Sophie Kaina
ʻUala ʻAwaʻawa
Mānaleo Series
These short clips of native speakers on Ka Leo Hawaiʻi talking about their lives and practices are invaluable windows into our past, our language, and ourselves. Our mahalo kūhohonu goes out to Larry Kimura and Puakea Nogelmeier for their foresight in preserving the voices of these hulu kupuna.
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Sophie Kaina talks about making ʻuala ʻawaʻawa, sweet potato beer.
Sophie Kaina (SK): ʻUlu. Nui ka ʻulu. Ah, well, ʻulu, ʻo ia ka poi, e kiʻi ai, kuʻi.
Larry Kimura (LK): Pehea ka ʻuala, hana poi ʻia?
SK: Ahhh, ʻuala. ʻAe, kekahi poʻe o Kalapana, ʻike wau i ka ʻuala, hana ʻia ka paʻi i mea inu.
LK: Oh, oh, mea inu.
SK: ʻAe. Kanu nā ʻohana a pau i ka ʻuala. Lawa ka ʻuala o koʻu wahi a, naʻu e hana paʻi, paʻi i ka ʻai. ʻElua pule a, hele ʻoe i ka hale o Mea mā, ua ʻawaʻawa kā lākou ʻuala. Inu i ka ʻuala me ka ʻaʻama, ʻo ia mau ʻano.
LK: Ohh. He pūpū paha kēlā.
SK: ʻĒ, pūpū.
LK: ʻĒ. A hana ʻia kēia ʻuala ʻawaʻawa i loko o ka mea…kelemānia?
SK: I loko o ke kelemānia. ʻAe. Kuʻikuʻi wale nō ʻoe a palahē a hoʻokomo i loko. I nā lā a pau, hele kōwali, kōwali, kōwali, a hiki i ka ʻawaʻawa ʻana.
LK: He kōwali ai me ka lima.
SK: Me ka lāʻau. ʻAe. Kekahi poʻe, me ka lima.
Unuhina (Translation):
Sophie Kaina (SK): ʻUlu. Plenty ʻulu. Ah, well, ʻulu, that was the poi, what you would get to pound [into poi].
Larry Kimura (LK): What about ʻuala, was that made into poi?
SK: Ahhh, ʻuala. Yes, some people of Kalapana, I saw that the pounded ʻuala was made into a drink.
LK: Oh, oh, a drink.
SK: Yes. All the families plant ʻuala. When I had enough ʻuala in my garden, I would pound it, make it into a pounded paste. After two weeks, you’d go to the home of So-and-so and their ʻuala was fermented. Then you’d drink the sweet potato beer with ʻaʻama crab and that kine stuff.
LK: That was like a light snack [an accompaniment to the drink].
SK: Yes, an accompaniment.
LK: And that sweet potato beer was made in a…a big ceramic jar?
SK: In a big ceramic jar. Yes. Just pound it until it’s mushy and then put it inside. Everyday you go and mix, mix, mix, until it’s fermented.
LK: You mix it with your hand?
SK: With a stick. Some people mix it with their hands.
Photo: NTBG from an informative article on ʻuala.
Picture from an old CTHAR publication on ʻuala.
Picture from an old CTHAR publication on ʻuala.
Picture from an old CTHAR publication on ʻuala.
He ʻĪnaʻi
As with so many things Hawaiian, ʻuala ʻawaʻawa was celebrated in song. In one mele it is referred to as "Ka wai haʻi mālule i ke kino" (the water that makes the body limp). You can see that mele, translated by Mary Kawena Pukui, on the awesome blog of the Bishop Museum.
Photo: Bishop Museum
Also at the Bishop Museum are many stories of ʻuala ʻawaʻawa in the form of audio recordings. They are part of the huge treasure trove of knowledge left behind by our kūpuna. He kūpono ka mahalo ʻana iā Mary Kawena Pukui who sat in conversation with hundreds of kūpuna, preserving their ʻike for future generations.
Pūniu ʻuala hoʻomoemoe
The kelemānia that Mrs. Kaina makes reference to are large earthen or ceramic jars that were popular for food storage long before the proliferation of pre-prepared foods and plastic wrapping.
A typical kelemānia. Photo: Kamuela Yim.
Photo: Kamuela Yim
Have any of you out there made ʻuala ʻawaʻawa? If so, send us your stories and anecdotes and we will add them here. Mahalo!
Na Hina Kneubuhl i kākau a hoʻonohonoho i kēia moʻolelo.
These pieces are all working interpretations. Should you see a kuhihewa, kiko hewa, or have any sort of manaʻo to share, please email kauamelemele@gmail.com - Mahalo!
Click here to access the full recording on Kaniʻāina.
Photo: Bishop Museum
Photo: Bishop Museum
A typical kelemānia. Photo: Kamuela Yim.
A typical kelemānia. Photo: Kamuela Yim.
A typical kelemania. Photo: Kamuela Yim
Photo: Kamuela Yim
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