Pono

Pono is a Hawaiian word commonly rendered as "righteousness". For instance, the Hawaii state motto: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono or "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness".

Pono is a notably polysemous term. Mary Kawena Pukui's and Samuel Hoyt Elbert's Hawaiian dictionary gives six meanings and 83 English translation equivalents.

  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.
  6. vs. Careless, informal, improper, any kind of (preceding a stem).

The word has strong cultural and spiritual connotations of "a state of harmony or balance", and is the aim of the Ho'oponopono practice. Pono is often used as in affirmative prayers, especially within Kanaka Maoli healing arts and the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement.

Pono was popularized in the 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie Johnny Tsunami as a result of the main character's grandfather's extensive use of the word.

The term is used by musician Neil Young as the name of his high resolution music service launched in 2012 with the stated aim of improving the audio quality of music people listen to. Young demonstrated the Pono player during a September 27, 2012 interview on Late Show with David Letterman.