July 21st

By Leilani Poliʻahu

Published July 21, 2026 at 12:00 AM HST

Pīkake is our name for the fragrant jasmine flower, and it is also the Hawaiian word for "peacock."

Hawaiian Word of the Day

Leilani Poliʻahu

See stories by Leilani Poliʻahu

Listen to Kanikapila Vintage

Travel back through a decade of Kanikapila Sunday, surfacing the interviews, the moments, and the music that shaped the show. Sponsored by Manuheali‘i. ⁠

Listen Now

Vote for your classical music favorites

September is "Classical Music Month"! HPR is celebrating with a countdown of your favorite composers and compositions, as chosen by you! The top 100 list will be revealed on HPR-2 beginning September 16. Stay tuned!

Submit your top picks

More Episodes

Hawaiian Word of The Day

August 27th: Pau

Leilani Poliʻahu

Pau is one of the most commonly used, and misused, of Hawaiian words. Pau kahana – the work is finished. Yes, pau means finished, ended, all done, final, even consumed and destroyed. Work is finished, so you can say “pau kahana.” But don?t say “I'm pau,” that would mean you are dead or finished. And don't ask, “Are you pau?”
Hawaiian Word of The Day

August 26th: Kaunaʻoa

Leilani Poliʻahu

Especially during pageants and parades, we see flowers that have been designated as the island flower for each major island. The kaunaʻoa of Lanaʻi is such a flower. It is the native dodder, a parasitic vine belonging to the morning glory family.