Printable Hawaiian stone-hiding game
Hūnā pōhaku, the Hawaiian stone-hiding game for your family
One stone. One still face. Which hand has it? You want your kids to know a real Hawaiian game, and you want it going in minutes. This is hūnā pōhaku, ready to play.
Printable PDF. Delivered to your email. Materials not included.
Sound familiar?
You want a real Hawaiian game.
Finding one shouldn't take your week.
The rules are buried in old books. It's hard to tell which "Hawaiian activities" online are real. And you don't want to sit down with your kids and teach them something wrong.
The fix
Hūnā pōhaku, ready to play
Open it with your child, and you're not researching or guessing. You're playing.
You can play today. All you need is one small stone. No stone? A button, a bead or a dried bean works.
You'll say the words right. The Hawaiian words come with how to say them, before you need them.
One page runs the whole game. Print it, or keep it on your screen.
It works for two or for a whole row. Two of you at the table, or up to eight in the living room or the yard. Everyone gets a turn.
Every child gets a turn to hide and a turn to guess.
Two ways to play
Pick the one that fits your day
Ready to Play · $5
For tonight, at home or in the yard
Open it with your child and be playing in minutes. No prep, no research.
Four printable pages. Ages 5 and up. Two players, or a row of up to eight.
A say-it guide for four Hawaiian words, so you say them right.
More ways to play: count right guesses, make it harder, or play with a bigger group.
Hide and Guess: Four Hawaiian Hiding Games · $34
For a class, a co-op or a youth group
Four Hawaiian hiding games in one download, from two players to two whole teams. Hūnā pōhaku is one of them.
Lead with confidence. A run sheet tells you what to say, show and do. Thirty-six printable pages. Ages 6 and up.
Short history cards for each game, with the sources listed on the last page.
A practice round for each game, a gather guide with quick readiness tests, and a Words to Know handout.
Safety is built in: guessers point, and nobody touches, slaps, grabs or searches another player.
Not sure? One game, tonight, at home: Ready to Play. A class or group, or you want all four: Hide and Guess.
What you'll need
One stone. That's the whole list.
Both are digital downloads. Nothing ships.
One small, smooth stone that fits in a closed hand with no part showing
No stone? A button, a bead or a dried bean works.
Take the stone from your own yard or a craft store, not from a beach or park.
Room to stand in a row. A printer is optional: the Play page also works on a screen.
The stone stays in hands, never in mouths and never thrown, and away from small children. Hide and Guess lists a few more things on its own page.
The game
About hūnā pōhaku, the Hawaiian stone-hiding game
What is hūnā pōhaku?
Hūnā pōhaku (also spelled huna pohaku) is a traditional Hawaiian stone-hiding game. A stone is hidden in one player's closed hand, and another player guesses which hand holds it.
What the name means
Hūnā means "to hide," and pōhaku means "stones, rocks, pebbles." Together the name means hiding a stone. The definitions are Andrews's, as cited by Navalta.
Is it a real game?
The game was described by Culin. Dr. S. Wilfred Navalta includes it in his study of the Makahiki festival among the youth-related games of Hawaiian children. In Culin's account, players stand in a row with their hands held out in front of them.
Where this comes from
This page and both downloads are based on Dr. S. Wilfred Navalta's 1978 doctoral dissertation, The Sports and Games of the Makahiki Festival: A History and a Unit of Instruction. It draws on Culin and Andrews. Some details have been adapted for modern play at home. Used with permission.
Keep reading
Questions
Good to know
What ages is it for?
Ready to Play is for ages 5 and up. Hide and Guess is for ages 6 and up.
How many can play?
Two players, or a row of up to eight. Ready to Play also has a way to play with two rows.
Do I need to know the game first?
No. One page runs the whole game.
Is anything shipped?
No. Both are PDF downloads. You print a page and find a stone.
Is anyone hit or slapped?
No. The guesser points. Nobody touches anyone.
Can I use it in a class or group?
Ready to Play works for a family or a row of up to eight. To lead a class or group, Hide and Guess has a run sheet and four games.
Find a stone. Keep a straight face.
A real Hawaiian game. A few minutes to open. Nothing to research.