Case Detail: Most of the storms we hear about have English names, but some of the biggest ones to hit Hawaii have had Hawaiian names. Why is that? What is the list of Hawaiian storm names? Traditionally, hurricanes (or tropical cyclones) are given names from a set list in alphabetical sequence. These lists usually change […]
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When did Mauna Kea last erupt?
Mauna Kea last erupted 4,600 years ago and is considered “dormant” but not “extinct.” That is to say that it hasn’t erupted in recorded history (in the last 200 years or so), but may erupt again. See also: Mauna Kea on Wikipedia Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Where did Honolulu get its name?
The name “Honolulu” (also written as “Honorourou” in early maps) is said to mean “sheltered bay” or “fair harbor,” referring to the natural, deep and narrow channel that made an ideal port, and by the late 1700s, ships began making the island a major stop in their ocean crossings. A small village near the protected […]
How do you make a Spam musubi?
The spam musubi is an icon of local cuisine, and the subject of much curiosity (if not apprehension) among visitors and newcomers. Though a relatively new creation — perhaps as recently as the late ’80s — they’re ubiquitous today, and are sold practically everywhere. Musubi, basically shaped balls of rice, are a Japanese staple, and […]
How do I find a Hawaiian name for my baby?
While there are several websites that supposedly offer lists of Hawaiian names and their meanings, most of the time these sites are simply copying material out of books, and at worst they offer only what random people have suggested as names and their meanings. In fact, many references will merely give you transliterations of English […]
What does ‘shibai’ mean?
“Shibai” is a Japanese word with varied definitions, but the meaning you’re most likely looking for is the one that’s woven its way into the local language via pidgin (Hawaii Creole English). A polite definition of “shibai” would be “lies.” A more nuanced definition would be “B.S.” The word “shibai” turns up most frequently in […]
How do you say “Happy Birthday” in Hawaiian?
“Happy Birthday” translates to “Hau`oli Lā Hānau” in Hawaiian. “Hau`oli” means “Happy, glad, gay, joyful,” “Lā” means “Day, date” (as well as “sun, sunny”), and “Hānau” means “To give birth; to lay (an egg); born.” Note that the first “a” in both “Lā” and “Hānau” include the kahakō, or a macron, a Hawaiian diacritical mark […]
How do you say “I love you” in Hawaiian?
While, as in English, there are many ways to say “I love you,” the most common way in Hawaiian to express this wonderful sentiment is, “Aloha au iā ‘oe.” Note the Hawaiian diacritical markings: the kahakō, or long-vowel marker over the “a” in “iā,” and the ‘okina, or glottal stop marker, in “‘oe.” “Aloha,” in […]
Whatever happened to Chicken Alice’s?
Case Details: “In the 1980s, there use to be a small restaurant on Kapiolani Boulevard, near Ala Moana, called Chicken Alice’s. It was known for really spicy fried chicken. The place closed, but I remember you could still find the lady who made the chicken at a local bar or something. All I can find […]
How did Pearl Harbor get its name?
Pearl Harbor was originally named by the native Hawaiians, who called it “Wai Momi” (pearl waters). The harbor was once full of pearl-producing oysters, although Hawaiians likely valued them more for their shells and meat than for the shiny nuggets prized by westerners. Europeans arrived in 1778, however, and within ten years, the pearls had […]