I. General Net Terms
- ʻupena – Fishing net, web, trap.
- ʻupena hoʻolei / ʻupena kiloi / ʻupena kiola – Throwing or cast nets.
- ʻupena kolo – Immense bag net 16–24 fathoms deep (towing net).
- ʻupena kuʻu – Gill or set net, let down from canoe.
- ʻupena papa – Bag net of three sections: puhi nui (largest mesh) → puhi iki → pūpū/mole.
- ʻupena pili – Two nets joined at opening of a pākuʻikuʻi.
- ʻupena poʻo – Bag or head net.
- ʻupena ʻākiʻikiʻi – Dip net.
- ʻupena hoʻolewalewa – Gill net stretched across fish runs.
- ʻupena hōuna – Scoop net of hau fiber.
- ʻupena māʻiʻo – Net of hau fiber (“jagged”).
- ʻupena maomao – Large deep-water net with melomelo lure.
- ʻupena mākini – Destructive snare net.
- ʻupena uluulu – Scoop net framed by two sticks.
II. Structural Components
- ʻalihi – Edge cords for floats and sinkers; ʻalihi pīkoi (upper, floats), ʻalihi pōhaku or ʻalihi kēpau (lower, sinkers).
- pīkoni / pīkoi – Float cords or wooden floats.
- kīʻoʻe – Net-mending/joining tool.
- hāwele – Net lashing; fastening cords.
- haha kā ʻupena – Mesh gauge stick.
- hiʻa kā ʻupena – Shuttle/needle for making nets.
- maka ʻupena – Mesh.
- piko – Bottom round of a carrying net.
- puʻu – Fancy knot or mesh; puʻumana – new mesh added in enlargement.
- kahahānai – Strings securing top of calabash net (kōkō).
- ʻaea / kūkaʻi – Cords for joining nets.
- pā – Section attached to bag portion.
III. Mesh Sizes
- mākahi – One-finger mesh.
- mālua – Two-finger mesh.
- mākolu – Three-finger mesh.
- māhā – Four-finger mesh.
- maka lua – Double mesh.
- makahune – Fine mesh or weft.
- maka ʻaha – Fine sennit mesh.
- ʻoā (ʻowā) – Half-finger measure; appears in mesh terms (e.g., mālua ʻoā, mākolu ʻoā).
IV. Specialized Net Types
- hukilau / lau / lauʻapoʻapo / lau kapalili / laukō – Seines or dragnets.
- hului / pākuʻikuʻi / pāloa – Long or bag nets drawn in teams; reef driving.
- lau ʻōpae – Shrimp net around a stone heap (ahu/imu).
- pāhoe – Netting with rhythmic paddle beating; with homa sound.
- holoholo / kīholo / kūpō / kuʻu – Run, scoop, or gill nets by method.
- nae / puni / naepuni – Fine-meshed small nets.
- ʻākuʻikuʻi / pouono / pōuouo – Long or bag nets; reef contexts.
- uhina – Throw/cast net. uhau ʻupena – Bird-catching net on handle.
- ʻupena ʻalihi – Ritual healing net used by kahuna.
V. Materials
- olonā and ōpuhe – Primary native fibers for nets and carriers.
- ʻaha – Sennit or other cordage (coconut husk, hair, gut).
- hau, pōhuehue, koali, wiliwili – Handles, driving vines, floats, outriggers.
- kukui – Floats; dyes and ritual uses.
VI. Implements & Actions
- kā – To make meshes; related tying actions.
- ani / hului / kolo / ualei – Drag, draw together, tow, spread nets.
- lapa – Slacken lower section of ʻōpelu bag net.
- moena – Site for setting a net.
- kūpō / kuʻu / kuʻuna – To set or lower nets; set-net place.
- pūpū – Draw tight, as a net.
- uluulu – Scoop/dive net method.
- imu/umu – Stone fish traps surrounded with a net.
VII. Figurative & Ceremonial
- ʻahaʻaina kahukahu – Feast for first finished net/work.
- haokea – Taro used in dedicating new nets.
- kuwā – Prayer at completion of a new net.
- maoloha / kōkō a Maoloha – Myth of heavenly food net.
- Nā kōkō a Makaliʻi / Huihuikōkōamakaliʻikauiluna – Pleiades as “nets of Makaliʻi.”
VIII. Support Equipment
- haukoi / ou / wiliwili – Floats and float woods.
- ʻalihi pōhaku / kūwaiū – Stone or lead sinkers.
- pōhaku mole – Anchor stone at bag end.
- pula – Leafy branch for driving fish into nets.
IX. Carrying Nets & Straps
- kōkō / ʻaʻaha / ʻahaʻaha – Sennit carriers for calabashes; variants kōkō pūʻalu and kōkō puʻupuʻu.
X. Measurement & Body-Part Metaphors
- maka ʻupena – Mesh as unit; ʻoā half-finger measure.
- ʻāʻī – “Neck” of a net; lehelehe – “mouth” of a net; ʻōpū – “belly/bag” of a net.
Source: CHD – Hawaiian-English – Topical: Nets.
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