Where does “lele kawa” come from?

lele kawa (Hawaiian) comes from Hawaiian lele, from Proto-Polynesian lele, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *laʀiv.

lele kawa (Hawaiian): to tombstone leap from a cliff maintaining a vertical position, to cliff jump

Definitions

  1. to tombstone leap from a cliff maintaining a vertical position, to cliff jump

Ancestry of “lele kawa”, step by step

lele kawa traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Hawaiian lele

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hawaiianleleto jump, leap, hop, skip; to fly; to swing,...
2Proto-Polynesianleleto fly
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*laʀiv—

via Hawaiian kawa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hawaiiankawaleaping place, precipice
Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *laʀiv →Every word from Proto-Polynesian lele →Every word from Hawaiian lele →