April 14th: Kupua

By Leilani Poliʻahu

Published April 14, 2026 at 12:00 AM HST

A kupua is a demi-god, or cultural hero, especially a supernatural being possessing several forms, one possessing magical powers. Kupua can often change their form and may assume non god-like, very everyday things.

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Leilani Poliʻahu

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Hawaiian Word of The Day

May 5th: Kapiʻolani

Leilani Poliʻahu

Today's Hawaiian Word of the Day is most often used as a place name. Kapiʻolani is a medical center, a tree-lined boulevard, a park, a school, a playground, and so much more. All are named for Queen Kapiʻolani, wife of Kalākaua. Literally, it means “the arch of heaven,” and refers to the beautiful rainbows so frequently seen in Hawaiʻi. Rainbows signify the presence of royalty in old Hawaiʻi.
Hawaiian Word of The Day

May 4th: Poke

Leilani Poliʻahu

Poke means to slice, cut crosswise into pieces. That's why the delicious dish we all love is called poke. There's poke aku, poke heʻe, and a whole variety of poke dishes. Don't put any stress on the vowels, as that will change the meaning, and don't confuse poke, meaning to cut into pieces, with poki, which among other things is the name of a supernatural dog.