1. n. the flower of the ʻōhiʻa tree (Metrosideros macropus, M. collina subsp. polymorpha); also the tree itself. The lehua is the flower of the island of Hawaiʻi, as designated in 1923 by the Territorial legislature; it is famous in song and tale. see nāpolupolu, pōkiʻi₁, ʻūpolu. fig., a warrior, beloved friend or relative, sweetheart, expert (see lehua₉).
The plant has many forms, from tall trees to low shrubs, leaves round to narrow and blunt or pointed and smooth or woolly. The flowers are red, rarely salmon, pink, yellow, or white. The wood is hard, good for flooring and furniture, formerly used for images, spears, mallets. (Neal 637–8). It grows abundantly in wet areas (see ex., ʻūpolu).
It was believed that picking lehua blossoms would cause rain. For rain and wind names associated with lehua see Kanilehua, Kinailehua. Kinimakalehua, Kiu Wai Lehua, Līlīlehua, Moanianilehua, Moelehua. see also lū lehua, Moaʻe Lehua, ʻōiwi₂ (chant). cf. Marquesan heʻua
2. vs. laden, as a lehua tree with beautiful blossoms.
3. n. rainbow-colored mother-of-pearl shell used for fishing lure.
4. n. a variety of taro, used for red poi. Cultivars may be qualified by the terms keʻokeʻo (white) or maoli (native).
5. n. globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa).
6. n. a variety of yam; the stem has red wings and the tuber has light pinkish flesh.
7. n. name of the small island just west of Niʻihau. As the westernmost of the Hawaiian Islands (except for the Northwest Hawaiian Islands), Lehua is associated with a setting sun (see chant, kalakalaʻihi). In poetry, the extent of the Hawaiian Islands is shown by coupling Lehua Island and Haʻehaʻe and Kumukahi on East Hawaiʻi . A breeze is named for this island.
8. placename. island (291 acres, maximum elevation 710 feet) west of Niʻihau, the westernmost island of the main Hawaiian chain (not including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands); landing, northeast Niʻihau. For a saying, see kāʻili. lit.: Lehua flower. (Pele's younger sister, Hiʻiaka, accompanying Pele on her first trip to Hawaiʻi, left a Lehua lei at this island when her brother, Kāneʻāpua, decided to stay there.) Elementary school, Pearl City, Oʻahu. (PH 106; UL 258.)
9. ashes; ash-colored or gray, as a chicken...
10. n. expert, as in fishing. |
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| Ch.4 p.21 para.10 sent.1 | “Kau mai ana i oʻu nei Ka hāliʻaliʻa nae lehua o Puna, | "Rising fondly before me, The recollection of the lehua blossom of Puna, |
| Ch.11 p.59 para.5 sent.4 | ʻElua hoʻi mau manu ʻiʻiwi pōlena e kau ana ma nā poʻohiwi o ke aliʻi e lū ana i nā wai ʻala lehua ma ke poʻo o ke aliʻi. | two scarlet iiwi birds were perched on the shoulders of the princess and shook the dew from red lehua blossoms upon her head. |
| Ch.14 p.72 para.1 sent.3 | I ia manawa, hāʻawi maila ʻo Lāʻieikawai i ka lei lehua, hoʻolei ihola ma ka ʻāʻī o Hauaʻiliki e like me kāna hana mau i ka poʻe akamai i ka heʻe nalu. | then Laieikawai threw a lehua wreath around Hauailiki's neck, as she always did for those who showed skill in surf riding. |
| Ch.23 p.120 para.1 sent.1 | Ua hala kuʻu lehua, aia i Koʻokoʻolau, | Because [my lehua] is gone — my close companion! |
| Ch.23 p.121 para.9 sent.1 | A no kēia ʻōlelo a Maliʻo, hele akula ʻo Halaaniani e hoʻohālua mau ma waho o ko Lāʻielohelohe hale me kona ʻike ʻole ʻia mai, kokoke ʻalua anahulu kona hoʻohālua ʻana, a laila, ʻike ʻo ia i kā Lāʻielohelohe hana, he kui lehua. | At these words of Malio, Halaaniani went to spy outside of Laielohelohe's house without being seen; almost twice ten days he lay in wait; then he saw Laielohelohe stringing lehua blossoms. |
| Ch.23 p.121 para.9 sent.2 | Hoʻomau pinepine akula ʻo ia a nui nā lā, aia nō ʻo ia e hoʻomau ana i kāna hana he kui lehua. | He came repeatedly many days; there she was stringing lehua blossoms. |
| Ch.23 p.122 para.2 sent.2 | Lālau aʻela kona kaikuahine i ka pū lāʻī, a hele akula me kona kaikunāne a kokoke akula lāua ma kahi a Lāʻielohelohe e kui lehua mau ai. | His sister took a ti-leaf trumpet and went with her brother, and close to the place where Laielohelohe was wont to string lehua blossoms. |
| Ch.23 p.122 para.4 sent.1 | Iā lāua nō e kamaʻilio ana no kēia mau mea, ʻuʻina mai ana kahi a ua ʻo Lāʻielohelohe e kui lehua ai. | As they were speaking there was a crackling in the bushes at the place where Laielohelohe strung lehua blossoms, |
| Ch.23 p.122 para.4 sent.2 | I nānā aku ka hana o lāua, ʻo Lāʻielohelohe e haʻihaʻi lehua ana. | and when they looked, there was Laielohelohe breaking lehua blossoms. |
| Ch.23 p.122 para.8 sent.2 | Ma mua naʻe o ko lāua hiki ʻana aku, ua haʻi mua aku ʻo Maliʻo i kāna ʻōlelo i kona kaikunāne penei, “E haku ʻoe i lehua, a huihui a lilo i mea hoʻokahi. | Malio had already instructed her brother, as follows: "Take lehua flowers, bind them into a cluster, |
| Ch.23 p.122 para.8 sent.3 | Aia a lohe ʻoe i kuʻu hoʻokani aku i ka hano, ʻo ia kou wā e hoʻokuʻu iho ai i kēlā pōpō lehua i luna pono ona. | when you hear me playing the nose flute, then drop the bunch of flowers right over her; |
| Ch.23 p.123 para.1 sent.3 | I ia wā nō hoʻi ko Halaaniani hoʻolei ʻana iho i ka pōpō lehua mai luna iho o ka lāʻau, a hāʻule pololei ihola ma ke alo ponoʻī o Lāʻielohelohe. | Halaaniani dropped the bunch of lehua flowers down from the tree, and it fell directly in front of Laielohelohe. |
| Ch.23 p.123 para.3 sent.1 | Iā lāua i hiki aku ai a noho iho, hiki maila ʻo Lāʻielohelohe ma kona wahi mau e kui lehua ai. | When they had taken their stations, Laielohelohe came as usual to string lehua blossoms. |
| Ch.23 p.123 para.3 sent.2 | I ia manawa, hoʻokani akula ʻo Maliʻo i ka hano iā Lāʻielohelohe e hoʻomaka aku ana e ʻako lehua. | Then Malio sounded the flute, as Laielohelohe began to snip the lehua blossoms, |
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