Survey of Hawaiian Spelling for Kauai Street Signs

HDOT is seeking input on the Hawaiian spelling for our street signs from Native Hawaiian Organizations and community members with cultural knowledge or insights on the areas covered by the street signs. 

There are a lot of streets listed, you do not need to comment on every one to participate in the survey. Please note that this is not a comprehensive list of HDOT streets. For the list of Kauai roads in HDOT jurisdiction, visit https://hidot.hawaii.gov/highways/home/kauai/kauai-state-roads-and-highways/ 

Please complete the survey here: https://arcg.is/1fKveD0 

COMMUNITY INPUT IS STRONGLY WANTED FOR THE STREET SIGNS LISTED BELOW to determine the correct spelling and meaning of words and accurately reflect the history of communities. 

Hanalei District 

Route 560 (Kūhiō Highway) 

  • ʻŌhiki Road 
    • Likely spelling is ʻōhiki as there is no ohiki or ʻohiki in the Dictionary. Community input would help to determine likely meaning as ʻōhiki has multiple definitions. Place Names of Hawaiʻi: ʻŌhiki – Land section, Kai-lua qd., Hawaiʻi. Dictionary: ʻōhiki – 1. vt. To probe, pry, pick out; to prod, as the earth with a digging stick; to shell, as peas; to pick, as the teeth or nose; to clean out, as the ears. 2. n. Sand crab, probably Ocypode ceratophthalma and O. laevis. Lua ʻōhiki (For. 6:80), sand crab hole  
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Ala ʻEke Road 
    • Likely spellings and meanings are ʻAlaʻeke Road (shallow water crab road), or Ala ʻEke Road (bag/basket/fish bag road road). Ala means road so use of Ala in addition to using Road, Place, Drive, etc. is redundant. Dictionary: ʻalaʻeke – n. An edible crab of the Portunus sp., sandcolored, and found in shallow water. Dictionary: ala – 1. n. Path, road, trail. 2. vi. To waken, stay awake; awake. Dictionary: ʻala – 1. vs. Fragrant, sweet-smelling, perfumed; fragrance, perfume (preceded by ke).  Dictionary: ʻalā – n. Dense waterworn volcanic stone, as used for poi pounders, adzes, hula stones; hard lava, basalt. Dictionary: ʻeke – 1. n. Sack, pocket, bag, basket; bag-shaped fish net. 2. vi. To cringe, shrink from, draw away from, flinch, wince; to become smaller, shrink. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Mikala Place 
    • Roads in this area are named for fish or marine species. No definition of Mikala. Possible reference to kala, the surgeonfish or unicorn fish. Dictionary: kala – 3. n. Surgeonfish, unicorn fish
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

Kawaihau District 

Route 56 (Kūhiō Highway) 

  • Haleʻīlio Road 
    • Likely meaning is doghouse, but it is unclear why that would be an appropriate name for the area. Dictionary: ʻīlio – 1. n. Dog (brought to Hawaiʻi by early Polynesians, considered an ʻaumakua by some). Dictionary: ilio – 1. A dog: ilio hihiu, a wild doga wolf; ilio hahai, a pursuing doga greyhound. 2. The brace that holds the rafter to the cross beam. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Hoʻi Road 
    • Kipuka Database: At the end of Hoʻi Road is a parcel which corresponds to Land Commission Award 8836 to Kaalihikaua. The LCA Award includes a property map showing an auwai on the makai boundary which is where Hoi Road ends. It is an educated guess that Hoʻi is the appropriate name as water returns from the loʻi to the stream through the ʻauwai. Community feedback welcomed. Dictionary: hoʻi – 1. vi. To leave, go or come back; to cause to come back. Cf. hoʻi hou. Hoʻi loa, to go or come permanently.  
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Mākāhā Road 
    • Could be Mākaha, Mākāhā or Makaha. Place Names of Hawaiʻi: Mākaha – Point, ridge, and valley, Wai-mea district, Kauaʻi. Dictionary: makaha – 1. Inflamed or swollen eye. (And.) 2. Pig disease. (And.) Dictionary: mākaha – 1. vt. Fierce, savage, ferocious; to seize property, to desolate, plunder, cheat. Dictionary: mākāhā: n. Sluice gate, as of a fish pond; entrance to or egress from an enclosure. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Kaloloku Road 
    • Meaning unclear; Ka-lolo-kū, Kalo-loku, Ka-lō-loku, or other way to spell the same word.
      Dictionary: lolo – 1. n. Brains, 2. nvs. Religious ceremony at which the brain of the sacrificed animal was eaten. Dictionary: kalo – 1. n. Taro. Dictionary: loku – nvi. Downpour of rain; blowing of wind; to pour, of rain; to blow, as a gale; torrential. Fig., to feel deep emotion, pain, sorrow; to weep profusely; intense. Dictionary: kū: 1. vs. To stand, stop, halt, anchor, moor; to rise, as dust; to hit, strike, jab; to park, as a car; to alight, as a bird or plane on the ground; to land, as a plane or ship; to stay, remain, exist; to reach, extend, arrive; upright, perpendicular, steep, erect, standing, parked.  
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Kamole Road 
    • Likely meaning is Kamole, the taproot. Dictionary: kāmole – 1. n. The primrose willow distributed through the tropics in wet places. Dictionary: mole – 1. n. Tap root, main root; bottom, as of a pit or of a glass; ancestral root; foundation, source, cause. 2. vs. Smooth, round, bald. hoʻo.mole To smooth. (PNP mole.) 3. n. Name of the smooth, uncarved side of a tapa beater, as used at the end of the beating to smooth out the cloth.  
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Hōkūalele Road 
    • Dictionary: No entries for Hokualele. Hōkūlele – n. Shooting star, meteor, any moving star. Dictionary: Hoku – n. Night of the full moon. Dictionary: hōkū – n. a star. Dictionary: lele – multiple meanings including 1. nvi. To fly, jump, leap, hop, skip, swing, bounce, burst forth; to sail through the air 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

Route 580 (Kuamoʻo Road) 

  • Paʻakō Street 
    • Two most likely meanings seem to be Paʻakō (dry lowland plains) or Pāako (place for thatching).  Dictionary: pā: 1. nvi. Fence, wall, corral, pen, sty, enclosure, courtyard, patio, arena, (house) lot, yard, extremity; to build a fence, enclosure. Dictionary: ako – nvt. Thatching; to thatch. Dictionary: ʻako – 1. vt. To cut, shear, clip, trim, as hair; to break or pluck, as flowers.  
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Waikolia Street 
    • Possible meaning is carving waters. Wai is fresh water. Dictionary: koli – 1. vt. To whittle, pare, sharpen, peel; to trim, as a lamp or the raveled edges of a dress; to shave, as hair (Oihk. 14.9).  
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

Koloa District 

Route 50 (Kaumuali‘i Highway, Lio Road, Kao Road) 

  • Halewili Road (Route 540)/Ola Pua Road 
    • Community input wanted on the name for the road on the mauka side of Kaumualiʻi Hwy that extends from Halewili Road. Olupua.com says Olu Pua means “Peace among flowers. Olu Pua is how the native population called this wonderful place for decades.” 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

Route 540 (Halewili Road) 

  • Haku Hale Street 
    • If the intended meaning of Haku Hale Street was in reference to a hale in the area where people braided (haku) lei or lei hulu, or composed (haku) mele (songs), the more appropriate spelling is Halehaku Street. However, another possible meaning is that the neighborhood of hale (houses) was designed (haku) in which case Haku Hale Street would be appropriate. Community knowledge of the origins of the neighborhood may help decipher the naming intentions. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Kau Wai Street 
    • Possible meaning to place (kau) fresh water (wai) as the street is in the direction of Ipuolono Reservoir. Kau Wai is not an eloquent use of ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, but is descriptional. Dictionary: kau – 1. vt. To place, put, hang, suspend, affix, gird on; to set, settle, perch, alight, rest, pose. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Hūʻehu Road 
    • Could be Huehu (possibly meaning chilled), Hūʻehu (possibly meaning rising sea spray or rising dust). Likely Hūʻehu which could reference the red dust of this area, especially in agricultural use, or sea spray being above Wahiawa Bay. Dictionary: Huehu – 1. n. Name of a strong northwesterly wind of the winter months. Dictionary: Hū – 1. nvi. To rise or swell, as yeast or souring poi; to ferment, leaven, overflow (Isa. 8.7), percolate, effervesce, boil over; to surge or rise to the surface, as emotion; to gush forth; rising, swelling, outburst. Dictionary: ʻehu – 1. n. Spray, foam, mist. 2. nvs. Dust; dusty. Kū ka ʻehu, the dust rises. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

Lihue District 

Route 51 (Wa‘apā Road, Rice Street, Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Highway, Kapule Highway) 

  • Lala Road  
    • Multiple meanings of lala and lālā, and it is unclear which is appropriate for the area. Need community input. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

Route 56 (Kūhiō Highway) 

  • Kali Street 
    • Need community input on appropriate use. Dictionary: kālī – n. Spine, spindle, rod; string, as used to thread things upon, as flowers for a lei, or candlenuts for a torch; long vine or runner, as of sweet potato. Cf. kāili. Kālī iʻa, string of fish. Kali – 1. nvi. To wait, loiter, linger, tarry; loiterer; hesitant, slow.  
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

Route 58 (Nāwiliwili Road) 

  • Lala Road 
    • Multiple meanings of lala and lālā, and it is unclear which is appropriate for the area. Need community input.  
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Eleki Place 
    • No definition of Eleki. Eleki may be used as the Hawaiianized version of the name Elsie or Elyse (https://www.shakatime.com/hawaiian-names.html). Community input would be helpful to understand the reason for naming the street Eleki Place. For example, was there an Elsie / Eleki who lived there. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Halekō Road 
    • Possible meaning is house of sugarcane Halekō. Dictionary: hale – 1. nvi. House, building, institution, lodge, station, hall; to have a house. 2. n. Host, hospitable person. Dictionary: kō – 1. n. Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum), a large unbranched grass brought to Hawaiʻi by early Polynesians as a source of sugar and fiber.   
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

Waimea District 

Route 50 (Kaumuali‘i Highway, Lio Road, Kao Road) 

  • Pūʻolo Road 
    • Dictionary: pūʻolo – nvt. Bundle, bag, container, parcel, packet; bale, as of hay; to tie up in a bundle. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Alawai Road 
    • Dictionary: alawai – n. Channel, canal. Ala – path, road. Wai – water. Therefore, alawai is commonly interpreted as path along the water. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

Route 550 (Waimea Canyon Drive, Kōkeʻe Road) 

  • Haina Road  
    • Could be Haina, Hainā or Haʻina. Community input needed for appropriate meaning.
      Dictionary: haina – n. Offering, sacrifice. Cf. hai, to sacrifice. Dictionary: hainā – vt. Cruel, unmerciful, heartless; to abuse, treat cruelly. Dictionary: haʻina – 1. nvi. A saying, declaration, statement, explanation; answer, as to a riddle; confession; solution; the two (or sometimes more) last verses of a song that usually begin with the word haʻina and that repeat the theme of the song, or the name of the person to whom the song is dedicated. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Maule Road 
    • Likely spelling and meaning is Maule (faint) as other surrounding roads seem to have negative meaning or connotations. It is unclear why someone would name these roads with negative meanings. Dictionary: maʻule – nvi. Faint, faint-hearted; dispirited, weak; fainting. Dictionary: ma – prep. Indefinite locative, instrumental, manner. At, in, on, beside, along, through; by means of, because of, in behalf of, according to. Dictionary: mā – 1. Short for maka, eye, as in hoʻomāʻē, māʻeo, mākahi, mākole. 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 
  • Nele Road 
    • Dictionary: nele – Lacking, destitute, deprived, needy, wanting, deficient, without; to need; deficit 
    • Hawaiian Dictionaries: https://wehewehe.org/ 

We greatly appreciate your input and support as we work to incorporate Hawaiian spelling into HDOT street signs. For additional information please contact (…)