The following are some Hawaiian proverbs which have
been preserved and handed down from generation to generation through
Hawaii's oral tradition. The sayings were gathered by Mary Kawena
Pukui and can be found in 'Olelo No'eau , Bishop
Museum Press.
OLELO
NO'EAU HAWAII 2012
February 2012
(Pepeluali)
Nakeke ka ua I ka lau o ka
niu
Rain patters on the coconut
leaves
Said of idle talk
Iānuali
(January) 2012
E lawe i ke a'o a mālama a e `oi mau
ka na`auao
Take what you have learned and apply it and your wisdom
will increase.
.
It is a reminder to us that when we learn and gain 'ike, we
have a kuleana, a responsibility to apply, to use it, to share it
with others
OLELO
NO'EAU HAWAII 2011
November 2011
Aloha
mai no, aloha aku; o ka huhu ka mea e ola 'ole ai.
When
love is given, love should be returned. Anger is the thing that
gives no life.
July 2011
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN
PHRASES
I ulu no ka lala i ke
kumu.
The reach of a tree's branches depends on its
trunk.
A family's unconditional love strengthens each one to
succeed.
June 2011
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN PHRASES
E
ho`ohuli ka lima I lalo
Turn
the hands down.
When
the palm of the hands face down they are occupied and
productive.
May 2011
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN
PHRASES
Nānā ka maka; hana ka
lima
Observe with the eyes; work with the
hands
Translation: Just watching isn’t
enough. Pitch in and
help.
(Please remember Japan in your
thoughts, do what you can to assist)
April 2011
Kulia i ka
nu'u
Strive for the
summit.
Explanation: Strive for the very top of the
mountain, strive for excellence. This was the motto of Hawaii's
Queen Kapi'olani who did so much for her
people.
March 2011
Kulia i ka
nu'u
Strive for the
summit.
Explanation: Strive
for the very top of the mountain, strive for excellence. This was
the motto of Hawaii's Queen Kapi'olani who did so much for her
people.
February 2011
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN PHRASES
'Ike aku, 'ike mai, kokua aku kokua mai;
pela iho la ka nohana 'ohana.
Recognize others, be recognized, help
others, be helped; such is a family
relationship.
Many native
Hawaiians live with their extended family and family is the most
important part of life for them. This saying teaches why they should
put family first...In the Ohana or family, you know others and they
know you, you help others and know you will be helped if there is
anything you need.
We thank our ‘extended’ family
of volunteers who do so much to make WCC a special place!
Mahalo!
January 2011
A’ole I ke’ehi kapua’I ike one o
Hauiki.
Has not set foot on the sands of
Hauiki.
One does not know much about a place until
one has been there.
(We invite you to visit WCC to see for
yourself the good that is happening! Share the Center with your
friends, family and neighbors and let them experience for
themselves)
OLELO
Hawaii 2010
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN PHRASES December
2010
Ka ha ‘awi a ka mea
hale
Giving as a house owner does, with nothing
left hidden in the
corners
Koe koena ‘ole
maku
‘ono
Said of a very generous person who gives
freely of all s/he
has.
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN PHRASE -
November 2010
Mālama kekahi I
kekahi
Take care of one
another
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN PHRASE October
2010
“Ua ola loko I ke
aloha.”
Love
is necessary for life.
Love is
imperative to one’s mental and physical
welfare.
OLELO NO'EAU HAWAIIAN
PHRASE September 2010
E
aloha kekahi i kekahi
Love one
another.
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN PHRASE August
2010
I maikai ke
kalo i ka oha
The goodness
of the taro is judged by the youngest plant it
produces.
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN PHRASE - July 2010
Mōhala ka pua, ua wehe
kaiao
One looks
forward with joy to a happy event.
(We
look forward to our annual gala dinner August 27,
2010)
OLELO
NO’EAU HAWAIIAN PHRASE - June
2010
‘O ka makua ke
ko‘o o ka hale.
The
parent is the support that holds the household
together
OLELO NO’EAU HAWAIIAN
PHRASE May 2010
He lawai'a no ke kai papa'u, he
pokole ke aho; he lawai'a no ke kai hohonu he loa ke
aho.
A
fisherman of shallow seas uses only a short line; a fisherman of the
deep sea uses a long line.
You
will reach only as far as you aim and prepare yourself to
reach.
OLELO NO’EAU HAWAIIAN
PHRASE for April 2010
‘A’Ole E ‘Olelo mai Ana Ke Ahi Ua
Ana Ia.
Translation:
Fire will
never say that it has had enough.
“The Fire
of Love will burn as long as it has
something to feed upon.”
OLELO NO’EAU HAWAIIAN PHRASE for March
2010
Ho‘okahi leo
ua
lawa.
One voice is
enough.
One reminder is all that is
necessary.
HAWAIIAN PHRASE FOR February
2010
'O ka makapō wale nō ka mea e hāpapa i ka
pōuli
Only
the blind gropes in the
dark
If you have no direction in life, you
will
get no
where
HAWAIIAN PHRASE FOR January
2010
Eia
ka ho’opōpōmaika’i no kēia wā a no ka makahiki hou. Aīa mau ‘oukou ma
ko
mākou
leo pule.
Wishing you the best for the holiday season and the
coming year. You are
always in our prayers.
OLELO
HAWAI’I - December 2009
Common Hawaiian
Phrases
Ka
ipu o ka ike.
(The
gourd of wisdom.)*
Check out our Ipu Umeke class scheduled Dec.
4 to learn more and make your own.
OLELO
HAWAI’I - November 2009
Common Hawaiian Phrases
Forgive me, I’m sorry
E
kala mai `oe ia`u.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hau`oli
Lâ o`omaika`i!
Miss you! Ha`o iâ
`oe
OLELO NO’EAU - October
2009
A'ohe hana nui ka
alu'ia.
No task is too big when done
together.
Explanation: United we stand, divided we
fall.
OLELO NO’EAU September
2009
AIA NO I KA MEA E MELE ANA
Let the singer select the
song
YOU are in
control of your life.
Be open to advice and trust in yourself to
decide.
July 2009 ~
OLELO NO
E’AU
He lawai'a no ke kai
papa'u, he pokole ke aho; he lawai'a no ke kai hohonu he loa ke
aho.
Translation:
A fisherman of shallow seas uses only a short line; a fisherman of
the deep sea uses a long line.
Explanation: You will reach only as far as you aim and prepare
yourself to reach.
May
2009 Hawaiian Olelo
No'eau
Kau ka
‘ōnohi ali’i I luna.
The royal eyes rest above.
A rainbow – a sign that the gods are
watching the chiefs is now visible.
April Hawaiian
Phrase
‘'Ike au 'oukou i ka la apopo”
I'll see you all
tomorrow!
March 2009 OLELO NO’EAU
‘Ike aku, ‘ike mai,
kokua aku, kokua mai; pela iho la ka nohona
‘ohana.
Recognized and be recognized, help and be helped, such
is family life.
Family life requires an exchange of mutual help and
recognition.
February 2009 Olelo
No'eau
Mōhala ka pua, ua wehe
kaiao
The blossoms are opening, for dawn is
breaking.
One looks forward with joy to a happy event and new
year!
JANUARY 2009 OLELO
NO’EAU
E lei kau, e lei ho`oilo i ke
aloha.
Love is worn like a wreath
through the summers & the winters.
December
2008
E ’ike I ke au nui me ke au iki
Be a person well-versed
NOVEMBER 2008 OLELO NO’EAU
He lei poina ‘ole ke keiki
A lei never forgotten is the beloved
child
October
2008 Olelo No'eau
Kuhi no ka lima, hele no ka maka.
Where the hands move,
there let the eyes
follow.
A rule in hula.
August 2008 - Olelo No’eau 322
E KOLO ANA NO KE ĒWE I KE ĒWE
The roolet will creep toward the
roolets.
Of the same origin, kinfolk will seek
and love one another.
July 2008 Hawaiian
Proverbs & Words of
Wisdom
HE POHŌ, O KE AKAMAI NO KE HANA A NUI.
Problems happen. Use wisdom and skill to deal
with them.
You cannot control events but you can choose your
responses. Do the
best you can at the time with knowledge you have. Tomorrow is another day to
travel, learn, and grow
From the “Little Book of Aloha”, Renata Provenzano.
June
2008
Ke waiwai nui ka lokahi
Unity is a precious possession.
April 2008
Hawaiian Proverbs & Wisdom
“He ‘olina leo ka ke aloha”
A
joyousness is in the voice of love.
Love speaks in a gentle and joyous voice, not in harshness or
gruffness.
March 2008
"Kulia i
ka nu'u”
Translation: Strive for the summit.
Explanation: Strive for the very top of the mountain,
strive for excellence. This was the motto of Hawaii's Queen
Kapi'olani who did so much for her people.
December 2007
E noho iho I ke opu weuweu, mai ho’oki ’eki ’e.
Remain among the clumps of grass and do not elevate
yourself.
Don’t show off, don’t get bigheaded
November 2007
PO’OKELA (Excellence)
Ahuwale ka po’okela I kāu hana iā ha’i.
It is through the way you serve others that your
greatness will be felt.
October 2007
‘I le’a ka hula I ka
ho’opa’a
The hula is pleasing because of the
drummer.
This proverb refers to the importance
of small details that can make something become
great and
pleasing.
September 2007
Hawaiian Proverbs & Wisdom
Pupukahi i holomua.
Translation: Unite to move
forward.
By
working together we make progress. This saying would be especially
applicable to the Hawaiians on their canoes where each paddler would
have to pull the paddles together on command in order to make the
canoe move forward quickly forward.
July 2007
O ka makapo wale no ka mea hapapa i ka
pouli.
Translation: Only the blind gropes in the
darkness.
Explanation: If you have no direction in life, you'll get
nowhere or another way to put it is, "If you're going nowhere,
you're guaranteed to get there."
June 2007
Hele
me kahau ‘oli
Go with
Joy
Malama
Kekahi I kekahi
Take care of each other
May 2007
Hawaiian
Proverbs
& Wisdom
From
the Little Book of Aloha
‘A’OHE
LOKOMAIKA’I I NELE I KE PĀN’I
No
kind deed has ever lacked its reward.
An
opportunity to help another is a gift. To LIVE
WITH ALOHA
is to have a giving nature.
Give for the pleasure of giving, do not expect something in
return.
April 2007
UA OLA LOKO I KE ALOHA
Love gives life within
Love is imperative to one’s mental, physical,
emotional and spiritual welfare. A KIND
WORD can melt the hardest heart. Look at a situation with
love. It changes
everything.
March 2007 -
Hawaiian
Proverbs
& Wisdom, From
the Little Book of Aloha
HE
KĒHAU
HO’OMA’EMA’E KA ALOHA
Love
is like a cleansing dew
The
cleansing power of Aloha can soothe and heal. Love removes hurt. Love conquers
all.
February 2007 - Na 'Olelo
Pokole
Have a nice day! I la maika'i
nou
January 2007
OIAI
E NĀNĀ
MAI ANA NO NA MAKA”
While
the eyes still look around
In
honor of our kupuna (elders)
While
a person is living, treat them kindly and learn what you can from
them.
December 2006 ~ Hawaiian Phrase of the
Month
‘IKE
‘IA NO KA LOEA I KE KUAHU
An
expert is recognized by the altar he
builds.
All life is learning. Wisdom comes with experience
and time.
Ask your elders
and those who have walked before you to provide advice. They’ve already
lived.
October 2006 Hawaiian Phrase of the
Month
Uwe
ka lani, ola ka honua.
When the heavens weep,
the earth lives.
When
it rains the earth revives.
September
2006 Hawaiian Phrase of the Month
From
The Little Book of Aloha
NAU KE KU’I, LOHI KA
LIMA
When
one grinds the teeth, the hand slows.
Forgive and get on with
life. Forgiveness is a
great power that brings freedom to all sides.
Anger is fear of letting
go. Let go of the past
and move on.
I
MOHALA NO KA LEHUA
I
KE KE’EKE’EHI ‘IA E KA UA.
The
lehua blossom unfolds when the rain treads on
it.
Offer
encouragement to help a child grow.
People need nurturing as flowers
need water.
People respond better to gentle
words than scolding.
-
From the Little Book of Aloha
E
kaupe aku no i ka hoe ako mae
Put
forward the paddle and draw it forward
This
olelo noeau urges us to go on with the task that is started and
finish it.
Together
with your help, WCC will continue to fulfill its mission and better
the conditions for our members as we move forward.
HAHAI
NO KA UA I KA ULULĀ’AU
The
rain follows after the forest.
HEN'ELELE KA MOE NA KE KANAKA
A dream is a bearer of messages to
man.
‘IKE
AKU, ‘IKE MAI, KŌKUA
MAI;
PELA
IHO LA KA NOHONA ‘OHANA
Recognize
others, be recognized, help others, be helped; such is a family
relationship.
E
Lauhoe mai nā
wa’a
Everybody
paddle the canoes together
I ke
kā, I
ka hoe, i ke kā
Bail
and paddle, paddle and bail
Pae
aku I ka ‘āina.
And
the shore (end) is reached.
HO’OMOE WAI KĀHI
KE KĀO’O
Let’s
all travel together like water flowing in one
direction.
Live in harmony
with other people and
the world around you.
I ulu no
ka lala
i ke kumu.
The
reach of a tree's branches depends on its trunk.
A
family's unconditional love strengthens each one to
succeed.
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