to increase and preserve the nation [said to be the aim of King Ka-lā-kaua]. Pule hoʻoulu ʻāina, prayer for the increased productivity of the land.

There are other meanings for ulu, eight total.  Two days ago, we learned about ulu, as in to be possessed by a god, or inspired by a spirit. Today’s ulu is spelled the same way but this may be a more common use of the word ulu – to grow.

You will notice that the difference between yesterday’s He Momi and today’s is the omission of the ‘okina in today’s ulu.  If you have a friend or aunty named Ulu, or Ululani, it probably does not have an ‘okina before it (although I suppose it could).  It would be the difference between “heavenly breadfruit”, or to “grow towards heaven”.  So you see, the ‘okina makes quite a difference in meaning, even though it is not always apparent in the pronunciation.

You can pick ‘ulu off a tree, you can cook it, and eat it.  But a tree can ulu, you can ulu, and you can see an ulu full of trees.

There are such place names as Uluhaimalama (inspiring offering of enlightenment), the name of Queen Lili’uokalani’s garden in Nu’uanu, Ulupē heiau (night inspiration) in Kailua, Oʻahu, and Ulumau Village (ever-growing) in Heʻeia, Oʻahu.

Hoʻoulu means to grow, sprout, propagate, and to cause to increase, or to stir up or inspire.

Ke ulu nei kāu keiki – Your child is growing.

Nani ka ulu kukui o Lanikāula – The kukui grove of Lanikāula is beautiful.

Pule hoʻoulu – prayer for inspiration

Ua ulu aʻe kona hoʻomana – His worshipping has grown.

Ua hoʻoulu ʻia kēia mau mea kanu ma ke kula – These plants were grown at school.

Ulu o ka lā – Growth of the sun (said of the light of sunrise just as the sun’s rim touches the horizon.

E ulu, e ulu kini o ke akua, ulu ʻo Kāne me Kanaloa (prayer) – Enter and inspire, may myriads of spirits enter and inspire, including Käne and Kanaloa.

Copyright: 2015 – 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.

1.  The breadfruit. 2.  Round, smooth stone as used in ʻulu maika game; bowling ball; bell clapper; dice. 3. Muscles in calf of leg. 4. Name for kōnane stone.

This week we are going to spend some time with different ʻulu/ulu words.  Today’s ʻulu has an ʻokina before it.  Remember that. It doesn’t make any difference in the pronunciation until you put a word in front of it (ka ʻulu as opposed to ka ulu which sounds like kaulu).   Usually when you see (or hear) the word ʻulu (complete with ʻokina) it is in reference to the breadfruit plant or fruit which is grown throughout Hawaiʻi and Polynesia.  It is a useful tree belonging to the fig family. ʻUlu is grown for its edible fruits and its wood is used for poi-pounding boards (papa kuʻi ʻai), surfboards, and drums.  The sticky gum of the ʻulu tree was sometimes used to catch forest birds.

Hawaiians sometimes make poi (poi ʻulu) out of ʻulu but it ferments too quickly and produces stomach gas. ʻUlu is usually baked or boiled and has a taste similar to potatoes.  You can find ʻulu chips in some specialty stores.  I prefer to fry cooked ʻulu with butter and brown sugar.  Sinful. Or put it in a potato salad, along with sweet potato.

LANGUAGE LESSON

Nui ka ʻulu ma Hawaiʻi – There is a lot of ʻulu in Hawaiʻi.

Ua ʻai au i ka ʻulu i kēia kakahiaka – I ate ʻulu this morning.

He ʻulu kēia – This is ʻulu.

ʻŌLELO NOʻEAU

ʻUlu pilo – Stinking breadfruit (A term of contempt for the kauā of Puna, Hawaiʻi comparing them to rotted ʻulu.  These outcastes were said to live in caves and hollows, as breadfruit fallen on the ground to rot.)

ʻAʻohe ʻulu e loaʻa i ka pōkole o ka lou – No breadfruit can be obtained when the picking stick is too short. (Always be prepared.)

Copyright: 2015 – 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.

2. vi. Possessed by a god; inspired by a spirit, god, ideal, person, as for artistic creation; stirred, excited; to enter in and inspire. Also unu. Manaʻo ulu wale, a thought entered of its own accord, hence fancy, impulse, imagination.  hoʻo.ulu, ho.ʻūlu To stir up, inspire, excite, taunt. Pule hoʻoulu, prayer for inspiration. Oli hoʻoulu, taunting chant, as before combat. Ka hoʻoulu hakakā, stirring up fights. Hoʻoulu haunaele, stirring up a mob, agitator. (PPN huru.)

There are times when an event or person or place invokes such a life in me that I just want to scream and shout (and sometimes I do, much to the chagrin of my ‘ohana and friends). During these times I choose to take action immediately because I know that if I wait, that “spirit within” may diminish, as it often does. It is as if, during times of ulu, my naʻau (insides) has taken over but if I wait, then my mind will kick in…that logical component that disconnects me from that spiritual gut wrenching aspect. The Hawaiian word for this excitement, this spirit-filled inspiration is ulu. You may know ulu to also mean to grow or increase, as in hoʻoulu lāhui (to increase the nation, a motto of King Kalākaua who wanted more Hawaiians after disease took the lives of so many).

I like the idea that Hawaiians acknowledge this stirring up of excitement. It probably fueled them through many battles (think Nuʻuanu, ‘Īao Valley, Mokuʻōhai) and hopefully continues to fuel us through the various challenges we face today, namely protecting our sacred mauna — Mauna Kea, Haleakalā, freeing Pōhakuloa from the hands of the military, other land rights, health, incarceration, houselessness.

Sometimes we can feel so hopeless, so voiceless. We need to ulu, feel that excitement coming from a spirit, whether it be God, your ʻaumakua, your kupuna, your ʻāina. Whether it be watching our people suffering through the perils of poverty or seeing the good being done by even our young ones, use it to make this world a better place, not just for you but for kākou…all of us. You included.

E ulu, e ulu kini o ke akua, ulu o Kāne me Kanaloa – (prayer) Enter and inspire, may myriads of spirits enter and inspire, including Kāne and Kanaloa.

Ua ulu aʻe ia ma muli o ka māhele lua o ke koʻikoʻi – This occurred because of the division of the responsibility.

vi. Depression, gutter, ravine; lines of the hand, loose skin over the eyeball; tuck in a garment, shirring, ruffling; descent, as of trail or road; of low rank (Kep. 125); to bend, duck, hang, sag, slacken, stoop; to relax; to ruff, as a mat. Cf. pūʻalu.   hō.ʻalu To slacken, loosen, hang down, bend down, stoop; depression, slack. Kī hōʻalu, slack key. (PPN kalu.)

On Friay, our momi of the day was alu – to cooperate. Today’s momi (pearl), is ʻalu (with an ʻokina before it). What a difference an ʻokina makes. We go from cooperating to being a slack!

All ʻaluʻalu. That’s how I remember first learning this word. Imagine your tūtū’s soft skin of her arm, so loose. You can gently flick it with your finger and watch it go back and forth. So soft (can you tell this is a fond memory?. Or grab your tummy, it isn’t nice and firm like it was in your youth. You could store a baby in there. A 5 month old baby. There is that much room. But it is all soft and flabby (can you tell this is a NOT fond memory?). ʻAlu.

Or tuck your shirt in. And it is so tight in there you cannot even put your hands up. You have to ʻalu da buggah. Make it all loose so you can at least move around a bit. And unsuck your gut. ʻAlu!

Or you might know this word from the word for slack key guitar. Kīhōʻalu – Kī = key. hōʻalu=to slacken. And that is exactly what you are doing on your guitar when you play kīhōʻalu. You are slackening the keys. Very clever.

Hoʻonoho ʻalu – to make tucks, shirring; tucker on a sewing machine.

Hoʻailona ʻalu – tuck creaser, of a sewing machine.

Mea hana ʻalu – tucker.

Wela ka hao, ʻalu ka uwea – the iron is hot, bend the wire (now is the time for fun, a saying originating at the Honolulu Iron Works).

Ua ʻalu ihola ka paniolo e lālau i ka pūʻolo – the cowboy leaned down to pick up the package.

Copyright: 2015 – 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.

Combined, acting together; to cooperate, act together. 

It gives me great insight into the Hawaiian language when I look at the number of words that express the concept of cooperation.  We commonly hear the value of laulima, literally, many hands.  There are other words: kōkua, huki like, kākoʻo, hana like. Today we learn alu, a little bit different, more in the spirit of working together as a team (and not so concerned with the number of “hands” helping out. E alu like mai kākou – Let us all work together in cooperation.

In Hawaiʻi your ability to thrive depends on the ability to cooperate with others in your community and at work. We like to think that we can live independently but hopefully we find that a daunting task. We SHOULD work cooperatively together. Driving through Waimea (known by many as Kamuela) on the weekends, we marvel at seeing a home being built by what seems to be a big network of family and friends. All the trucks and cars are parked on the grass and we see kids running around and men working, pounding nails, putting up the roof. We have dubbed them The Weekend Warriors. I told my ʻohana to just imagine it. These people are building a family a house that will last them a lifetime! What an accomplishment. What a spirit of alu.

I can hear Haunani Apoliona singing the song, E Alu Like Mai Kākou – Let’s all work together.

He hana alu like kēia – this is a task of cooperation.

E alu ka pule iā Hakalau – combine prayers to overcome Hakalau (Whenever concentration and united effort are required, this saying is used. A sorcerer at Hakalau once created havoc in his own and other neighborhoods. Many attempts to counter-pray him failed until a visiting kahuna suggested that all of the others band together to concentrate on the common enemy. This time they succeeded).

ʻAʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia – No task is too great when we all work together.

E ala! E alu! E kuilima! – Up! Together! Join hands! – A call to come together to tackle a given task.

Tomorrow we will learn about a word similar in spelling but totally different in meaning.

Copyright: 2015 – 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.

1.  nvs.  Swollen, distended; swelling; to swell; dropsy, edema.  2. n. A variety of sweet potato.  3. n. A kind of seaweed

I remember whenever I was hāpai, unfailingly, my body, in one way or another, and sometimes from head to toe, would get all pehu, all swollen.  That’s when I first learned the word, because, really, we don’t really learn something until it has some relevance or purpose in your own life.  So, pehu I was.  And the kumu at my keiki’s school (Pūnana Leo) told me to soak my feet in wāpine (lemongrass—another new word I learned and never forgot because of its immediate use) infused hot water.  And any opportunity they had they would lomi my body in an effort to get the fluids flowing properly.

Figuratively, pehu refers to one who is swollen with pride or conceit as well as on who is longing to eat or is hungry.  In fact, someone who was REALLY hungry could be referred to as makapehu (swollen eyes, or eyes big with hunger).

Today I talked with two friends who were both experiencing bouts with gout.  If you are local, chances are you know someone with gout.   Very painful.  Thus the inspiration for this week’s He Momi because when I looked up the word for gout, guess what it is…

Wāwae pehu – swollen feet/foot

Here are some other terms or sentences that use the word pehu:

Kai pehu – surging sea

Moaʻe pehu – a strong Moaʻe wind

Ua pehu kona lima i ka meli – Her hand was swollen because of the bee.

E pehu ana kou ʻōpū – Your stomach is going to swell.

Copyright: 2015 – 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.

nvs. Calico; variegated in color, as of croton leaves, or of a pinto horse spotted with several colors; printed cotton cloth (modern); said also of scars left after impetigo. Eng.

Still sticking with the “theme” of Hawaiian words that we still use in everyday speaking. For the most part. Kalakoa is another one of those words. We use it when something has a variety of colors in it — like a very colorful piece of clothing. It is all kalakoa.

Funny thing is that it is one of those transliterated words. You know, the ones that come directly from an English word, in this case, the word calico. Kalakoa.

Kalakoa kona lole wāwae – His pants is all kind colors.

E nānā i ka lio kalakoa – Look at the pinto horse.

1. vi. To bathe. Cf. ʻau 1, wai ʻauʻau. ʻAuʻau kai, to bathe in the sea. ʻAuʻau wai, to bathe in fresh water. Hale ʻauʻau, bathhouse. hō.ʻau.ʻau To give a bath. (PPN kaukau.)

And yet another word I just don’t hear enough of today in Hawaiʻi. ʻAuʻau was a staple word when I was growing up. We used it as much or more than aloha and mahalo. Every single day we used it because every single day my parents had to tell me when to go ʻauʻau. Bathe. Or bafe, as some would say. Go ʻauʻau. I pau ʻauʻau. Common. Everyday. Sometimes more than once a day. Hey, when you live in Hawaiʻi, you gotta ʻauʻau at least once a day. Even my mom whose first language is Danish used ‘au’au when we were growing up because that’s all she ever heard from my dad and everyone else.

It wasn’t until I was in high school that I heard the word bocha. My sister in law who is part Japanese used it. Never ever heard it ever. Never before I heard it from her. I don’t even know if I am spelling it correctly.

And now I feel like EVERYONE uses bocha. I have nothing against the word but it makes me sad, especially when I hear Hawaiian families using bocha instead of ʻauʻau. Maybe the use of bocha is more prevalent Hilo side because of the high population of Japanese folks. But seriously. We are in Hawai’i. Let’s use ‘au’au.

E ʻauʻau – Go bathe.

Ke hōʻauʻau nei ʻo ia i kāna pēpē – She is bathing her baby.

Ua ʻauʻau nā keiki – The kids bathed.

Copyright:  2015 – 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.

n. Mange, impetigo, itch, itching pustules of the skin. (Kanl. 28.27.)

Today’s he momi may not be your most favorite Hawaiian word but it is one that, like yesterday’s word (hoʻomalimali) you may have heard a lot growing up.

Kākiʻo. Mange. Eeewwww.

Growing up, us small kids always had kākiʻo somewhere on our bodies, but the way it was used I always assumed it was synonymous with “owes” or scabs. “Kākiʻo leg,” “Eh, no pick your kākiʻos” were commonly heard around everybody’s house (and not only aimed towards me!). But it occurred to me just this past weekend as I saw someone with plenty kākiʻo that it is a word I don’t hear too often anymore. And the translation in the dictionary is far worse than what I assumed it to mean. Nevertheless, if I am correct in my assumption, its use is diminishing (or I am not hanging out with families whose kids get plenty kākiʻo). I say we all make every attempt to revive it! Tell your kid don’t run on the sidewalk or he might get kākiʻo if he fall. Or make your daughter wear long pants riding bicycle so she no get kākiʻo if she fall down (trust me on this one).

So, what is the word for owie? ʻEha works well. ʻEha means ache, pain, sore. Scab? Pāpaʻa. Yes. Pāpaʻa, like burnt or crispy. Same. Kinda looks the same, too huh?

E hoʻōla hou kākou i ka hua ʻōlelo kākiʻo – Let us revive the word kākiʻo.

Pilikia kona lima i ka nui kākiʻo Her arm is “troubled” by a lot of kākiʻo.

Copyright: 2015 – 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.

1. hoʻo.mali.mali To flatter (Hal. 78.36), wheedle; to mollify with soft words or a gift; to soothe, quiet. (PPN malimali.)

Check out the definition: to flatter, to mollify with soft words or a gift. Hoʻomalimali. In other words, using some sweet talk, usually for a specific purpose.

Why did I pick this word? Well, once in a while, even the person who says he doesn’t know much Hawaiian language will, through conversation, use a word that he has heard growing up in Hawaiʻi. Hoʻomalimali is one of those words.

“I am just going to hoʻomalimali him so I can go on the trip.” “Oh, her, she is always trying to hoʻomalimali. Brown noser.” Love it when words like this pop up, because as time moves on it seems that we are hearing less and less of these Hawaiian words being used in our homes. I don’t know why. I guess we just forget them, or don’t see much purpose in using them.

Stay tuned for more of these hua ʻōlelo (words) that we would hear lots growing up, but maybe not so much anymore.

Ua hoʻomalimali ʻo ia i kāna kāne – She flattered her husband.

E hoʻomalimali ana ka māmā i kāna keiki – The mom is soothing her child.

Copyright: 2015 – 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.