Why are many of our kupuna known by different names? Some are known by the community by one name while the family will refer to them by another. I have also heard that some has “sacred/secret or kapu” names that is not intended for everyone to know. Please share whatever mana’o you may have on this. It will help answer why some kupuna have 2-3 plus names listed on family genealogy papers.
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ALOHA Kakou, I grew up with a Nick Name and with all my cousins having Nick Names also. Only those cousins of my generation knows of my Nick Name. My Van I gave him the Nick Name of "Honey Boy". Which like my Nick Name makes my Van very special to me. I encourage everyone especially Hawaiians to look deep into the givings of names. As it's a beautiful gift to the person that you are giving that special name. Recently I gave a Hawaiian name to a very special person to me. It was the first time that as a Hawaiian I used the teaching of my Kupunawahine.
Long Live The Hawaiian Kingdom, o Pomaikaiokalani
My tutman lomi my older sister's nose. He was afraid that her bridge wouldn't be prominent enough and she has a nice-looking bridge to her nose. I wasn't as lucky; he shaped my head. LOL.... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. Several of us had our ma'i named. They had a sense of humor, didn't they? Mine is Tane. Auwe no ho'i e. My other cousin is Koko. We do share a lot!
My older brother Pua was also told that his nose is the ali'i nose because of kukuma pulling up on the ridge when he was a bably. I also see you have the T in your name. I also have relatives with the T. My grandmother's older brother was Tili and a cousin Ti'i. All Hawaiians from Ka'u. It's funny cause most people refer to their grandparents as Tutu, but in my 'Ohana we say Kuku using the K instead. I don't know why, it's just probably how it always was. My ma'i was turkey and my twin sister's was tata. LOL When my parents would call out to my Filipino unlce, "eh, Tata!" my sister and I would always bust laugh.
Kaapuikinaea > Kupaa2000September 25, 2009 at 6:20am
Tane, your family shares much of the same traditions and teachings as my maternal 'Ohana from Ka'u, Hawai'i. My mother was born and raised in Waiohinu, Ka'u and her long ancestry comes from Ka'u. I grew up watching the kupuna lomilomi the body as if to sculpture it the way they desired it to grow. I would often hear comments like, "kukuma made his nose that way" or "his 'elemu flat cause was carried too much" lol. They truly had the concept of body sculpturing and all the do's and don't. I had to laugh when you mentioned how they would name the genitals cause that is so true with my 'ohana, I thought was only us. Mahalo for your mana'o on the names. As a descendant of Keouakuahuula, we have a couple names for him. Some have said that his name was made kapu by Kamehamea after his "back stabbing".
Aloha kaua. You are one of few people here who mention that they have roots in Waiohinu, Ka'u. I think it's cool that your mom (and you) have roots in Ka'u. My Hilo Grandma made it a point to take us back there to be baptized. It's a very powerful place which is stating the obvious... but wow!
My mother was baptized at Punalu'u and it has become a tradition for my 'ohana to be baptized at the same spot with the ice cold spring. I grew up in Hilo but spent my summers with my Uncles and cousins fishing and hunting those grounds. Ka'u is a special place, the Hawaiians there are unique in many ways. Extremely hard working (they would say, "no eva sced work!"), very aware of their connection to the land, sea and their family histories. Kupuna would say, Ka'u Makaha!
ALOHA Kakou, In names in Old Hawaii were sacred. Names were considered the provate property of the person. To use the name of that person permission first has to be asked of the person. In today's Hawaii many still carry on the traditions of Hawaiian names. My Hawaiian name was given to me when I was 27 by a very special person. After receiving the name a dream came to me with the name in the dream. It took me a while to understand the kaona in my Hawaiian name as it relates to me.
It was typical of Polynesians to be known by several names throughout their lives. This is why when doing genalogy there are red lines that go from one place to another. Traditonally, one is born with one name and as they grow up they are called by another name. This happens today when our parents name us one name and in school you're given a nickname then in High school that name sounds too childish and either you or your friends give you another name. It was also typical that your grandparents name your ma'i (genitals) some even did a form of circumcision by folding back the foreskin while you're a baby; it was blown on and curled back that resembled a flower or pua. This is how the term puanani = punani came to be. There was lomilomi to fatten the female vagina; and some heads were shaped flat in the back to wear the mahiole (particularly for ali'i boys). Those with upepe nose without a bridge, had a bridge that was created by tutu with lomi and a prayer as were the other rituals.
Names were given to mark events or names passed down from one's genealogy. Some names were very sacred and couldn't be spoken in its entirety. This was to prevent jealousy (hakaka) where curses would be made or prayer to death because the name was ho'oio and too good for that person. Names were important and the entity that came with some names was too strong for the child; if the child got sick then the name was changed or modified. This is how the baby one year luau started; because if the baby could survive the first year (especially with the name) then the child would be considered strong enough to carry the name and this was a cause for celebration of thanksgiving to akua. Sometimes the name was reserved for the child when they grew up and strong enough to ward off any curse, assault, or 'ana'ana of any form. This is why you were told to be careful with your personal things and body parts that you throw away due to grooming.
Your huapala (sweetheart) will have a special name for you and then that name may stick. When one gets older and begin to have children, often there are pet names for the makua and kupuna who are then identified with those names. Thus you will be known by several names whether it's from friends or family, or relatives.
Sometimes one is given several names at birth and the makua will use one of the names for you. If the name is kapu; it may be that only the family in private will use it. if the name is really kapu; it cannot be spoken and only a few will know that name. Then one had inoa po or dream names or an entity calls to be reborn. So this is it in a nutshell. Hawaiians, like all Polynesians, love riddles and sometimes it is employed in the kaona of the name or the name itself. These things I was raised with. Others may have a different take on it.
Replies
Long Live The Hawaiian Kingdom, o Pomaikaiokalani
Mahalo Pomaika'iokalani no kou mana'o too.
Names were given to mark events or names passed down from one's genealogy. Some names were very sacred and couldn't be spoken in its entirety. This was to prevent jealousy (hakaka) where curses would be made or prayer to death because the name was ho'oio and too good for that person. Names were important and the entity that came with some names was too strong for the child; if the child got sick then the name was changed or modified. This is how the baby one year luau started; because if the baby could survive the first year (especially with the name) then the child would be considered strong enough to carry the name and this was a cause for celebration of thanksgiving to akua. Sometimes the name was reserved for the child when they grew up and strong enough to ward off any curse, assault, or 'ana'ana of any form. This is why you were told to be careful with your personal things and body parts that you throw away due to grooming.
Your huapala (sweetheart) will have a special name for you and then that name may stick. When one gets older and begin to have children, often there are pet names for the makua and kupuna who are then identified with those names. Thus you will be known by several names whether it's from friends or family, or relatives.
Sometimes one is given several names at birth and the makua will use one of the names for you. If the name is kapu; it may be that only the family in private will use it. if the name is really kapu; it cannot be spoken and only a few will know that name. Then one had inoa po or dream names or an entity calls to be reborn. So this is it in a nutshell. Hawaiians, like all Polynesians, love riddles and sometimes it is employed in the kaona of the name or the name itself. These things I was raised with. Others may have a different take on it.
Tane