As some of you may know my home is decorated in a tropical setting. There is nothing I love more than palm trees, pineapples and hammocks. In the last several years I have tried to give my kids lessons on foreign languages. It just helps them be a little more well rounded, Right? In the past we have done Italian and Spanish. I didn’t want them to be to overwhelmed. But this week we are going to work on the Polynesian culture. You never know, we may end up in Hawaii sometime. Let me explain, as a South Pacific specialist I like to concentrate on Tahiti, Fiji, Cook Islands and Hawaii. Each of these cultures have their own language. Though they may sound similar they are truly different.
There are approximately forty Polynesian languages. The most prominent of these are Tahitian, Samoan, Tongan, Māori and Hawaiian.
So these are some of the Hawaiian words that we are working on this week:
Wiki-Wiki which means hurry hurry. Thought it was interesting that this is the meaning for the word Wikipedia.
Mahalo — Thank you Nani – Beautiful — name from Lilo and Stitch
Pa’ani– Test Wahine- Women, Lady, Female
Lani — Patio inu– drink
napo’o ‘ana o ka la– sunset pupule– crazy
pololi –hungry
Sunday – Lapule (lay-poo-lay )
Monday – Po’akahi (poh ah-kah-hee)
Tuesday – Po’alua (poh ah-loo-ah)
Wednesday – Po’akolu (poh ah-ko-loo)
Thursday – Po’aha (poh ah-ha)
Friday – Po’alima (poh ah-lee-mah)
Saturday – Po ‘aono (poh ah-o-no)
Do you use any Hawaiian phrases?
This is just a few words. I hope to inspire you to broaden your horizons. What can you learn about a different a different culture?
