Hawaiian Terms Used in Voyaging (1995)
Terms for the Crew of the Canoe (from Oral History, Language and Ceremony Committee, NHCAP, Bishop Museum)
'aukai: travel by sea; sailor
'aumoana: travel on the ocean; sailor
hoe wa'a: paddler
holokahiki: sail to foreign lands; sailor
holomoana: sail on the ocean; sailor
holomoku: sail on a ship; sailor
ho'okele or ho'okele wa'a: steersman and navigator
kamahele: traveler
kapena: from English word for "Captain"
kilo or kilo hoku: "star-gazer," navigator
Canoe commands (Compiled by Carlos Andrade, Chad Baybayan, Ben Finney, David Kawika Kapahulehua, Palani Kelly, Kiki Mookini, Dick Rhodes, and Keli'i Tau'a)
'alu: to slack, loosen; 'alu na pe'a: ease the sheets to let the wind out of the sails
'awala: pull in steadily on a line
emi mai ka la!: lower the sail!
hapa'i: lift
hauhoa: to tie, lash, bind
hi'pu'u: tie a knot
hoe kawele: paddle moderately or slowly
homa: hold a canoe on course in rough seas
ho'olala: turn aside out of one's course
ho'ololi ka pe'a: change the sail
ho'olana: refloat a canoe after swamping
ho'omakaukau: get ready!
ho'omalo: make taut, as a cord or a sail
ho'omau: keep it up; steady as you go; continue; persist
ho'opa'a: make fast, firm, tight, solid; to bind; to hold fast to
ho'opae: go ashore
ho'opahu'a: move sidewise (against the wind); sail windward
huki: pull on a line
huli i lalo: turn downwind
huli i luna: turn upwind
huli 'ao'ao: turn to one side; lean to one side; when sailing it is sometimes necessary to get the crew weight to the windward side to keep the vessel close-hauled
huli hope: turn back v huli pau: capsize
ka'alalo: sail downwind v ka'aluna: sail upwind
ka i na liu: bail water out of the bilge
kokua: help
ku!: Stop!
lana: be moored or anchored
maika'i: good; well done
naki'i: to tie
nana: check, look
pa'a: secured, tight, solid
pani ka pe'a: close the sail
piho, or piholo: swamped; flounder
poholua: billow out, as sails
une: use the paddles as a lever to change the heading of a vessel
'u'u: drew in a line to hoist a sail
wehe ka pe'a: open the sail