Ēwe hānau o ka ʻāina. #387
Natives of the land.
[People who were born and dwelt on the land.]
Hāhai nō ka ua i ka ululāʻau. #405
Rain always follows the forest.
[The rains are attracted to forest trees. Knowing this, Hawaiians hewed only the trees that were needed.]
Hānau ka ʻāina, hānau ke aliʻi, hānau ke kanaka. #466
Born was the land, born were the chiefs, born were the common people
[The land, the chiefs, and the commoners belong together.]
Hawaiʻi kuauli. #501
Hawaiʻi with verdant country.
He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka. #531
The land is a chief, man is her servant.
[The land has no need for man, but men need the land and cultivated her for a livelihood of abundance.]
Source: Pukui, M. K. (1983). ‘Ōlelo No‘eau Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings. Honolulu, Hawaii: Bishop Museum Press.
ʻŌlelo Noeau compiled by Johanna Kapōmaikaʻi Stone and Danielle Espiritu
