Inoa Hoʻomanaʻo (Our Name)
Namahana School
The practice of naming holds great value in Hawaiian culture. Whether it is given to a place, a canoe, or a child, there is a unique story and multiple layers of meaning embedded in each name.
Inoa Hoʻomanaʻo
Namahana School is an inoa hoʻomanaʻo (a name inspired by a physical place and history). The story of the school will unfold in the Koʻolau moku (district) on Kauaʻi island, against the majestic backdrop of the Namahana mountain range.
Kumu Devin Kamealoha Forrest
Our school’s name was chosen after extensive research into the history and genealogy of this particular location to ensure its alignment with a place of learning. This research was conducted by Hawaiian linguist Kumu Devin Kamealoha Forrest and his findings in the nūpepa (Hawaiian language newspapers) archives, one of the largest repositories of knowledge from old Hawaiʻi.
Ka Manaʻo o ka Inoa (About the Name)
While much of the literature contends that the name of the Namahana mountain range refers to its two highest peaks and therefore means māhana (twins), Kumu Kamealoha suggests that Namahana actually means “a gathering of chiefs” or “a congregation of chiefs.”
Mahana were a class of aliʻi (chiefs) in ancient Hawaiʻi, similar to the nobles of court, who served the highest rulers of the land. There are various historical documents and moʻolelo (stories) that support this interpretation.
Traditionally, Namahana was a place where chiefs gathered during times of peace. In 1877 one recorded moʻolelo (stories), He Moʻolelo No Aahoaka ke Koa, discusses the aliʻi (chiefs) of Koʻolau, and the names of various local valleys and puʻu (hills) that were named for these chiefs. The chiefs mentioned include: Kāhilikolo, Kalalea, Kamoku, Haleone, Kahaleʻala, and Kāhili. These are also names of specific places in the Koʻolau region.
The Koʻolau Moku
The lush Koʻolau moku (district) was valued by the chiefly class, providing abundant food and a pleasant area for enjoyment and leisure. Many of the region’s moʻolelo (stories) depict chiefs from around the island gathering in the Kalihiwai and Kīlauea areas. The name, “Namahana,” in this interpretation therefore refers to the broader region in which this chiefly class often gathered, cradled and sheltered by the majestic Namahana mountain range.
Embracing the clouds of ua (rain) that roll in gently with the trade winds and channeling them into numerous streams that provide fresh water for this region, the Namahana mountain range can be regarded as the piko (life source) for Kīlauea and Kalihiwai. In the same way, Namahana School will become a piko (life source) for our community by nourishing the mind, body and spirit of its youth. And just as Koʻolau was cared for and beloved by the Kauaʻi chiefs of old, Namahana School will nurture and educate its students to be the guardians and leaders of the future.
“As the Namahana mountain range is the piko [life source] of Kīlauea and Kalihiwai, Namahana School will become a piko [life source] for our community by nourishing the mind, body and spirit of its youth.”
Kumu Devin Kamealoha Forrest