Purpose-driven ideas,
thoughtfully crafted.

The word has strong cultural and spiritual connotations of “a state of harmony or balance,” and is the aim of the Hoʻoponopono practice. Pono is often used as in affirmative prayers, especially within Kanaka Maoli healing arts.

In Hawaiian, if a person is living pono, it means that they have struck the right balance in their relationships with other things, places, and people in their lives. It also means that they are living with a continuous conscious decision to do right by themselves, by others, and by the world in general.

1. nvs. Goodness, uprightness, morality, moral qualities, correct or proper procedure, excellence, well-being, prosperity, welfare, benefit, behalf, equity, sake, true condition or nature, duty; moral, fitting, proper, righteous, right, upright, just, virtuous, fair, beneficial, successful, in perfect order, accurate, correct, eased, relieved; should, ought, must, necessary.
2. vs. Completely, properly, rightly, well, exactly, carefully, satisfactorily, much (an intensifier).
3. n. Property, resources, assets, fortune, belongings, equipment, household goods, furniture, gear of any kind, possessions, accessories, necessities.
4. n. Use, purpose, plan.
5. n. Hope.

Originates entirely within the English language as a compound word formed by combining craft and work.

Craft: Derived from the Old English cræft, which originally meant “power, physical strength, or might.” Over centuries, the meaning shifted from physical power to mental power, and eventually to a skill or a trade.

Work: Derived from the Old English weorc or worc, which traces all the way back to the Proto-Indo-European root werg- meaning “to do.”

Together:

1. Work that is thoughtfully done by hand that exhibits artistry and individuality (craftwork in wood, metal, or other handmade goods).
2. A product of such work (pottery and other carefully created items).
3. The skilled practice of shaping raw materials into useful or expressive objects through techniques such as pottery, woodworking, weaving, or metalwork.
4. The practice of regular engagement in or application of a trade or craft.
5. The intentional, purposeful, and thoughtful creation of a piece of work.