Hawaiian Noun · Culture
ʻiewe
Pronunciation: /EE-eh-weh/
Meaning
The placenta, umbilical cord, or afterbirth, which holds cultural significance in Hawaiian birth rituals.
Example sentences
Ua mālama pono ʻia ka ʻiewe o ke pēpē ma hope o ka hānau ʻana, he mea nui no ka mālama ʻana i ke ola.
The placenta of the baby was carefully preserved after the birth, an important thing for maintaining life.
E hoʻokomo kākou i ka ʻiewe i loko o ka ʻāina ma kahi laʻa ma hope o ka hānau ʻana, e hoʻihoʻi ana i ka pēpē i ka makuahine ʻāina.
Let us put the placenta into the land in a sacred place after the birth, returning the baby to Mother Earth.
Wahi a nā kūpuna, he mana ko ka ʻiewe ʻana i ka pilina ma waena o ka makuahine a me ke keiki.
According to the elders, the placenta has the power to continue the connection between the mother and child.
About this word
“ʻiewe” is a Hawaiian noun meaning The placenta, umbilical cord, or afterbirth, which holds cultural significance in Hawaiian birth rituals. It is part of the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) vocabulary in the category of Culture. Definitions are based on the Pukui-Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary.