Hauʻoli lā puka kula
/hau̯ˈʔo.li ˈlaː ˈpu.ka ˈku.la/word by word
Hauʻoli lā puka kula is the Hawaiian way to say happy graduation.
Hauʻoli lā puka kula is a phrase used to congratulate someone on their graduation from a school or university.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'Happy day of school emergence/exit'. The word kula means school, lā functions as 'day'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /hau̯ˈʔo.li ˈlaː ˈpu.ka ˈku.la/. The phrase has 8 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word kula for 'school' has a surprising origin, as it actually derives from a word meaning 'bald' or 'bare'.
- The phrase uses the word puka, which can also mean 'hole' or 'opening'. In the context of graduation, it transforms the school into a portal that the student passes through.
- In traditional Hawaiian culture, the concept of 'learning' was often tied to specific guilds of experts called kahuna. While kula is used for modern schools, ancient education was highly specialized and vocational.
Examples in context
- Hauʻoli lā puka kula iā ʻoe!Happy graduation to you!
- Hauʻoli lā puka kula iā kākou.Happy graduation to all of us.
Example conversation
Ikaika meets Leilani at her graduation ceremony.
- IkaikaHauʻoli lā puka kula iā ʻoe, Leilani!Happy graduation to you, Leilani!
- LeilaniMahalo nui, Ikaika!Thank you very much, Ikaika!
- IkaikaHe mea nui kēia no ʻoe.This is a big deal for you.
- LeilaniʻAe, mahalo loa.Yes, thank you so much.
