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K!lia i ka Nu!u
Hawaiian Proverbs and Values for Student Success
K!lia i ka Nu!u
Alicia Barghout
Kaulana Dameg
Terri Saragosa
Strive to Reach the Summit
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Aloha! Welcome to our ebook, K!lia i ka Nuu "Strive for the Summit#.
Ancient Hawaiians traveled long distances on great voyaging canoes,
incorporating the wisdom of $lelo no!eau or Hawaiian proverbs, to
successfully reach their destination. As a new college student, you are
setting sail on your own educational journey. The $lelo no!eau included
in this eBook share the knowledge, beauty and humor of Hawaiians of
old and o%er advice on strategies you may incorporate into your voyage
to be successful. Enjoy!
Introduction
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This eBook is arranged by chapters based on 5 Hawaiian values
selected for their relevance to college success: Hoomau "perseverance#,
Laulima "cooperation#, Na!auao "knowledge#, Po!okela "excellence# and
Hoom&kaukau "preparedness#. Each chapter contains 3 !$lelo no!eau
that reect the featured value along with advice on applying them to
your life.
For correct pronunciation of the Hawaiian language, an audio
recording of each value and !$lelo no!eau has also been included. To
play the audio recording, click on the lehua image:
E nanea ' enjoy !

Instructions for Use
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Chapter 1: Hoomau........................................1
Chapter 2: Laulima..........................................5
Chapter 3: Naauao..........................................9
Chapter 4: Pookela........................................13
Chapter 5: Hoom&kaukau.............................17
Conclusion......................................................21
Comments & Feedback.................................22
References.......................................................23
Image Acknowledgments..............................24
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Ho!omau
Perseverance
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!A!ohe pu!u ki!eki!e ke ho!"!o e pi!i.
Set goals and steps along the way to
reach them. Small victories can lead
to big accomplishments.
No cli! is too tall that it cannot be scaled.
No problem is too great when one tries hard to solve it.
2
Hoomau
He !a!ali!i k! makani mai au, !a!ohe makani n"na e kula!i.
Persevere along your journey. Resilience is a needed characteristic for students
to acquire during schooling. When you experience di(cult times in school, do
not give up! Regain your composure and keep pressing on towards the goal.
Hard classes, assignments, people to get along with, and periods of time may
be experienced throughout your time in school. These events give you the
opportunity to grow in your ability and character. Overcoming these di(cult
experiences will help you in your future careers and throughout life.
I am a wind-resisting "a"ali"i; no gale can push me over.
The "a"ali"i bush can stand the worst of gales, twisting and bending but seldom breaking o! or falling over.
3
Hoomau
Hold the breath.
Be patient, dont give up too easily.
4
Hoomau
Sometimes, it might feel like nothing in you wants to keep putting in
the e%ort it takes to nish school. You might feel like the distance
from where you are and where you desire to be is too far and too hard
to get to. Be patient, and know that your e%ort and hard work will be
worth it in the end when you nish strong with a degree in hand.
!Umia ka hanu.
Chapter 2
Laulima
Cooperation
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Take the time to build a support network while youre in school.
Consider joining a student'led club or organization. It helps to have
the support of individuals with similar interests, especially when
tackling the di(cult tasks that you may encounter while in school.
No task is too big when done together by all.
Laulima
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!A!ohe hana nui ke alu !ia.
With all of the homework assignments, projects, and
exams, college can sometimes feel overwhelming. Take
advantage of the support network that is available for
students. There are instructors, tutors, counselors, and
student mentors available who provide guidance and
support for students throughout their college journey.
Everybody paddle the canoes together; bail and paddle; paddle and bail; and the shore is reached.
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E lauhoe mai n" wa!a; i ke k", i ka hoe;
i ka hoe, i ke k"; pae aku i ka !"ina.
Laulima
Share the responsibility when given group assignments.
Join in with the other members of your team and strive
to reach your goals. Do your part, and it will benet the
rest of the team.
Dip your paddle in.
Join the e!ort.
8
Komo mai k"u m"puna hoe.
Laulima
Na!auao
Knowledge
Chapter 3
9
All knowledge is not taught in the same school.
One can learn from many sources.
Be a humble student. There is a lot that you can learn from others in
your eld who may have more experience, and others who are not in
your eld who have life experience. When doing a project or related
type of activity for school, there are many sources that you can learn
from, including parents and grandparents, professors, other students,
experts in your eld, internet resources, scholarly articles, etc.#.
Na!auao
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!A!ohe pau ka !ike i ka h"lau ho!okahi.
!Ike i ke au nui me ke au iki.
Knows the big currents and the little currents.
Is very well versed.
Take time to study, especially when the topic is new
to you. Familiarize yourself with the information
youre supposed to know before coming to class. If
there is a subject area youre struggling with, dont be
afraid to ask questions.
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Na!auao
Ma ka hana ka !ike.
In working one learns.
While in college, seek out ways to gain employable skills as
well as academic skills "leadership, teamwork, problem
solving, etc.#. You will be able to use these skills to apply
your knowledge in the real world, such as in internships,
community service and other job opportunities.
12
Na!auao
Po!okela
Excellence
Chapter 4
13
When the surfer is unskilled, the board is broken.
An unskilled worker bungles instead of being a help.
Take the time to learn the information that is available
to you. As Sir Francis Bacon said, Knowledge is power.
The more you know about a subject, the more you can
be of help in that area. Learn as much as you can to
develop your professional abilities.
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Po!okela
H"w"w" ka he!e nalu, haki ka papa.
Climb the cli! like an "a"ama crab.
Said of one who goes beyond his limits.
Challenge yourself to go above and beyond what
is required in your courses. Set goals for what
you would like to achieve throughout the year,
and push yourself to go beyond your limits.
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Po!okela
Pi!i mai nei i ka pali me he !a!ama l".
E !#lelo pono k"kou, e hana me ka !oia!i!o.
Let us speak at all times with goodness & righteousness. Let us work with sincerity.
Students, speak what is right, and let your work be genuine.
Do not plagiarize and do not cheat. With the abundance of
information available on the internet, its more important
than ever to make sure you do your research and include the
necessary citations.
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Po!okela
Ho!om&kaukau
Preparedness
Chapter 5
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No breadfruit can be reached when the picking stick is too short.
There is no success without preparation.
Planning is important as you navigate your way through
college. Knowing where you want to go and having a plan to
get there will help you to stay on track. Academic planning is
especially important as it helps you to take the correct classes
to complete your degree in a timely manner. See your advisor
regularly to revise your plan as needed.
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Ho!om!kaukau
!A!ohe !ulu e loa!a i ka p#kole o ka lou.
The sherman may well be proud when well supplied with nets.
Good tools help the worker succeed.
Find out what kinds of resources and support are
available for you at your school or in your community.
Services such as academic advising, peer mentoring,
tutoring, and career services can provide you with the
tools youll need to be successful.
Ho!om!kaukau
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I ha!aheo n# ka lawai!a i ka lako i ka !upena.
No one who takes care of his possessions has ever found them eaten by rats.
When one takes care of his goods, he will not su!er losses (from thieves).
Today, the majority of schoolwork is done on computers
and other technological devices. Make sure to save your
work frequently and organize your work so that it
doesnt get deleted or lost. Always make sure to have
backup storage and extra copies of your work.
Ho!om!kaukau
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!A!ohe m"lama, pau i ka !iole.
Conclusion
Ancient Polynesians set sail on their canoes, crossing
vast distances to reach their destination. As you also
set sail on your college path, learn these $lelo no!eau
and values containing the wisdom of these k!puna.
Incorporate them into your life throughout your
college journey and beyond to navigate your voyage
to success.
K!lia i ka nu!u.
Strive for the summit.
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Comments & Feedback
We hope youve enjoyed this eBook and have gained valuable
tips that will help you be successful. Please provide us with
comments and feedback on this eBook by clicking on the
following link:
FEEDBACK FORM
We appreciate you taking the time to help us improve this
book. Mahalo!
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Apoliona, H. "1979#. Alu Like, Inc.
Pukui, Mary K. "1983#. !)lelo No!eau: Hawaiian proverbs
and poetical sayings. Vol. 71. Honolulu, HI: Bishop
Museum Press.
References
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Saragosa, Caley
Pages: cover co"age; introduction; 18; 22
Dameg, Kaulana
Pages: 1; 3; 5; 6; 9; 10; 12; 13; 16; 17; 23
Image Acknowledgments
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Saragosa, Terri
Pages: 2; 11
Nova Development. $2001%. Art Explosion: 750,000
Images. USA.
Pages: cover co"age; 4; 20
Page: 7
Page: 8
Canoers paddling to the dock at Kalama Park
CC BY&SA 3.0
By Joel Bradshaw $Own work% 'Public domain(,
via Wikimedia Commons
Image Acknowledgments
25
Page: 14
Page: 15
Page: Instructions for use
Pages: cover co"age; 19
By Stan Shebs: Oahu_North_Shore_surng_hand_drag
CC BY&SA 3.0
Lauae Fern
CC BY 2.0
CC BY 2.0
Aama $Grapsus tenuicrustatus%
Hawaiian sherman retrieving sh from small net, 1925
)Public Domain*
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Image Acknowledgments
Page: 21
Lehua clipart by Dietrich Varize
The Hokulea
CC BY 2.0
Image Acknowledgments
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Audio recordings by Kaulana Dameg