“Ewa" means "uneven" or "mismatched" and refers to the land within the Antient Ewa District. The Antient lands consisted of the rich estuary around Pearl Harbor which was watered by streams running down from the Ko'olau Mountains and the dry western plains of Kapolei and Ewa, where antient homeless spirits without family or friends were said to wander.

My favorite legend is about the fish goddess, Kaihu opala'ai, who fell in love and changed into a fishpond to remain in Ewa to be with her husband. Her youngest sister, Kaihu ku'una, decided to live in La'ie near the Polynesian Cultural Center. Kaihu ku'una brought the 'anae (mullet) which swim back and forth between the sisters. I believe the famous 'anae-holo, which are the running mullet of O'ahu still run their traditional route from Pearl Harbor, past Ewa Beach, to La’ie in the fall and return along the same route in the spring. Look for the anae in the sparkling waters of Ewa Beach.