Okay, go on…think you can say it all in one breath? Ready?
Humuhumunukunukuapua’a
Hmm, not bad, but let’s break it down to the right pronunciation:
hoo – moo – hoo – moo – noo – koo – noo – koo – ahh – poo – ahh – ahh
Well done! Let’s hear it for Hawaii’s official state fish. It’s equally tongue-twisting scientific classification is Rhinecanthus rectangulus, it’s common name is reef triggerfish, but most Hawaiians just call it humuhumu. There are many interpretations of what this very long name means, and one definition is that humuhumu means “stitched or sewn together,” perhaps because the blocks of bright color on the humu resemble a patchwork quilt, and nukunuku-apu’a means “snout like a pig,” perhaps because the fish likes to root around in the reefs and sand while looking for food, and makes a grunting sound when threatened.
Although the humu is edible, most folks don’t bother. Leave ‘em in the ocean, or on your back.
