Wakinikona Hawaiian Club
Seattle, Washington
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Wakinikona Hawaiian Club Seattle, Washington
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The Basic Words you should Know Wa`a = generic term for canoe Heihei = a race of any kind including a canoe race `Au Wa`a = a fleet of canoes `Auwa`a Ho`apipi = two single canoes hastily joined to form or for use as a double canoe Sometimes referred to as; Wa`a Kaulua = double canoes Kaukahi = a single canoe with an outrigger Kialoa = a long, light, and swift canoe used for racing & display. This term may also refer to a beautiful woman and her shape. Queen Ka`ahumanu was referred to as "Kialoa" in her youth. Ko`okahi = OC-1 Ko`olua = OC-2 Ko`oha = OC-4 Ko`eono = OC-6 Wa`a `Apulu = an old, worn out canoe. Also an old person. You see, the old time Hawaiians DID have a real sense of humor. `A`ohe lihi launa mai. There is no end to this story. This is an easy one; we're going to talk about something that nobody considers: Canoe Rests also known as "horses" or "blocks". `aki = blocks Lio la`au = wooden horses Lona = wood canoe rests Kakakauluna = canoe rests for double canoes pau Ka`a huki wa`a. We have all hand carried (hapaina - hah-pai-nah) a 400# canoe down to and up from the water. This takes a great deal of effort by numerous people, especially if you have to travel a long distance over loose or rough terrain. Paddle Talk olelo wa`a hoe, canoe paddle terms - it is the "blade of the paddle". LAU = paddle blade Auhea ku`u kuamuamu hoe?" "Where's my damned paddle?" POHO LIMA, which means a "tight grip"
Steersman Commands Some Hawaiian commands used in sharp turns around a buoy or flag. "UNE!" = pronounced OO-NAY. To "lever." This is the action MUA (stroker & sometimes others) takes to help HO`OKELE (steerer) turn the bow of the canoe going around the turn flag. This can be ANY movement of the paddle, from a "J" stroke to paddling toward the hull. I have heard this term mis-pronounced UNI = OO-NEE. This word is not in the Hawaiian dictionary. "KAHI !" = pronounced, KAH-HEE. To "cut". Holds the paddle still, blade "cutting" in the same line as the canoe. No "action" taken. PAHI = pronounced PAH-HEE. Edge, the blade or knife edge. Aloha `a, Ku`auhau mai. HOE AKU I KA WA`A - ho-ay ah-koo ee kah vwah-ah "Paddle the canoe ahead." This can also be used as, "do your share to keep going forward." If Na Ho`okele (steerers) use the same language for commands universally, there will be little or no confusion on the part of the paddlers. These commands can/should be used to familiarize the crew with the language. The same language used consistently also gives Ho`okele (steerer) control of the canoe and used to the idea of giving commands. " `E `E!" = ay ay (this is hard to describe..... actually a very short "`e") "HO`OMAKAUKAU!" = Hoh oh MAH cow cow "KAU" = kah oo "HUKI" = hoo key (given firmly and loud) or "HOE" = ho aee These are commands that can be used by Ho`okele in the canoe. "`E `E!" = get in the canoe! "HO`OMAKAUKAU!" = get ready or get set! (this can be whatever you think "get set" means. Paddle across the gunwales, or poised to plant the blade n the water or whatever.) "KAU!" = "Place (or plant) the blade!" If it's training: "Hoe!" = paddle! And off you go. If it's racing: "HUKI!!!!!!!!!!" = "Pull, GET INTO IT!" NOHO" = no - ho "PEPEIAO" = pay-pay-ee-ah-oh Noho is a one of those words with many meanings, depending on how it's used. It can mean anything you sit on, your place of residence, to marry, be possessed by a spirit, conduct or bearing and a lot of other things. For our canoe purposes, NOHO means where and what you sit on in the canoe. Seat #1, or seat #2 and so on back to Ho`okele who is your (steerer/steerhuman). NOHO, It's your seat in the canoe. If your captain says, "Noho!", he means, "sit down!" Captain could also say, "Noho `elua!", getting #2's attention for something. Pepeiao means "ears". What do "ears" have to do with an outrigger canoe anyway"? Another word with many meanings, including a Chinese dim-sum delicacy resembling ears. But for us, PEPEIAO are the cleats attached to the inside of the canoe that NOHO rest on. I've noticed that some manufacturers are making pepeiao adjustable, forward and backward. MAKIA!" "MAKA MUA!" "HO`OLOHE!" "NANA PONO!!!!!!!!! These commands may be give by HO`OKELE (steerer/captain) during HOE (paddling) HO`OMA`A (practice) and are often strongly accented!! "MAKIA!" - mah-key-ah = "get in focus!" Ho`okele notices the paddler is "off" or "looking at the landscape" or "talking" or any number of other "out of focus" activities. "hana ka hoe, pa`a ka waha!" In polite terms this means; "work the paddle, close the mouth!" And is usually translated as; "SHUT UP AND PADDLE!" "MAKA MUA!" - mah-kah-moo-ah = "eyes front" or "keep your @#$%^&* eyes in the canoe!". "Makia!" "HO`OLOHE!" - {ho-oh-loh-hay} = "Listen up!" as in "Attention! I'm going to give you some information!" Ho`okele may need to "coach" or tell paddlers about a situation ahead, etc. "NANA PONO!!!!!!!!" - {nah-nah-poh-noh}= "Look out!!!!" It is now !!!!PANIC TIME!!!! and this command is usually given by Ho`okele when something "exciting" is about to happen, like another canoe about to crash into yours breaking your canoe in half and wiping out #5 & #6, -or a breaking wave is going to crash on top of you from AKAU (the right). Of course all the paddlers are now "ho`omakia" (focused) so are completely unaware of their surroundings outside the canoe (right!). `A`ohe lihi launa mai----" - "-there's no end to this story." Practice Ho`oma`a-"to train" or "to practice". Remember that "ho`o" means "to do", an adverb and is a warning that the rest of the word is a verb. SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN! Right! "We're going to TRAIN, WORK HARD, PRACTICE!!!" "HO`OMA`A" Ma`a literally means, "to bunch up or gather" as in experience and knowledge. A sling for casting stones is also "ma`a" because it's lots of strings tied together, or accumulating power to throw the stone. So, you folks in the Southern Hemisphere with your warmth coming up, "ho`oma`a". You folks starting to bundle up, "ho`oma`a". For the rest of us in the warm waters ----- "Luana" - enjoy! Ku`auhau eia.
Other Amusing Lingo POLOHANA`OLE PO`E HO`OHAHA PA`AKAI {Dead Weight} A couple of sayings, with similar meanings:referring to individuals who don't "pull their own weight". POLOHANA`OLE - Poh-loh-hah-nah `oh-lay = A non-producer or someone who does not work but tries to live off the labor of others. A parasite, a slug. In the old days, this kind of person was evicted from the land. Today, they might be evicted from the canoe. PO`E HO`OHAHA PA`AKAI This one is one of those allegorical Polynesian terms, using Kauna (the hidden meaning). Someone who "pounds salt" is doing useless or false labor. Faking it!. These are the "tourists" in the canoe, looking around, concentrating on this afternoon or tomorrow or what happened last night. This one is moving the paddle but not moving the canoe. What good does it do to "pound salt"? "`E polohana`ole, po`e ho`ohaha pa`akai `oe?"
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