haumāna
/hau̯ˈmaː.na/
The Hawaiian word for student is haumāna.
haumāna is a noun used to describe a person enrolled at a school, university or other educational institution.
Meaning: person enrolled at a school, university or other education institution (noun)
Did you know?
- Because mana is a core concept in many Polynesian cultures, the word for 'student' carries a weight of respect that goes beyond the English 'student' which can feel purely transactional.
- Before the word haumāna became common, learners of traditional arts or genealogy were often described by their relationship to a teacher or a lineage.
- In some contexts, the term haumāna is used to describe a disciple in a spiritual or religious sense, similar to how the word is used in some Asian languages.
Examples in context
- He haumāna ʻo ia.He is a student.
- He nui nā haumāna ma kēia hale kula.There are many students at this school.
Example conversation
Ikaika and Leilani are talking about their school day.
- IkaikaHe haumāna hou ʻoe ma kēia kula?Are you a new student at this school?
- LeilaniʻAe, he haumāna hou au.Yes, I am a new student.
- IkaikaE kōkua au iā ʻoe, Leilani.I will help you, Leilani.
- LeilaniMahalo nui, Ikaika.Thank you very much, Ikaika.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “student” translations and entries haumāna, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
