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Hawaiian word commonly rendered as "righteousness"
Look up
pono in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Pono (pronounced
[ˈpono] ) is a
Hawaiian word commonly rendered as "
righteousness ". For instance, the
Hawaii
state motto :
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono or "The sovereignty of the land is perpetuated in righteousness".
[1]
Pono is a notably
polysemous term.
Mary Kawena Pukui 's and
Samuel Hoyt Elbert 's Hawaiian dictionary gives six meanings and 83 English
translation equivalents.
nvs . Goodness, uprightness, morality, moral qualities, correct or proper procedure, excellence, well-being, prosperity, welfare, benefit, behalf, equity, sake, true condition or nature, duty; moral, fitting, proper, righteous, right, upright, just, virtuous, fair, beneficial, successful, in perfect order, accurate, correct, eased, relieved; should, ought, must, necessary.
vs . Completely, properly, rightly, well, exactly, carefully, satisfactorily, much (an intensifier).
n . Property, resources, assets, fortune, belongings, equipment, household goods, furniture, gear of any kind, possessions, accessories, necessities.
n . Use, purpose, plan.
n . Hope.
vs . Careless, informal, improper, any kind of (preceding a stem).
[2]
The word has strong
cultural and spiritual connotations of "a state of harmony or balance", and is the aim of the
Hoʻoponopono practice. Pono is often used as in
affirmative prayers , especially within
Kanaka Maoli healing arts and the
Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement .
References
Chun, Malcolm Naea. 2006. Pono: The Way of Living . University of Hawaii.
Fuchs, Lawrence H. 1961. Hawaii Pono: A Social History . Harcourt, Brace & World.