July 25

LANI

LAH-nee

Sky, the heavens — and, in the same breath, a very high chief: the word Hawaiian reaches for when something is exalted, royal, heavenly.

July 24

PAʻA

PAH-ah

Firm, solid, held fast — the everyday word for anything that holds: a shut door, a chant learned by heart, a person who stays steady.

July 21

ʻAʻALIʻI

ah-ah-LEE-ee

A tough native shrub whose red seed pods color the uplands — and, from a famous proverb, the very picture of standing firm in any wind.

July 20

KUKUI

koo-KOO-ee

The candlenut tree — burned for light in old Hawaiʻi, and ever since a symbol of learning and enlightenment.

July 19

AHUPUAʻA

ah-hoo-poo-AH-ah

A slice of land running from the mountain to the sea — everything one community needs, held together as one.

July 18

KILO

KEE-loh

To watch closely — to read the sky, the land, the sea, and let them teach you.

July 17

AʻO

AH-oh

To learn — and to teach. One word does both.

July 16

HOʻOKIPA

hoh-oh-KEE-pah

Hospitality — to welcome, host, treat a guest well

July 15

ĀNUENUE

AH-noo-eh-NOO-eh

Rainbow — the whole arch, in a language that keeps a separate word for every kind

July 13

PALI

PAH-lee

A cliff, precipice, steep slope; an obstacle or difficulty

July 12

HOʻOKELE

hoh-oh-KEH-leh

To steer, navigate, command — the helmsman and the art of finding the way

Jul 11

HUI

HOO-ee

To join, to meet — and the group that forms when people do.

July 10

HALE

HAH-leh

House, home — the shelter that holds a family.

July 9

WAʻA

VAH-ah

Canoe — the vessel that carried a people across an ocean.

July 8

PILINA

pee-LEE-nah

Relationship, connection, bond — the way things join and hold.

July 7

MELE

MEH-leh

Song, chant, poem — and the act of singing one.

July 6

HUAKAʻI

hoo-ah-KAH-ee

Trip, voyage, journey — and the procession that travels together.

July 5

MALUHIA

mah-loo-HEE-ah

Peace, tranquility, serenity — the deep quiet of feeling safe.

July 3

KŪʻOKOʻA

KOO-oh-koh-ah

Independence, liberty, freedom — to stand fully on one’s own.

July 2

KALO

KAH-loh

Taro — staple of Hawaiian life and elder sibling of the people.

July 1

HOʻOMAKA

hoh-oh-MAH-kah

To begin, to start — to set a new thing in motion.

June 30

ʻŌLELO

OH-leh-loh

Language, speech, word — and the living act of speaking. The very thing that carries a people forward, one sentence at a time.

June 29

MANA

MAH-nah

Spiritual power — the unseen force that moves through people, places, and words. Authority that is felt long before it is claimed.

June 28

MAHINA

mah-HEE-nah

The moon — and the month it measures, one full journey of light from dark to full and back again.

June 27

MOʻOLELO

mo-oh-LEH-loh

A story, history, or tradition — the “succession of talk” that carries a people’s memory forward.

June 25

ʻIKE

EE-keh

To see, to know, to understand — one word for seeing with the eyes and knowing in the mind.

June 24

UA

OO-ah

Rain — and the verb for the act of raining; the water that turns a hillside green overnight.

June 23

PUA

POO-ah

A flower — and, in the same breath, a child, a descendant; the next bud on the family line.

June 22

WAHINE

wah-HEE-neh

Woman, lady, wife — and the word inside makuahine, “mother.”

June 21

KĀNE

KAH-neh

Man, male, husband — the word inside makua kāne, “father.”

June 20

LEHUA

leh-HOO-ah

The blossom of the ʻōhiʻa tree — the flower of Hawaiʻi Island — and a word for someone beloved, an expert, a warrior.

June 19

NOA

NO-ah

Free — released, unbound, lifted out from under kapu. The everyday word for what is no longer forbidden.

June 18

LĀ

LAH

Sun — and also day, date. One small word for the light overhead and the span of hours it measures.

June 17

MAKUA

mah-KOO-ah

Parent — a mother or father; also any relative of the parents’ generation, and a full-grown, mature person.

June 16

KEIKI

KAY-kee

Child — a son or daughter, the young ones; also a descendant, and the new shoot a kalo plant sends up.

June 15

HILINAʻI

hee-lee-NAH-ee

To trust — to lean your weight on someone or something and count on it to hold.

June 14

NAʻAU

NAH-ow

The gut — and, in Hawaiian thinking, the seat of mind, heart, and feeling all at once.

June 13

MAUNA

MOW-nah

Mountain — the high inland reaches where the land climbs from the sea to the center of the island.

June 12

KŌKUA

koh-KOO-ah

Help · assistance · to help or support — the everyday island word for lending a hand, freely given and never demanded

June 11

LEI

LAY

Garland · wreath · a beloved one — flowers, leaves, or shells strung with care and given as a symbol of affection

June 10

MŌʻĪ

moh-EE

King · sovereign · monarch — the supreme ruler; the title Kamehameha carried when he brought the islands under one crown

June 9

KOA

KOH-ah

Brave · fearless · a warrior — courage of heart, and the great native tree it shares its name with

June 8

MOANA

mo-AH-nah

Ocean — the deep open sea beyond the horizon, the water that connects every island

June 7

HŌKŪ

HOH-koo

Star — the night-sky lights Hawaiians read like a map across the open ocean

June 5

HONUA

ho-NOO-ah

Earth · Land · World — the ground beneath us and the whole living planet

June 4

ULU

OO-loo

To grow · To increase · To flourish — to rise, spread, and come into fullness

June 3

HOʻOMAU

ho-oh-MOW

To continue · To perpetuate · To persevere — to carry something on so it lasts

June 2

OLA

OH-lah

Life · Health · Well-being — to live, to heal, to thrive

June 1

KUPUNA

koo-POO-nah

Grandparent · Elder · Ancestor — the source we grow from

May 31

WAI

WAI (rhymes with “high”)

Fresh water · Liquid · Life — everything that flows and feeds

May 30

KAI

KAI (rhymes with “high”)

Sea · Seawater · Tide — the near ocean, and the rhythm of its rise and fall

May 29

MAKANI

mah-KAH-nee

Wind · Breeze — the moving air that names every place it touches

May 28

LŌKAHI

LOH-kah-hee

Unity · Harmony · Agreement — the balance that holds us together

May 27

ʻĀINA

AH-ee-nah

Land · Earth · That which feeds — the place that holds you

May 26

PONO

POH-no

Righteousness · Goodness · In perfect order — the right way of things

May 25

HOʻOMANAʻO

ho-oh-MAH-nah-oh

To remember · To recall · To commemorate — to cause a thought to live again

May 24

ʻOHANA

oh-HAH-nah

Family · Kin · Belonging · Branching — the people who grow from the same root

May 23

ALOHA

ah-LO-hah

Love · Compassion · Greeting · Presence — the word that opens a relationship and keeps it open

May 22

MAHALO

mah-HAH-loh

Thanks · Gratitude · Admiration · Esteem — the word you say when you have truly received something, and want to give the giving back

May 21

KULEANA

koo-leh-AH-nah

Responsibility · Right · Privilege · The thing that is yours to carry — and yours to claim — at the same time

May 20

NALU

NAH-loo

A wave · To surf · To ponder · To meditate · The same word for water moving and mind moving

May 19

MĀLAMA

MAH-lah-mah

To care for · To tend · To preserve · To protect · To keep something so it lasts

May 18

LANAKILA

lah-nah-KEE-lah

Victorious · Triumphant · To prevail · To conquer · To be too strong for an opposing party

May 17

PIKO

PEE-koh

Bellybutton · Navel · Summit · Crown of the head · Center · End or border · Blood relative (figurative)