rippah

The term "rippah" is an older, highly specific piece of local slang used to describe a thief or burglar. While its roots are strongly tied to the Big Island, where it was commonly used in the 1980s and 90s to describe petty criminals stealing from yards or cars, it is understood by older generations across the state. The word likely evolved from the English phrase "rip off," transforming into a noun for the person doing the ripping off.

Today, you do not hear "rippah" as often among the younger generation, who might just say "thief" or use other slang. It is usually used in a frustrated or warning tone, like when telling neighbors to watch out for someone prowling the neighborhood. It carries a distinctly old-school, working-class vibe, bringing to mind the days when leaving your slippahs outside or your truck unlocked was safe, before property crime became more common.

The afternoon heat in Waimea town always made the neighborhood quiet down, the kind of stillness where you could hear the mangoes dropping on the corrugated tin roofs. Rosa sat on her faded green lanai chair, fanning herself with a folded up Garden Island newspaper, her eyes narrowed at the empty space next to the outdoor sink. Her prized aluminum wash pan, the one she had used to clean akule since the plantation days, was gone.

"Trish!" Rosa yelled toward the screen door, not bothering to get up. "You moved my pan? The big one?" Trish poked her head out, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She shook her head, looking confused. Just then, Josh pulled his muddy Toyota Tacoma into the dirt driveway, rolling down the window before he even put it in park.

"Aunty, you missing anything?" Josh called out, pointing his thumb back toward the main road. "Get one rippah walking down by the old theater, carrying one big aluminum pan like he going bake one giant cake. I told him put 'em down before I call the cops." Rosa just sighed, shaking her head at how times had changed. Back in the day, nobody locked their doors; now, you couldn't even leave your fish pan outside to dry.