I have complained about the misuse of the Hawaiian language, so as an equal opportunity complainer, I would like to grouse about the misuse of English, used for areas of this island that, in my humble opinion, are just plain wrong.
Jungle. What comes to mind when you hear the word “jungle”?
We’ll pause for a moment so you can bring up that image.
Got it? Now think about “forest.” Is it the same picture? Not for me. Here in Hawaii, we have forests: koa forests, upland forests, cloud forests, used-to-be sandalwood forests, Pana‘ewa forest. And yet whenever I watch TV shows set in the islands, I often hear these areas described as “jungle.”
Jungles are dangerous, and while I understand the need to create danger for cop and adventure shows, think how words influence people’s perception of the islands.
In my view, jungles are wild places fraught with life-threatening foliage and human-devouring creatures. But forests? Forests are friendly, fragrant, filled with cheerful bird songs and rustling tree tops. I’ll skip into the forest in a minute to gather maile, but you can’t pay me to slink into a jungle. Hawaiian forests are not jungles, so let’s stop calling them that.
Cultural consultants for TV shows, check with me.
Another misused word is “upcountry.” When I was growing up in Hilo, upcountry was on Maui, an area with rolling green hills and cattle. Waimea on Hawaii Island shares similar terrain and some have started calling it upcountry. Waimea is also called Kamuela, Hawaiian for Samuel, but it’s not clear for which descendant of settlers to the area, Spencer or Parker.
The U.S. post office uses Kamuela to distinguish Waimea, Hawaii Island, from Waimea on Oahu and Kauai. But unless using zip code, how about we stick to the Hawaiian place name: Waimea, and not Kamuela. As for Upcountry, last time I checked, it is still on Maui. Let’s leave it there.
On the rainy side of Hawaii Island is the Hamakua Coast, anchored by Waipi‘o Valley on one end and Hilo on the other. The name includes “coast,” but when we travel on it, we “go Hamakua.”
People have asked me if I’m driving the coast to Waimea, and it confuses me. The coast refers to the dry side of the island — Kona, Waikoloa, Kawaihae, up Kohala to ‘Upolu, but the cliffs on the wet side are in Hamakua.
Since we are talking about roads, let me put in a cranky word about the U.S. system of numbering highways. When a visitor asks about Highway 11,19,190 or whatevah, I have no idea where they’re talking about because I don’t know roads here by their number.
Driving to Kona, my favorite route is Mamalahoa, sometimes called the Belt Road. From Waimea and the Saddle junction, it is also known as the mauka, mountain or up road. The other way to Kailua is the Queen Ka‘ahumanu, but we usually say the makai, beach or down road.
The stretch between Maunakea and Mauna Loa is the Saddle, and we mahalo the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye for the upgrade.
To go to Puna from Hilo, I take Volcano then turn left at ‘Ola‘a, or continue straight ahead to Ka‘u.
I have no idea what number these roads are, so here is a message for Civil Defense: When you make an announcement about an emergency road closure, using the highway number is fine, but how about including the old name, for us old folks?
“There has been an accident and Highway 130 in Pahoa will be closed for two hours.” Howzat … can?
The debate between language and world view is still being contested, and I have no desire to dive into that linguistic hotbed. But there is a connection between my perception of the world and the words I use to describe it. Call it connotation.
I can’t do much about the rest of the planet, but for our small speck of land in the middle of a vast ocean, I’m trying to hold on to what little we still have that keeps us unique.
Help me out here.
Rochelle delaCruz was born in Hilo, graduated from Hilo High School, then left to go to college. After teaching for 30 years in Seattle, she retired and returned home to Hawaii. Rochelle welcomes your comments at rainysideview@gmail.com. Her column appears the second and fourth Mondays of each month.