HONOLULU (KHON2) – In the ahupuaʻa of ʻAiea, which lies in the moku of ʻEwa here on Oʻahu, stands a street with a name that brings our attention to the outdoor.
We are speaking of Helemauna Pl.
In Hawaiian language, the name helemauna can refer to a rare native variety of dry-land taro.
But hele mauna could be understood as hele, meaning “to go,” and mauna meaning “mountain,” therefore “mountain climber.”
In honor of Hawaiian language month, here are Hawaiian phrases which describe other outdoor activities.
The word heʻe can mean “to slide, to flow, or octopus” and nalu means “wave or to ponder,” so heʻe nalu means “to surf.”
The word hoe can mean “paddle” or figuratively “to travel” and waʻa means “canoe or trench,” so hoe waʻa means “to paddle canoe.”
It’s so easy for us today to either jump into the ocean or go hiking.
But did you know that in Hawaii, particularly our mountains are considered sacred?
In ancient days, the further up, the more restricted it became with only a few allowed to enter.
To many Hawaiians, it’s believed that the gods and deities reside in the mountains and forests.
The highest spaces of the mountains, typically covered with clouds and fog, is known as wao akua, or the region of the gods.
The area below that is the forest region, known as wao nahele, and is where trees, birds, and plants thrive.
Below that region is then the wao kanaka, or that of the people, and is the zone of agriculture and farming.
The final region is the coastal zone known as kahakai.
The balance of each region results in a thriving ahupuaʻa.
Did you know? Now you do!