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| Hawaiian Mo'o. Credit: Depositphotos/Pieter De Pauw |
Welcome back to 2Honu.com’s Hawaiian word of the day. Today’s word of the day pays tribute to what should be one of Hawai`i’s mascot…….The “mo'o” (mow oh), the Hawaiian word for lizard, gecko, serpent or reptile of any kind. Growing up, our house would have lots of brown lizards and skinks. However, upon moving to the Big Island, the presence of the green mo`o, or Gold Dust day gecko, is commonly seen in most places. Be careful when you handle them; they are known to carry some nasty salmonella. So, I do suggest you wash your hands, post handling.
The mo'o is mentioned in many Polynesian stories and myths. Some are considered guardians or mythological dragon like creatures that are symbolized by mountain ranges and pieces of land. For instance, there is a famous little island, nicknamed “China Man’s Hat”. It is located near Kualoa (coo wah lo wah…. Meaning long ancestral background) and was seen in the movie “50 First Dates”. The Hawaiian name is Mokoli`i (mow ko lee`ee), or Little lizard. Yes, “moko” is the same as “mo'o” when referred to reptiles or lizards. The word “mo'opuna” (mow oh poo nah) means grandchild. I was told since babies crawl, they resemble a mo'o…..
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| Mokoli'i Island. Credit: Depositphotos.com/Georg Schierling |
A hui hou,
Haunani
Nice! I was looking exactly for this word, and pronunciation. Thank you! :-)
ReplyDeleteOne quick question: you say that moko and mo'o are the same when referring to lizards, is there a sense where you wouldn't want to use the word moko?
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