Learn 5 easy Hawaiian nature words before your next trip! Hawaii is known for its beautiful, unique, tropical plants and gorgeous landscapes. There are especially quite a few nature words that one comes across when living or visiting Hawaii. I think it’s important to know these basic words, and appreciate that they represent so much more than the object itself. When we learn more about the Hawaiian language and culture, we can appreciate and respect the Hawaiian islands so much more.
So here are 5 easy Hawaiian nature words that you should know before you go to Hawaii. Keep an eye out for these, and I guarantee that knowing the Hawaiian words will help you appreciate the nature of Hawaii so much more!
Flower
In Hawaiian, flower is pua, pronounced poo – ah. This is a generic term and doesn’t specify what type. Some flowers start with pua, and then specify the type, such as puakenikeni, while others have their own names, like aloalo (hibiscus) or melia (hibiscus).
Rainbow
Hawaii rains a lot, so it’s no surprise that rainbows appear on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis! Rainbow is anuenue, pronounced ah-noo-eh-noo-eh.
Fern
Hawaii has tons of ferns, and they’re incredibly beautiful. I hope people appreciate the beauty of ferns more, because they make the nature landscapes of Hawaii so tropical, vibrant, and green! Fern is kupukupu in Hawaiian and is pronounced koo-poo-koo-poo. Easy, right? 😉
Hawaiians and locals use ferns for mostly decorative purposes, like making a lei or floral arrangement. Ferns come in many varieties, and like the term pua, kupukupu is a generic word for fern. Some Hawaiian ferns have a word added to the end of kupukupu to identify a specific species, while others have their own, unique names.
Tree
La’au, pronounced, lah-au, is tree. Like the other terms in this article, la’au is quite general. Locals generally refer to a tree as kumu, but technically the kumu is the trunk. There are a variety of unique trees in Hawaii including the koa, rainbow eucalyptus, palm, and more!
Coconut
Lastly, you have to appreciate the coconut palm trees in Hawaii. Coconut is niu in Hawaiian, pronounced nee-oo. They aren’t so easy to crack open but are quite refreshing if you can get to the inside! Coconuts have been so useful for the Hawaiians for decades. While I’m not going to list off all of its uses, I remember being fascinated, as young girl, watching a performer at the Polynesian Culture Center use hibiscus twigs to start a fire and light the coconut fibers. Every part of the coconut can be useful!
I hope you enjoyed this article! Are there Hawaiian nature words you want to learn more about, or one that you think should’ve been included in this article? Let me know in the comments below!
This article is a part of my Hawaiian Nature series, so be sure to check out the others like it!
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