Hawaiian Word of the Week

yeah i know, its been a long while but i just couldn't resist! (and in reality its a phrase not a word, but bear with me!)

Make Doo Doo;
- i'm not sure that this needs a definition or an explanation--it simply is what it sounds like. If you've been a long time reader of my blog you may have learned that Hawaiian's call pee "shi-shi". I had lots of comments then asking how they refer to poop, and well this is it.

ex: Sarah, you need go make doo doo?

So you ask, "Jess, what makes you feel the need to blog about this?" Well, let me just show you.

My daughter, the epitome of "making doo doo" Yes, i know its long, but stick with it till the end and enjoy all the smiles on the way!

Hawaiian Word of the Week

Hapai; pronounced Ha-Pie

meaning-- to carry; pregnant

pidgin example- Wat. Hapai?

english translation-Is she pregnant?

pidgin example- Jess stay hapai fo 6 weeks already.

english translation--Jess is 6 weeks pregnant.

That's right. If you haven't already heard Mike and I are having a baby. As some of you know it has taken a few years now to get here and now Mike and I realize how really blessed we are to have been given this opportunity to be parents. We are proof that God is always in control and his timing is perfect in every way.

Our first ultrasound was yesterday--we were able to see and hear its little heart beating and we got our first picture. Although to you it will just look like a little dot we are so excited to watch this little miracle grow into a beautiful baby!

Thanks to the military for being cautious and taking such care of us, we will be getting to see our little one every week for awhile and really get to see the growth process. I will try not to bombard the blog with ultrasound pics every week but i will keep you updated as things change. Our estimated due date is Jan. 6 2010.

Also I would like to wish a congratulations to a few other newly expecting mothers out there--My high school friend and college roommate, Dee Edwards Belvin, due late September--My college design partner, Lacey Carothers Pegram, due around Thanksgiving--and my good friend here in Hawaii, Hillary Sweatland, due one month before us on December 6. Love you guys!

Hawaiian Word of the Week

It's that time again... today's word is Ono; meaning --great tasting, delicious





example 1: Ho, that shoyu chicken is ono
example 2: Did you get some of dat lau lau?? its ONOLICIOUS!


In celebration of our word of the week, I am going to share with you some of my favorite ONO Hawaiian foods!

1. Kalua Pork--basically like pulled pork at home, just cooked in different ingredients--its the main event at any luau and my "go-to" dish at any local diner!

2. Shoyu Chicken--Shoyu is similar to soy sauce, but with garlic and much more ONO. Shoyu chicken is a treat because not every local diner serves it.

3. Lomi Lomi Salmon--as much as i don't love tomatoes, for whatever i reason i love this! the salmon and sauce it is mixed with takes out the tomato flavor. It is served as a garnish at luau's, but i love to pile it on top of my rice or mix it with my Kalua---this is one thing i will need to learn to make before i leave this island.

4. Mac Salad--i know, i know the Hawaiian's prolly didn't invent this, but they sure eat the heck out of it. The thing to do for lunch here it to get a "plate lunch" which consists of a choice of meat, 2 scoops white rice 1 scoop mac salad. Kim and I swear that L & L has the best mac salad on the planet, and every once in a while we stop in just to get a scoop!

5. Teri Beef--sounds strange maybe, but this thinly sliced beef soaked in a thick teriyaki sauce is so ono! Whenever we go on field trips at school everyone orders "bentos", like take out box lunches...i make sure mine has plenty teri beef in it.

Hawaiian Word of the Week

Pau;

pronounced: "pow"

definition: actual Hawaiian word meaning finished or done.

Typical uses are:

I thought you pau already. --Translation: I thought you had already finished.

All pau. --Translation: I am done now.

Also, the word "pau" is used in the phrase "pau hana" meaning the end of work. This is also an actual Hawaiian phrase (no slang). Pau hana is typically used when referring to going out for drinks after the work week. Just as Raleigh has "First Fridays", Hawaii's bars and restaurants have "Pau Hana Fridays".

This word is used constantly here--it actually completely replaces the word done. Hardly anyone on island says the words "done" or "finished" and most little kids don't understand you if you don't use the word pau. There is actually a student in our preschool class who is technically considered "non-verbal", but the one thing he can say, and very clearly may I add is "all pau". I mean he doesn't say yes or no, hello or bye, mom or dad....you name it, he doesn't say it...except for "all pau". It's the strangest thing!

Hawaiian Word of the Week

Choke:

definition-a lot, many.

This one is used a lot by the people i work with. Here are some examples of how you can use it...

ex 1. Ho dat restaurant, no eat ovah deah. How cum? CHOKE kakaroaches.

**translation: I really don't think it is a good idea to eat in that restaurant. Why? It's not very sanitary.

ex 2. No even go ovah da Pali, get CHOKE CARS.

**translation: You might not want to take the Pali route. The traffic is just terrible!

Now for your homework this weekend...try to use choke correctly in conversation twice a day, and then for extra credit you can share your new-found knowledge with a friend! Good luck and have a nice weekend!

Hawaiian Word of the Week (and very overdue!)

Okay, so i haven't really felt inspired to update the word of the week lately--probably because my contact with the locals has been minimal as of lately. But, no worries--back in the school system I get to hear my fair share of pidgin, and oh do i ever have a word for you.

Yesterday, one of our EA's (education assistant, i believe) in the preschool class had to leave early to go help her daughter who had just been physically assaulted on The Bus (Hawaii's public transportation system). What happened was a supposed schizo lady got on the bus acting very strange and after a few minutes of riding she off and punched the girl in her face. The Bus of course pulled over and called the police--the lady already had other outstanding warrants and was arrested on the spot. The daughter is okay--just shaken up, a little scared to ride the bus now, and has a black eye.

My version of the story is merely a translation from the conversation among the EA's in the room. It went something like this..hopefully i can do it justice.

EA1: Whaddsdascoops?

EA 2: Da Kine daughter got false crack in da face

EA1: Not! Fo' real?

EA2: Some lolo woman got on da Bus at Wahiawa--ya know dem people there. Dey say she wuz tweekin' and touchin her face an hair an den outta nowheres she false crack 'er

The word we will focus on is False Crack. It took me a little while to actually figure out what had happened to the girl--i came to the assumption she was punched, and after coming home and looking it up, i was right.

False Crack; A Hawaiian slang term meaning a punch to the face and, from what I thought, often done without much more than a verbal warning at most. A surprise punch that catches the recipient at least somewhat off-guard.

Also just to "false" or getting "falsed"

Also "dirty cracks" or "dirty lickings"

ex: Dey wuz arguing for so long until James jus wen false crack em!!!

You betta watch yo' mout or you gonna get one false crack, bra.

**courtesy of the Urban Dictionary and my own personal experiences!**

Hawaiian Word of the Week

Ok...so i have been a little slack this month with the Hawaiian vocab--so sorry, sometimes life is just plain busy, ya know?

Anyway, our new word (actually words) is chicken skin. Definition: goose bumps, especially when afraid or frightened.

I think this one is pretty funny. Derived to describe the tingly feeling you get when something scary or moving is happening, it basically is just their word for goose bumps.

The classroom i have been working in the past 3 weeks is seriously the coldest place i have ever had to suffer sitting through. I really don't have warm enough clothes with me here to make it through some days in that room. And although slightly out of context from what it was originally meant, the locals do not really use the phrase "chill bumps" at all, so when you are cold, you get chicken skin. So it would be safe to say that throughout today, i had blue toes, a numb nose and perma chicken skin. And geez, do i hate being cold!

Hawaiian Word of the Week

Auntie: Respectable term for a female older than you

Ok, its an easy one this week--but this is also one i particularly like. Almost everyone who has spent any time here in the islands adopts this term. It is a good way to teach kids to respect their elders, but it is also implies inclusion in a family that you are not related to.

The girls on my soccer team go between calling me Coach Jessi and Auntie Jessi. My friends kids all call me Auntie Jessi and at school sometimes, instead of the kids calling me Ms. Burns or Ms. Jessi, they may call me simply "Auntie". Kids aren't the only ones to use this term though. Many times I notice grown adults referring to their elders, whether we are in a store, or church or in the schools as Auntie.

"Uncle" is used the same way when referring to males. So Mike and I are almost always Auntie Jessi and Uncle Mike. With the absence of blood family here HI, hearing a kid call me Auntie Jessi helps my feel included and a part of a family here. I believe that is one reason it has been so easy fitting in here.

Fire Fairies 2008

2 Little Girls and all their Aunties

Hawaiian Word of the Week

Haole; pronounced: How-lee--definition: originally foreigner, now means Caucasian

So, I am a haole. If you are white and live in Hawaii, you basically just have to come to grips with this label. It sounds kinda derrogatory, i know, but in most instances it is more of a statement of fact than an insult or racial slur. I am sure if I were to walk down the wrong street or be in the wrong place at the wrong time, someone could call me a haole and mean me harm--but as of my almost 2 years here in HI, I have yet to have that happen.

In church, more so when we first started attending, we and a few other young, white military couples were known as the "haoles". It even went so far that our pastor used us in a demonstration where he pulled 5 "haole" ladies up to the stage and had us try a famous Japanese food, Natto, made from fermented soybeans. It was disgusting, none of us new what we got ourselves into. Needless to say my gag reflex is working as great as ever and everyone in church got to see it.

At work in the schools, I am commonly known as the "haole teacher". One of the first times I subbed, another teacher quickly walked into my room expecting to find the lady i was subbing for, and instead instinctivly said, "oh, your the new haole sub". I was like, "uh, yeah I guess so". I think she may have been a bit embarassed--but it really is just second nature to everyone around here. Also, at school, the teachers refer often to my blond hair and blue eyes...neither of which are very accurate. But to them, we haole's all look alike. Funny considering, before moving here I felt the exact way about the Asian population.

My last example, comes from a friend of mine--a local here in HI. She was talking to me about a date she had went on the past weekend. When I asked how it was, she told me that it was just ok--that there weren't any sparks. I asked what was wrong with him and she replied that he was too "haole". My response was something like, jaw to the ground, "uh i am a haole!" Even though she quickly apoligized and laughingly and said, "jess you know what I mean" and i told her i wasn't sure that i did and put on my best pouty face. She then tried to elaborate and said he was too country, which of course my southern roots did also take offense--but i decided just to let her off the hook.

The fact is Hawaii is a serious melting pot of races and every race and raical mix has a name around here. We all have to use the terminology just to identify whoever we are talking about. So what, I am a haole, here me roar (or even better, here me drawl).

Hawaiian Word of the Week

Slippah-- pronounced, SLIP-A: meaning, a thong-style sandals
Most mainlanders (that is all of those who live on the Continental United States) word for slippah is flip-flop. Mainlanders also call their house shoes "slippers" which is very close to our word of the week "slippah".

Below I have provided pics to illustrate the difference between Islander Shoes and Mainland Shoes.

Here is a pic of the True Hawaiian Rubber Slippah --they start as low as $1.99 and an expensive pair can cost you around $7.99. The dictionary definition for Rubbah Slippah is: pidgin for cheap, rubber thong sandals (rubber slippers). Every hawaiian local knows 101 ways to fix their broken slippah: 50 with tape, 50 with glue, and 50 with a stick to poke the strap back in the hole. Every Hawaiian local owns 2 or more pairs. Slippahs were brought to Hawaii as a cheap way for the Japanese and Filipino plantation workers to have shoes.

Here is the mainland version of the "slipper". Mainlanders prefer to wear their slippers mainly in the house (unless you are my former suitemate, Megan). Slippers are designed age appropriate, to your fun animated ones for the young (and young at heart)-to the simple sock-like slipper with rubber soles, safe for all those slippery hard surfaces in the home.

Mainlanders also wear "slippahs", but they call them flip-flops. Mainland flip-flops can be all colors, all materials and all prices. The Rainbow flip-flop show to the left, is a perfect example of a mainland flip-flop, very overpriced and would probably by considered a dress shoe in Hawaii. The average Hawaiian will probably spend less in a life-times' worth of slippahs than mainlanders do on one pair of Rainbows, Reefs, etc.

This is the Hawaiian verson of the flip-flop.... (ok well maybe I am stretching the truth a little. This is not a wide-spread opinion but just a statement from one of my church youth. She thought flip-flop sounded like a pancake. I thought it was funny.)

Ok, so that is it for this week's edition of Hawaiian Word of the Week. And just to answer that burning question inside everyones head....yes I have converted to the rubbah slippah way of life, i have 4 pair--1 red, 1 blue and 2 black (my favorite is the black with seaturtles on the insoles) and i really do love to wear my Rainbows to church!

Hawaiian Word of the Week

So, my good friend Amanda Huerta is coming to visit me in July. She just bought her ticket and I couldn't be more excited. So, in preparation for her time here in Hawaii, I had thought about sending her a weekly email with a Hawaiian vocabulary word. But instead, I have decided that these little bits of wisdom are well worth sharing with all you people out there (and truthfully, although i live in Hawaii, i still have a normal--sometimes boring daily life, and this gives me something new and interesting to write about!).

So, for our first installation, I would like to introduce the word Shi-Shi. This is one that I use DAILY.

SHI-SHI; pronounced: she-she - definition: to urinate.

I am sure that some of you, if you were to think about it for a minute, could have come up with the meaning to this word, or at least an idea of what it means. It is somewhat self-explanitory. Although, upon moving here--the first year I believed this to have to do with a #2 instead of #1. Until, one day I was in the ocean holding my friends young daughter riding the waves, when she preceeded to tell me she was "Shi-Shi-ing". With her current position--sitting on my hip with her legs wrapped around me--I instantly threw her away from me, into the deep water with very disgusted look on my face. She looked hurt and confused, and her mom (after controlling her laughing) explained to me that Shi-Shi was only pee and nothing more (but still, lets be honest, even though a wave of relief did flow through me, the girl did still PEE on me).

I am also sure that some of you are thinking right now how this is a very weird first Hawaiian word to choose to introduce, as well as something pretty unususal to blog about at any time...and maybe that is true. But seriously, I use this word ALL THE TIME. In the preschool I often work in, we are still potty-training, and with 15 or so kids, smelling shi-shi, going shi-shi and cleaning shi-shi is the norm. We give commands like this: "Haley, go shi-shi toilet", or ask questions like this "Kaeo, you need shi-shi?"

And one more thing, this is not just a little kid word here. My nurse friends also use the word when talking to their very ADULT patients. This word shi-shi is common and publically accepted.

So, give the word a try some time--or then again, maybe you shouldn't-- you may expereince a major confusion like I once did.