What does Hanauma mean?
Hanauma pronounced “ha now ma” is a Hawaiian word that can have several meanings. Originally, the Hawaiian language was not a written language. It was passed down orally through song, dance, stories and legends from one generation to the next. This oral transmission resulted in some changes and loss to place names. Place names frequently described a salient landmark or feature or may describe an important historical event. In place names, hana refers to a bay or valley. Uma can have multiple meanings. 1) Uma can refer to a curve, as in the natural geological formation of the crescent shape of the bay. 2) Another meaning refers to the sport of handwrestling, uma, where opponents knelt with elbows on the ground and right hands locked together and tried to force the other down. Hanuama Bay was known as a place where ali‘i the ruling class would gather to play uma as well as other recreational activities. 3) The stern of a canoe is also known by the term uma. Traditional Hawaiian navigator
