a'a

The word a'a comes directly from the Hawaiian language and is universally used across Hawaii to describe the rough, jagged, and clinkery type of lava rock, as opposed to the smooth, ropy pahoehoe lava. It is a fundamental geological term that has been adopted globally by scientists, but locally, it is an everyday word used to warn people about treacherous terrain. You will hear it used by hikers, fishermen, and locals giving directions, usually accompanied by a warning to wear proper footwear. Walking barefoot or in cheap rubber slippers on a'a is a guaranteed way to get severe cuts, so the word carries an inherent sense of caution.

Kristi’s text hit the group chat at exactly 5:42 PM: "Brah, Stacie’s mainland boyfriend just tried to hike down to the water past the old west-end road in his brand new Yeezys."

The replies were instantaneous. Rosa sent a string of skull emojis followed by, "Tell me he didn't. That whole stretch is straight a'a! He gonna shred those shoes and his ankles." Kristi immediately fired back a blurry photo of the boyfriend sitting on the tailgate of a Tacoma, looking miserable while inspecting a deep gash on the side of his bright white sneaker. "He made it like twenty feet before he ate it on the rocks," Kristi typed. "Now he’s asking if we have Neosporin."

"Neosporin?!" Stacie finally chimed in, clearly mortified. "I told him stay in the truck! I said the a'a out here no joke, but he thought it was just regular gravel. Now I gotta drive his bleeding foot all the way back to Kaunakakai in silence." Rosa just replied with a voice memo of herself laughing hysterically, while Kristi started taking bets on how long the boyfriend would last on Moloka'i.