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Hawaiian Words of Wisdom: Witticisms
A hîkapalalê, hinolue o walawala i pohâ (Untranslatable) The first foreigners, hearing the Hawaiians speak, commented, "What gibberish!" Just as the foreigners were disparaging Hawaiian speech, the Hawaiians were making light of the foreigners' speech. This is what they thought the first western foreigners to visit the islands said. It is untranslatable gibberish that became a nonsensical saying that is repeated with laughter when one is told something utterly incomprehensible.
Pupule puhi ahi. A humorous expression applied to one with an overabundance of energy who does just as he pleases without fear of being criticized. Such a person has so much generosity that he is likeable, even if he sometimes goes to extremes. "Eager beaver."
Ahuwale nâ pali kahakai o Kamilo. (in Ka`û on the Island of Hawai`i) Said of a woman who sits carelessly and exposes herself. "Shooting the beaver."
Aia a kau ka i`a i ka wa`a, mana`o ke ola. Before one feels elated and makes plans, he should first secure his "fish." "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."
Aia a ola hou o Kupanea. When Kupanea died, Kaona, a false prophet who lived during the reign of Kamehameha III, suggested that the family leave him unburied and that Kaona's prayers would restore the corpse to life again. Instead Kupanea's corpse became decomposed and had to be buried. Thus, this humorous saying -- meaning "Never!" -- came into being. "When hell freezes over…"
`A`ohe `ai pani `ia o ka `amo. All food is good; there is none that hinders evacuation. Said to a finicky person (especially the culturally-insensitive who compares poi -- Hawai`i's staff of life and revered staple -- to library paste, and rudely turns his/her nose up to it).
`A`ohe hua o ka mai`a i ka lâ ho`okahi. A retort to an impatient person. "Patience!" "Rome was not built in a day." "Cool your jets."
`A`ohe `ulu e loa`a i ka pôkole o ka lou. when the picking stick is too short. There is no success without preparation. "Slacker!"
`A`ohe `ukulele nana e `aki. Perfect comfort.
`A`ula! Kolekole! Said while drawing down the lid of the eye in contempt Also a vulgar expression arising from the following story: On Hawai`i lived a man who was dim-sighted but not entirely blind, though he like to pretend to be so. One day, two women saw him coming with a friend, and one said to the other, "One of those men can see, and the other is not as blind as he pretends to be." Her companion disagreed, "I am sure he is blind," she said. Then the first woman replied, "I will expose myself and we shall see." When the men drew near, the woman sat down and facing the "blind" man, exposed herself. He looked and exclaimed, "A `ula! Kolekole!" Because of this, his friend and the two women knew that he was not totally blind.
Hana `i`o ka haole! Hawaiians thought of themselves as stewards of the lands, not owners. Land ownership was not in their thinking. Generally easygoing, they didn't order people off the lands or regard them as trespassers. When the foreigners began to own lands, people began to be arrested for trespassing and the lands were fenced in to keep the Hawaiians out. Pî ka ihu, ha`u i ka makani. Said of one who lives the life of a drudge. Such a person is said to be too busy to eat a proper meal and and a result has a gassy stomach. "Workaholic."
"Pôkeokeo, pôkeokeo," wahi a ka pelehû. Said of one who has received a sizeable sum or is financially secure. A play on pôkeokeo, which refers to the turkey's gobble as well as to a substantial sum of money. "You're in the money now!" Source: Pukui, Mary Kawena, `ÔLELO NO`EAU: HAWAIIAN PROVERBS & POETICAL SAYINGS, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, HI, 1983.>> Back to A Hawaiian Love Story: http://hawaiianlanguage.com/alovestory.html |
