Kupu ka niu, kupu ke kanaka - When the coconut grows, man will grow
Kupu ka niu, kupu ke kanaka - When the coconut grows, man will grow
Join us at the Uluniu Tent at Lā Honua Fest - April 19th
-
✺
Keiki Activities
-
✺
Vai niu, awa & kūlolo
-
✺
Niu education & craft
Niu (coconut) is a cornerstone of life for Pacific peoples, providing food, water, shelter, and medicine for generations. Every part of the tree is used—its fruit offers nourishment and hydration, its leaves and husks are woven into mats and ropes, and its wood is used for building and tools. Beyond its practical uses, niu holds deep cultural and spiritual significance, symbolizing resilience, abundance, and connection to the land and ocean. A true “tree of life,” niu sustains both the physical and cultural well-being of Pacific communities.
Celebrate Niu - the Tree of Life with us at this Earth Month Workshop & Malama Workday
🌴 Join @projectkanu and @hawaiiulucoop at the @onomeahub farm for a hands-on workshop highlighting Hawaii Island organizations working with niu.
🥥 Learn, connect, and grow with us through stories, science, and sustainable practices centered around this vital kupuna crop. This event is free but donations of volunteer time and/or seedlings is welcome.
WHEN: Sunday, April 27th
WHERE: Onomea Farm Hub farm
RSVP: Link in bio!
Agenda:
0900 – Welcome
0915 – POHAKU PELEMAKA: ʻIke & moʻolelo of niu
1000 – NIU HUI: Niu genetics & agroforestry
1100 – ONOMEA FARM HUB & FRIENDS: Interactive niu processing
1130 – Potluck Lunch
1200 – HI ʻULU CO-OP: CRB control demo
1230 – Kanu Niu & mālama ‘āina
HE PULE NIU
An adaption from Nathaniel B. Emmerson version, September 17, 1897
Eia kou niu lā - e ke Akua! Here is your coconut oh God!
Niu hiwa, niu lelo, Black coconut, Yellow coconut
Niu haohao, niu o Hawaiʻi Nui. Young coconut, Coconut of Hawaiʻi
No hea ka niu? Where is the coconut from?
No Wawaʻu ka niu, The coconut is from Wawau (Wawaʻu)
No ʻŪpolu ka niu, The coconut is from ʻŪpolu
No Kūkulu o Kahiki. From the borders of Kahiki come the niu
He aha ko loko? What is within?
He wai ko loko, Water is within
He momona ko loko, All within is sweet
He ʻono ko loko, All within is a delicacy
He kena ko loko, All within quenches thirst
He māʻona ko loko. All within satisfies hunger
Kupu ka niu, Kupu ke kanaka, The coconut grows, People grow
Pua ka niu, Pua ka wahine uʻi, The coconut blossoms, Beautiful women blossom
Hua ka niu, Hua nā keiki, The coconut fruits, Children fruit
Nā pulapula o ka ʻāina. The seedlings of the land
Eia kou niu lā - e ke Akua! Here is your coconut oh God!
He niu aha kēia? What kind of coconut is this?
He niu e aloha, A loving coconut
He niu e inu, A drinking coconut
He niu e ʻai, An eating coconut
He niu e kena, A coconut that quenches thirst
He niu e māʻona. A coconut that satisfies hunger
Eia kou niu lā - e ke Akua! Here is your coconut oh God!
He niu aha kēia? What kind of coconut prayer/assembly is this?
He ʻaha niu hoʻohui lāhui, hoʻohui ʻāina A prayer/assembly to unite people and land
He ʻaha niu, hoʻohui aku, hui mai. A prayer/assembly to restore and reunite
E iho ana ʻo luna - e iho ana Above will descend
E piʻi ana ʻo lalo - e piʻi ana Below will ascend
E hui ana nā ʻāina - e hui ana The lands will be united
E kū ana nā paia - E KŪ! The pillars will rise
Pehea ka ʻaha? How is our collective prayer/assembly?
Maikaʻi ka ʻaha, The prayer/assembly is well
ʻAha-niu, ʻaha-aloha, A coconut prayer/assembly, a loving assembly
ʻAha-hoʻohui lāhui - e hoʻohui A prayer/assembly to unite the Hawaiian nation
ʻAha-hoʻohui ʻāina - e hoʻohui A prayer/assembly to unite land and people
Mau ka pono o ka niu. The nature of the coconut is continuous.
Mau ke ea o ka ʻāina, The life of land is infinite
ʻĀmama! Ua noa! The prayer is said. It is free!
Original Text: He Pule Niu – Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Volume XXXVI, Number 42, 15 October, 1897
Honolulu, September 17, 1897 Nathaniel B. Emerson – He Pule Niu: 2020 translation by P. Collier
