The Meaning Behind the Name Pā Muliwai (River Table)
Pā Muliwai (river table) builds Hand-Crafted Real Water River Tables. The name, in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (the Hawaiian language), reflects what makes these tables different: real water.
Muliwai (river, estuary)
Muliwai means river, especially the lower stretch near its mouth, or an estuary where fresh water meets the sea.
Pā (dish, platter, enclosure)
Pā has several meanings in Hawaiian, including a dish or platter and an enclosure. Paired with muliwai, we use it for our “river table.”
Wai (fresh water) and waiwai (wealth)
Wai is fresh water. Waiwai, the word doubled, means wealth or goods. The pairing is often cited as showing how central fresh water has been to life and abundance in the islands.
Ahupuaʻa (land division): from mountain to sea
An ahupuaʻa is a traditional Hawaiian land division that commonly extended from the uplands to the ocean, often following a stream valley so that a community had access to upland, freshwater, and ocean resources.
Mālama (to care for) and aloha ʻāina (love for the land)
Mālama means to care for or protect; aloha ʻāina means love for the land (ʻāina). These ideas guide how we treat materials and how we hope owners care for their tables.
A note on spelling
Hawaiian uses the ʻokina (ʻ), a glottal stop, and the kahakō (macron, as in ā), which lengthens a vowel. Both change meaning, which is why we write Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu, Kauaʻi and Pā Muliwai with them.
See our glossary for quick definitions.