Hawaiian proverbs echo ancestral wisdom that carry the authority of generations, scholars say
In Hawaii, stories, traditions and genealogy were passed down through storytelling before they were preserved in writing, says Hawaii-based scholar Carolyn Kehaunani Cachola Abad. She writes in her dissertation that the richest ancestral legacy of the Native Hawaiian people is held together by their time-honored oral tradition, which consists of poetry, songs, chants and proverbs. Charles L. Briggs, a folklorist and linguistic anthropologist, puts emphasis on proverbs. He says proverbs, or ʻōlelo noʻeau in Hawaii, “invite the elders of bygone days into the room”; they are memory devices that can survive colonization, cultural disruptions and time.
Scholars say proverbs are unique from ordinary speech. Liisa Granbom-Herranen, a folklorist who studies proverb traditions across cultures, notes that proverbs employ metaphors, imagery and symbolism to convey deeper meaning. She says they carry this certain “strangeness” that beckons people to pay attention. Let’s look at how the following Hawaiian proverbs do exactly that.
1. Aia a pa‘i ‘ia ka maka, ha‘i ‘ia kupuna nāna ‘oe.
"Only when your face is slapped should you tell who your ancestors are."
It’s a Hawaiian value to never boast of illustrious ancestors. Only when one is wrongly described as a child of worthless people can they mention their ancestors to disprove the statement.
2. ‘Elemakule kama ‘ole moe i ke ala.
"An oldster who has never reared children sleeps by the roadside."
Hawaiians believe that when you care for and rear children, you will be cared for at an old age.
3. E noho iho i ka pūweuweu, mai ho‘oki‘eki‘e.
"Stay among the clumps of grasses and do not elevate yourself."
This reflects the teachings of ancestors to practice humility: stay grounded, gentle and modest rather than draw attention to yourself.
4. He palupalu nā hewa li‘ili‘i i ka wā kolo, lolelua i ka wā kamali‘i, loli ‘ole i ka wā ‘o‘o, ‘oni pa‘a i ka wā ‘elemakule.
"Small sins are weak in the creeping state, changeable in childhood, unchanging when an adult, and firmly fixed in age."
Bad habits are easiest to correct in the early stages. If ignored, they gradually solidify and become much more difficult to change later in life. This proverb teaches: “Do not allow sins to get beyond creeping.”
5. ‘Ike aku, ‘ike mai, kōkua aku, kōkua mai; pēlā iho la ka nohona ‘ohana.
"Recognize and be recognized, help and be helped; such is family life."
A healthy family depends on mutual acknowledgment and shared support. Families thrive through care and responsibility that go both ways.
6. E hoʻaʻo no i pau kuhihewa.
"Try it to end the panic."
This saying teaches that much of our anxiety comes from anticipation rather than action. Thus, one must confront a task directly to ease the worries. As an American saying puts it, “Just do it!”
7. Pupukahi i holomua.
"Unite to move forward."
Unity drives progress. Such as in canoes, where each paddler must move in sync together, coordination allows a group to move forward more quickly and effectively than acting alone.
8. E lauhoe mai na waʻa; i ke ka, i ka hoe; i ka hoe, i ke ka; pae aku i ka ʻaina.
"Paddle together, bail, paddle; paddle, bail; paddle towards the land."
During interisland voyages, paddles and the bailer are just as important as the sail. Rough waters flood the canoe often, requiring crew members to constantly bail while others paddled together on command to reach land as quickly and safely as possible. This shows that when everybody acts in unison, tasks are completed more efficiently.
9. Kulia i ka nu‘u.
"Strive for the summit."
Strive toward the highest standard. One must practice persistence and excellence in all their endeavors. This was the motto of Hawaii’s Queen Kapiʻolani who did so much for her people.
10. He pukoʻa kani ʻaina.
"A coral reef (hardens/strengthens/sounds out) into land."
As Hawaiians navigated across the Pacific, they would take note of coralheads they passed by to teach the locations to their apprentices. These small coralheads are formations that would eventually grow into full islands. This is a reminder that success does not come immediately; it often begins modestly before gradually developing through patience and perseverance.
Sources: University of Hawaii at Hilo, University of Hawaii at Manoa