Learning the Hawaiian Language: Ka Hui Pokela ʻo Leʻa Hauʻoli

Aloha mai nō kākou e nā makamaka heluhelu a me koʻu mau hoaaloha! Pehea mai nei ʻoukou i kēia lā?

Nui koʻu hoihoi i ka pokela a makemake au e hele i ke kaona ʻo Arita 有田 ma ka mokuʻāina o Saga 佐賀 ma Iāpana nei. E hōʻiliʻili ana au i ka pokela mai Arita a i kēia manawa ʻano nui kaʻu hōʻiliʻilina! Ke kūʻai mai au i kekahi pā hou, huli au i ka mea i hoʻohana ʻia nā wahihoʻoluʻu gula, ʻulaʻula a i ʻole polū.

I koʻu hele ʻana i ke kikowaena kūʻai pokela ma Arita, ua kūʻai mai au i nā pā o ka Hui Pokela ʻo Kōraku, no ka mea nui ka gula i hoʻohana ʻia i ia mau pā. I kēlā Poʻaono aku nei, ua hele au i Arita no ka mea aia koʻu lā hānau ma ka lā ʻumikūmāono o Iulai. Ua hiki iaʻu ke hele me nā hoaaloha i kekahi hale ʻaina ma Fukuoka nei, akā, ua hele au i Arita, kaʻu kaona punahele! I koʻu hōʻea ʻana i Arita, ua hele au i ke kikowaena kūʻai pokela e like me nā manawa a pau. Nui nā hale kūʻai pokela o nā hui pokela like ʻole ma laila a hiki ke kūʻai mai i nā pā me ka maʻalahi. Ma hope o koʻu hele kūʻai ʻana ma laila, ua hoʻoholo au e hele i ka Hui Pokela ʻo Kōraku. ʻAno mamao ka Hui Pokela ʻo Kōraku mai ke kahua kaʻaahi ʻo Arita a liʻiliʻi wale nō ka poʻe e hele ai ma laila, no ka mea, hiki nō ke kūʻai mai i nā huahana a pau i nā hale kūʻai liʻiliʻi i ke kaona. Kahiko loa nā hale o ka hui Pokela ʻo Kōraku. Ua hiki iaʻu ke komo i loko o ka hale hana a ua wehewehe mai ka limahana iaʻu e pili ana i ka pokela o Kōraku. Ua hoihoi loa, akā, liʻiliʻi wale nō nā kiʻi aʻu i paʻi ai i loko o ka hale hana. Ua wela loa i loko, a laila nui ka hana o nā limahana. No laila, hilahila au i ke paʻi kiʻi ʻana i kēlā ʻano kūlana. Ma hope o ka nānā ʻana o ka hale hana, ua paʻi kiʻi au ma ka hale kūʻai ma laila.

He aha ka manaʻo o Kōraku? ʻO ka hauʻoli ka manaʻo o kō 幸 a ʻo leʻa a i ʻole leʻaleʻa ka manaʻo o raku 楽. No laila, ʻo ka Hui Pokela ʻo Leʻa Hauʻoli ka inoa o kēia hui i unuhi ʻia ma ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi. ʻO ka mea maʻamau, hoʻohana ʻia ka huaʻōlelo ʻo kama 窯 i nā hui pokela. ʻO ka ʻoma pokela ka manaʻo o kama. No laila,ʻo Kōraku Gama 幸楽窯 ka inoa piha o kēia hui pokela ma ka ʻōlelo Kepanī. Ua ʻike paha ʻoe, ua loli ka puana ʻo kama i loko o ka inoa. Ma hope o ka huaʻōlelo Kōraku, pono e puana ʻia gama.