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

vs. Fixed, immovable, motionless, steadfast, established, firm, resolute, determined (this was the motto of Ka-mehameha V and of Liliʻu-o-ka-lani. Lit., fixed movement.

I was privileged to attend the “Commemorative Celebration of Queen Liliʻuokalani’s 179th Birthday” at Mauna ʻAla (Royal Mausoleum) on the Queen’s birthday, September 2nd. And because ʻonipaʻa was the queen’s motto, it was foremost on everyone’s mind.

ʻOnipaʻa is such an interesting word because it seems to be two opposite words – ʻoni means to move (albeit small movements); paʻa means to be fixed, stuck, secure, firm.

Why do you think Kamehameha V (Lot) and Liliʻuokalani chose ʻonipaʻa as their motto? As their word to live by? They ruled during trying times. Foreigners were demanding more and more land, power and interest in government and business affairs. Perhaps Lot and Liliʻuokalani  knew that as time progressed and as foreign influence continued to affect the Hawaiian people, it was important to “move” when necessary and then to be firm in that move. And if you know the history of the illegal overthrow during Liliʻuokalani’s reign, you will know she lived this motto in all ways.

I liken ʻonipaʻa to being sure footed. When I am standing on the sand and a wave is coming, sometimes I must adjust my footing to avoid falling over. I have to ʻoni a paʻa – move in order to be firm. Only a fool would not try to do the same. When debating a point, sometimes you have to listen, perhaps concede or agree to an opposing view in order to fully grasp where you stand. ʻOni to get to a better place and then be paʻa again.

If we all consider this as we move through life, perhaps things would be a bit better. Trump denies climate change. Really? I think he better consider some ʻoni action right now as he figures out how to assist Texas and Florida. And it is far from over. He needs to ʻonipaʻa. Change his tune a bit and then be resolute.

Solar Eclipse (literally: dark day)

I was watching KGMB news this morning as Mileka Lincoln (LOVE HER!) lamented the clouds obscuring the view of the solar eclipse. People gathered on the Eastern shores of Oʻahu only to be disappointed by the lāuli, or lack thereof.

Rest assured, the view on Hawaiʻi Island was where you should have been (Mileka should have flown home!). The sky, at least from Hāmākua and Waimea, was incredible this morning. Mauna Kea cloaked herself in white for the occasion, as if to properly dress for such a formal occasion as she greets her akua ʻohana, Kānehoalani (the sun) and Hina (the moon). Perhaps she knew today is a special day as petitioners file their Exceptions to the proposed findings (to permit TMT to move forward).

Eō e Poliʻahu i ke kapu, i ka piko o Mauna a Wākea. Ola!

Turmeric

Hawaiians have and continue to use plants to heal. One such plant that is commonly used to this day is ʻōlena, also known as turmeric. It’s likely you’ve had ʻōlena before, as it is a common ingredient in curry sauces and powders.

ʻŌlena arrived in Hawaiʻi with the Polynesians who migrated here. If you see the plant above and below the ground, you may notice its resemblance to its cousin, ginger. In fact, ʻōlena has a similar growing season to ginger. The above ground parts die back in the winter (just like ginger) but when it does, don’t think the plant is dead and gone. The rhizomes (what many refer to as the roots) are alive and well underground and ready to sprout once the weather warms up again.

In Hawaiʻi ʻōlena is prized for its medicinal qualities. It can be used fresh or dried, juiced, grated, whatever suits your needs. The powder that is sold in grocery or health food stores. It has a unique flavor, color, and taste.

ʻŌlena is said to be useful for:

• Nasal ailments
• blood purifying
• immune system strengthening
• wound healing
• ear infections
• detoxification
• antioxidant properties
• inflammation

Some swear by a mixture of ʻōlena with coconut milk and black pepper (to aid with absorption) to help with insomnia. Others take ʻōlena capsules daily as part of their overall health regiment.

ʻŌlena is easy to grow. Just get a piece of rhizome, stick it in the ground and wait. Soon enough, you should see the stem appearing. It grows well in pots, in garden boxes, or directly in the ground.

n. Lesson, assignment, task, gift (Rom. 11.29), appropriation, allowance, grant, or contribution, honorarium, allotment, award, as of money; donation, portion, deal or hand in cards, dream, article (section in a law).

Haʻawina, the general term used for lesson, task or assignment, is apropos today as it is day 1 for most schools in Hawaiʻi. Plenty haʻawina will be shared among teachers and students. Hopefully back and forth, reciprocally.

Most of all, though, I love that haʻawina also refers to gift. Isn’t it the truth, though? Whenever we learn a lesson, especially those that may be difficult to swallow, it is a gift. Any opportunity to learn something that will make our world or our lives a better place to be is a gift.

And dream! The connection I make there is that we frequently learn from our dreams if we are open to it.

Did you receive an award of money? Count that as a haʻawina. Wow. So useful this word! I usually use it for lesson or assignment (that is the teacher in me), but I am going to make a conscious effort to

Nui kaʻu mau haʻawina – I have learned a lot.

Ua maopopo anei iā ʻoe ka haʻawina? – Did you understand the lesson?

Ua loaʻa mai kekahi haʻawina no kaʻu hana – I received a grant award for my work.

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 without written consent. 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. Address 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.

To visit, the sights; to stroll, make a tour, take a walk; to look upon (Puk. 3.4); spectator. 

And off I go! Uihā! Two years ago, I traveled with my mom, and seven other members of my family all the way to Denmark (talk about a   l o n g  flight, especially since our ages ranged from 4 – 84). We went to kipa (visit) the motherland. Literally.  My mom is FROM Denmark. Visiting a country with a total of nine in the group can be quite a challenge but it was an unforgettable journey, a wonderful huakaʻi.

Loving and remembering our mauna in Sweden with six of the nine

All nine of us at Torvehallerne, a wonderful market in Copenhagen, our favorite stop

Hawaiʻi and Danish Family

This week I make the journey again, although instead of table for nine, it is just a table for four. All able-bodied adults. This time around, it will be go go go, visiting family, enjoying food, sightseeing, in the true sense of mākaʻikaʻi. I intend to visit, sightsee, stroll, tour, walk, do it all. Mākaʻikaʻi in all its glory.  I am going to mākaʻikaʻi hele, to stroll here and there.

Wish me well, my friends.

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 without written consent. 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. Address 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.

To remember, recall, commemorate, reflect deeply on, meditate.

Today marks the 9th anniversary of the passing of my dad, Shermaih Kahuakai Iaea, Jr. He died exactly one month before his birthday and his funeral was held exactly one week later on the birthday of my oldest grandchild.

Forever on this day, I will hoʻomanaʻo my dad. He had a tattoo on his arm that said SKI and for the longest time I had no idea why. Finally figured out it was his initials. He also had what looked like a self made tattoo of a cross on his hand between his thumb and pointer finger. I was his “Princess”, so much so that there was a time kids from the neighborhood would come to the door and ask for Princess because that is what he called me. He loved my kids and they loved him. I miss him everyday. I hear his voice. I see his smile. And I feel the warmth of his hugs. Oh I remember the maybe not so good stuff, too, that we all have. It is an entire package. But today I remember the laugh and hugs and crunching sound of him eating raw crab. Usually from Tamuras. And drawing out the word, “H e   l l oooooo” whenever we talked on the phone.

It is amazing how just a simple reflection, hoʻomanaʻo, of my dad causes tears to well up in my eyes. It is a haliʻa aloha, a fond remembrance, for sure.

This is one of my favorite pics of my dad. He loved to hoʻomanaʻo his younger days, how naughty he was, always getting in fights during his years at Kamehameha. And, most fondly how he loved spending his summers in Manaʻe with his ʻohana.

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 without written consent. 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. Address 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. n. Spring (of water). Cf. pūnāwai. Puna-hou (place), new spring. Wai puna, spring water. (PPN puna.) 2. n. Coral, lime, plaster, mortar, whitewash, calcium; coral container, as for dye, coral rubber. E lawe ʻo ia i ka puna hou e hamo i ka hale (Oihk. 14.42), and he shall take new plaster and plaster the house. (PPN punga.) 3. n. Section between joints or nodes, as of bamboo or sugar cane. 4. n. Cuttlebone, as of octopus. 5. Short for kupuna as a term of address. 6. Short for punalua. hoʻo.puna Same as hoʻopunalua. 7. vi. To paddle with the hands, as to start a surfboard on its way to catch a wave. Rare. 8. n. Spoon (preceded by ke). Eng. Ke iho ihola ke puna, the spoon is let down [the lower lip, of a pouter].

Now here is a useful word.  Let’s go through some of the meanings:

Spring (as water).  From this we get place names such as Punahou, the name of the private  school in Honolulu, but many don’t know that the school’s name is really named after the area in which it is located. It is here that the god Kāne thrust his staff into the ground to get water. According to another story, an old couple lived by a hala (pandanus) tree and each dreamed of a spring; when the man offered red fish and pulled up the hala (pandanus) tree, water oozed out. The seal of Punahou School depicts a hala tree, pool, and lūʻau (taro leaves).

Coral, plaster, etc.  In fact, this is the word you can use for a cast, like when you break your arm.

We don’t have sugarcane here like we used to, but it is nice to know those nodes/joints are puna!  Loaʻa nā puna ma ke kō a me ka ʻohe – There are nodes on sugarcane (kō) and bamboo (ʻohe).

My moʻopuna (grandchildren) refer to me as Puna.  Nice to know that it is actually recognized in the Hawaiian  dictionary!  Another choice for all you kupuna out there!

Punalua – Now here is a term we don’t get to use nowadays.  This is the term for the relationship between two people (or possibly more) who share the same spouse.  In pre-missionary times, Hawaiians, aliʻi in particular, practiced polygamy.  And generally, the relationship between two people who shared the same spouse was one of genuine love and caring.  In fact, to be jealous of your punalua was frowned upon.  And a lot of times, your punalua might also be your sibling (kuaʻana or kaina).

Surfers out there might like to know that puna is the term used when they are paddling to catch a wave!  E puna! PADDLE!

Puna, for spoon, may be the translation we use most often when we say puna.  For those more familiar with Hawaiian, this is an exception to the ka/ke rule.  A ke will precede puna for spoon (ke puna) but ka will precede puna for spring (as well as the other meanings – ka puna).

Here are some ʻōlelo noʻeau using the word puna:

Punaluʻu (spring dived for), i ke kai kau haʻa a ka malihini

Punaluʻu, where the sea dances for the visitors.

Hoʻi ka wai a ka puna noho mai

The water returns to the spring and there remains (said of one who withdraws).

ʻIno ka moana ke ahu mōkākī nei ka puna i uka

The sea is rough, for the corals are stewn on the beach  (here are all the indications that there is trouble yonder).

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.

Improvement, progress. To improve.

This is the time. Graduations abound. Students are completing one chapter in their lives, gearing up for the next chapter. It never ends, right? Holomua. Progressing. Moving forward.

Holomua is comprised of two words: holo – to go; mua – forward. Go forward.

I love signing my graduation cards with this word. HOLOMUA!

It is a perfect word for those who have are doing big things in their lives. A good reminder to keep going!

It is also a good word for those who are meeting difficult challenges. They need to be encouraged to holomua. That’s the more difficult one, right? If you are up against some negativity or you have issues going on, sometimes it is SO VERY HARD to holomua. But you must. One small step at a time. Go forward. Sometimes my friends and I joke (because sometimes we have to) and instead of saying holomua we say kolomua (kolo meaning to crawl). Sometimes it feels like when hard times hit the moving forward is such a slow process. Instead of running forward we feel like we are crawling, on hands and knees, like a baby. But that is okay, too. Main thing it is in the mua direction. Keep going forward.

Pūpūkahi i holomua – Unite in order to progress.

Don’t you like this ʻōlelo noʻeau? Hawaiians got it going on. They know the way to get ahead is to work together.

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 without written consent. 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. Address 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. Mother, aunt, female cousin or relative of parents’ generation.

Makua – parent

Hine – short for wahine, woman.

This Sunday, Lāpule, we celebrate all makuahine, all the mamas out there and that includes your mom, aunties and all the female cousins of that same generation. They are, after all, your makuahine, from a Hawaiian perspective. And I love the concept.  I have always felt that all women who nurture the children  should be honored on this special day. Some women who may not have bore or adopted children (I want to write borned because I know you will all know what I mean) have been makuahine to the keiki in their lives.

I know many a kumu (teacher, whether it is in school, hula, art) who are more nurturing than some children’s own mothers. I know some who are perfect complements to the mothers. And as a makuahine myself, I know that I have relied on a handful of close females in my generation to provide my keiki with the guidance and soft touch that I lacked as a busy working makuahine of four keiki.

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 without written consent. 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. Address 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. Night of the full moon. When this moon set before daylight it was called Hoku Palemo, Hoku that slips away. When it set after daylight it was called Hoku Ili, grounded Hoku. (Malo 32.) Cf. hōkū, star. Ka mahina o Hoku, the full moon of the night Hoku. (PEP (F,S)otu.) (Pukui)

Tonight is the mahina Hoku. Go take a look. Big and round. Hoku is the 15th moon of the cycle. I love a mahina piha (full moon) night. The trees are visible, and there is a lot of energy in the air, hopefully put to good use. It is a good time for planting. I didn’t get my kumquat in the ground on the hua night but I will try for tonight, weather permitting. Tomorrow is going to be my last chance. Tomorrow is Māhealani. If it doesn’t get in the ground tomorrow, that buggah is going to stay in its current pot for one more month.

Dont confuse the name of tonight’s moon with the word, hōkū, which means star. Two different words! All made different by the pronunciation.

Nui nā hōkū i ka lani me ka mahina Hoku – There are many stars in the sky with the Hoku moon.

Take a look at what is blooming right now where you are. Then revisit next Hoku moon and see what has changed. Right now the lehua trees in my yard are going CRAZY with pua! It is like  fire in my trees! And my lilikoʻi are just starting to flower. I wish I had mango but my place is way too cold but I know mangoes are looking like my picture down below. Moni ka haʻae – my mouth is watering!

pua lilikoʻi