What does "Haleiwa" mean in English?

Just like the “Haleiwa” in our name, we hope that you have all had the chance to visit the town of Haleiwa. It is located on the North Shore of Oahu. Do you know what “Haleiwa” means and how the town got it's name? To understand the meaning, we need to separate the name into two - “Hale” and “Iwa”. “Hale” means house and “Iwa” is the Hawaiian name for the frigate bird. Together, it translates into the House of the Frigate Bird.

Unfortunately, you won't see many frigate birds in the area today but, it is said that the area was once a nesting ground for the black, fast-flying birds. Although it's rare to see a real frigate bird in Haleiwa today, you can find it's symbol on many of the signs and buildings in Haleiwa Town. When you enter the town through the loop at the beginning of Haleiwa, pay careful attention to the “Welcome to Historic Haleiwa Town” sign. There is a frigate bird symbol on the sign. Another place where you can see a “hidden” frigate bird is on the steeple of Liliuokalani Church in Haleiwa. Look carefully and you will be able to see a fish in it's mouth! Frigate birds are known to dive into the water to catch fish or even steal fish out of other bird's mouths. By the way, “Iwa” also means thief in Hawaiian!

If you really want to see the birds in action, we hear that you can see the birds at the island of Molokini, which is located right next to Maui Island. The island is inhabited and is a protected preserve so the birds can live there in peace. Believe it or not, scientists say that the bird can grow to be 7.5 feet across!