Aloha mai kākou,
After last week’s word “lei”, why not follow up with the word
“pua”, meaning blossom or flower. Pua (pronounced poo-wah) is a
general name for flower, of which Hawai’i is noted for many different kinds.
When you think of Hawaiian flowers, I’m sure that “tropical flowers” such as
bird of paradise, hibiscus, ginger, orchids and anthuriums may come to mind.
Right? Actually, most of the flowers were not from Hawai'i, but were
introduced here and have taken to our tropical climate, making Hawai'i an
important agricultural haven for tropical flowers.
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| Credit: Forest & Kim Starr |
The Hawai'i state flower is the lovely yellow hibiscus or pua
aloalo (pronounced poo-wah-ah-low-ah-low), with its vibrant gold petals,
it is truly a magnificent blossom. Every island also has its own flower
that represents the color and flower for their native isle:
Hawai'i (Big Island)
Hawai'i (pronounced ha-wy-ee or ha-vy-ee…. Yes, the island I live
on is actually called Hawai'i, fondly known as the Big Island) has the 'ōhi'a
lehua, which was designated in 1923 by the Territorial Legislature. It is
bright RED with very fragile, little petals. This flower is
believed to be sacred to the fire goddess, Pele. During the Merrie
Monarch Hula Festival, which is held annually, it is a favorite flower that is
used in lei by the dancers. There is a saying here that if you pick this
flower, it starts to rain. For us Hiloans, we hold that saying to heart,
even if it seems to be raining most of the year! Lol. Come
back tomorrow, for a continuation of island flowers…..
A
hui hou,
Haunani
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