Many of the words used in the kanikau refer to things, places, or nuances no longer recognized by most Hawaiian speakers today. There are references, for instance, to many kinds of rain or wind, or valleys that no longer go by the same name. In time, too, the Hawaiians began to include more and more references to ideas and places mentioned in the Bible. The kanikau are filled with metaphors, allusions and references which were lost along the way. The humanity remains, however.
Every spirit is unique.
You really get to know an individual. Today's obituaries are so inadequate by comparison. Sometimes, the kanikau are sweet and humorous. Other times, they are impossibly sad. Ultimately, the kanikau are always about loss.