Food

Mea ‘ai

General term for food

To eat

‘Ai

To Cook

Ho‘omo‘a;
‘Olala, Lala;
Kahu, Kahuna

General term;
Over a fire;
In an oven

To Broil over a fire

Pūlehu
Kō‘ala

For vegetables and fruits
For meat and fish

Traditional Earth Oven

Imu

Important food plants

Taro

Kalo

Also used for fisherman

Sugarcane

Kō

General term

Sweet Potato

‘Uala

General term for sharks

Yam

Uhi

(Dioscorea spp.)

Breadfruit

‘Ulu

Banana

Mai‘a

Kava:

‘Awa

(Piper Methysticum)

Creatures

Fish

I‘a

General term for fish

Eel

Puhi

General term for eels

Sea Urchin

Wana

General term for sea urchins

Pig

Pua‘a

Dog

‘Ilio

(Traditional Hawaiians ate the small dogs they introduced to the islands)

Chicken

Moa

Fishing Grounds

Ko‘a

Term also used for fishing shrines

(Near-shore:)

Kai 'Elemihi

Water on the landward (mauka) side of the kai kohola, where the 'elemihi crabs are found

Kai Haha Papa'i

 Water on the seaward (makai) side of the kai kohola, in which to feel for the papa'i crabs

Papa He‘e

Octopus Grounds

Kai ‘Ohua

Feeding grounds of young fishes

(Edge of the Reef:)

Kai Paeaea

Sea for pole fishing

Kai ‘okilo he‘e

Sea for octopus fishing

Kai kaka uhu

Sea for netting uhu

Kai ka‘ili

Sea for fishingwith hook and line

(Beyond the Reef:)

Kai Lawai‘a

Sea for deep-sea fishing

Kai lu he'e

Sea for octopus-lure fishing

Kai Malolo, Kai Hi Aku

Seas for fishing malolo and aku

Kai Hi Kahala

Sea for fishing kahala

Kai Hi ‘Ahi

Sea for fishing ‘ahi

Agriculture:

To Farm:

Mahi ‘ai

Also applies to "farmer"

Farmland:

Mahina ‘ai

General term for land under cultivation, specifically for taro.

Kula

Upcountry, non-irrigated land

Lo‘i

Irrigated taro land

Palawai

Bottom lands, famous for rich soil

Irrigation Ditch:

‘Auwai

Digging Stick:

‘O‘o