Nā Kūlana O Ke Ola
Cover Image: Masthead of Ka Lanakila published on September 23, 1909.
Aloha Nūhou Monday!
Dear Reader,
In this week’s blog, we look at two lists describing nā kūlana o ke ola, or the stages of life, from birth to death. One appeared in the Hawaiian language newspaper Ka Lanakila, while the other was collected by J. S. Emerson and is included in Bishop Museum’s Hawaiian Ethnological Notes (HEN) Collection. While the two lists include nearly the same number of stages, they are distinct.
Along with these written descriptions are images from Bishop Museum’s photo collection that show families and groups, showcasing people in the different stages of life.
Image: “Na Kulana o ko ke Kanaka Ola Ana,” Ka Lanakila, September 23, 1909, p. 29.
The Stages of Life
- Birth
- Turning over and observing
- Doubling up
- Crawling
- Standing
- Learning to walk
- Walking
- Youth
- Adolescence
- Adulthood
- Senescence/Decline
- Elderly
- Walking with a cane
- Crouched with age
- Bleary eyed like a rat
- Yellowing of a pandanus leaf [very old]
- Carried in a net [bedridden]
- Covered with black tapa cloth [death]
- Pigs placed before the mouth [after death]
(Lanakila, 9/23/1909, p. 29)
Image: HEN v. 1, p. 659. Bishop Museum Archives.
Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives@BishopMuseum.org, Bishop Museum Archives.
From Childhood to Old Age
ʻAi waiū – a sucking infant.
ʻŌpiopio – young.
Kamaliʻi – little children.
Nui – youth.
Uʻi – strength.
Kanaka oʻo – mature man.
Kanaka hāpauea – aged.
Kanaka hohoiea – sickly.
Kanaka palupalu – feeble.
Kanaka nāwaliwali – weak.
Kanaka kanikoʻo – requiring a staff.
Kanaka haumakaʻiole – dim of sight with eyes standing out like those of a rat.
Kanaka kolopupū – crawling.
Kanaka palalauhala – withered like a hala leaf.
Kanaka [kanikoʻo] – one guided by a cane.
Kanaka kanikapapawaa [?] – just before death.
Kanaka make – dead.
(HEN v. 1, p. 659. Bishop Museum Archives.)
Image: Hawaiian group ready for lūʻau on Maui. ca. 1880. Bishop Museum Archives. SP 97213.
Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives@BishopMuseum.org, Bishop Museum Archives.
Image: Hawaiian people at Wahiawa, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi: Sarah, unknown, Kaluna, Kakalia, Kahele, Moeahu, Kahahawai. ca. 1890. Bishop Museum Archives. SP 41954.
Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives@BishopMuseum.org, Bishop Museum Archives.
Image: Hawaiian family. Bishop Museum Archives. SP 203108.
Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives@BishopMuseum.org, Bishop Museum Archives.
Image: Hawaiian family in front of Service Hotel. Bishop Museum Archives. SN 75933.
Image sharing on social media is welcome. For all other uses please contact Archives@BishopMuseum.org, Bishop Museum Archives.
This post is part of He Aupuni Palapala: Preserving and Digitizing the Hawaiian Language Newspapers, a partnership between Bishop Museum and Awaiaulu with assistance from Kamehameha Schools. Mahalo nui loa to Hawaii Tourism Authority for their support. Learn more about this project here.
