Hawaiian Word of the Day: Ali’i
Published: Apr. 19, 2019 at 10:43 AM HST
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Our Hawaiian word of the day is “Ali’i."
The word Aliʻi refers to a chief or chiefess. In traditional times there were different types of aliʻi who had different responsibilities contributing to the welfare of the people and the land.
One ʻolelo noʻeau says: “I aliʻi no ke aliʻi i ke kanaka.” This is translated as a “A chief is a chief because of the people who serve him.”
Our Aliʻi must always consider the needs of the people. Generous aliʻi were loved and revered by the people, while cruel aliʻi were deposed and reviled.
Some names of benevolent ali’i are interwoven with the poetic names of our islands.
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