Manowai‘opae Stream is one of several streams in Laupahoehoe, Hawaii. I came across it by chance while driving on Old Mamalahoa Highway on the way to Laupahoehoe Post Office. What a treasure!
So what does the name translate to? There is no literal translation I can find for the full name, but the closes is this:
mānowai
ʻŌnaehana mānowai. Cardiovascular system, circulatory system. Also ʻōnaehana mānowai koko.
ʻō.pae
n. General name for shrimp. For some persons, ʻōpae were ʻaumakua. See ex., lolena 2, punau. (PNP pae.)
So, this was a circulatory system of water? Wai is water. And there must have been shrimp, the freshwater type known as opae. Maybe still now.
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