Auwe Info

As defined in the Ulukau Hawaiian Dictionary , auwe is an interjection used to express a wide spectrum of intense emotions: "Alas! Woe is me!" Wonder and Surprise: "Oh my goodness!"

Historically, auwe was used to mourn for one beloved, functioning as a lamentation. It is an audible sigh of the soul, connecting the speaker to their emotions, their community, and their naʻau (gut/mind/heart), where Hawaiians traditionally believe emotions are centered. As defined in the Ulukau Hawaiian Dictionary ,

Today, it is still frequently used in conversation to indicate distress or disbelief. For instance, in local Hawaiian discourse, you might hear "Auwe!" followed by complaints about traffic, high cost of living, or political, or political mismanagement. Auwe in Modern Usage connecting the speaker to their emotions