Aeʻo, kūkuluaeʻo, or kulukuluaeʻo (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni), a.k.a. the Hawaiian stilt. In the Kumulipo, it is the offspring of the Kioea and emerges in the wā ʻakolu along with other migratory, wetland, and marine manu. These elegant birds are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (not found on Lānaʻi and Kahoʻolawe) and are known to fly between them. They hang out in shallow wetland habitats and munch on aquatic invertebrates, small fish, baby crabs, roots, and seeds. Less than 30% of Hawaiʻi's original wetland areas are left today - one of the main reasons this species is endangered (approximately 1,100-1,800 birds are left in Hawaiʻi nei). Mongooses, feral dogs, and cats prey upon this species, making survival even tougher. Significant numbers of these birds still frequent places like Hanalei (Kauaʻi), Pouhala (Puʻuloa, Oʻahu), Keālia (Maui), and ʻŌhiʻapilo (Molokai). Until 1939, people could still take these birds for food. A 1925 issue of the Nūpepa Kūʻokoʻa listed the legal take as 25 birds a day. Imagine how abundant these birds were back then! According to scholar David Malo, they had sweet flesh and were easily caught by pelting them with stones (they had mad skills back then). The most striking feature of this gorgeous bird is certainly its long, slender, bright pink legs. Our ancestors used the same terms as names for the stilts they built from the wood of the ʻohe tree (Reynoldsia sandwicensis).

Kuʻu hoa kini kohu a loloa o ka wāwae - My fine-looking, long-legged friend.

The ʻalalā, or Hawaiian crow (Corvus hawaiiensis), is an endemic and endangered bird that now exists only in captivity. These stately corvids used to frequent the ʻōhiʻa and koa forests between 1,000 and 8,200 feet on Hawaiʻi Island. They are fairly omnivorous and tend to stick to one mate. Flying is one way they get around, but they also like to jump from branch to branch. The Keauhou and Maui Bird Conservation Centers had a successful last breeding season and 19 healthy chicks joined the world, bringing the total population of ʻalalā to 95 birds. Despite the increasing success of captive breeding, re-introduction into the wild is tough when their natural habitats have been greatly reduced and degraded. Feral cats and native hawks are only too happy to eat them for breakfast, as well. Described as "raucous, gregarious, and vocal" these outgoing birds have a large range of calls. It is said that during one of Captain Cook's visits to Hawaiʻi, he encountered a tame pair of crows at Kaʻawaloa village and was warned not to disturb them. He wanted to buy them as specimens, but apparently their keeper declined to sell. Hawaiians used their lustrous plumage to make kāhili (feather standards), inspiring the words on this shirt:

Hiehie maoli ka hulu polohiwa - The feathers of glistening black are truly regal.

Read about our collaboration with the ʻAlalā project here.

Kaulana wale ka ʻamaʻama o Kaihuopalaʻai, ke kaikunāne o Kaihukuʻuna. ʻO Pueo ke kāne a Kaihukuʻuna a ua hoʻouna ʻia akula ʻo ia i Honouliuli i ke kaikoʻeke i iʻa. Ua hoʻolako ʻia maila nō a nui, ʻaʻole naʻe ma ka hāʻawi lima ʻana, akā ma ke kai nō. Na ke keiki kupua a Kaihuopalaʻai, he puhi i kapa ʻia ʻo Laumeki, i alakaʻi aku i ka ʻanae i kahi o Kaihukuʻuna mā. I ko Pueo hoʻi ʻana, i kēlā me kēia wahi āna i kū ai, kū pū akula ka ʻanae. Hahai akula ʻo Laumeki iā Pueo, hahai pū akula ka ʻanae a hiki loa aku i Lāʻiemaloʻo, a pēlā i paʻa ai ka holo ʻana o ia iʻa a hiki i kēia lā. Wahi a J.M. Mokumaiʻa, ke hoʻi ka ʻanae holo a komo aku i nā ʻEwa, loli kona inoa a kapa ʻia he ʻanae pali, a penei nā ʻano: “[ʻO ka ʻanae holo,] he aʻiaʻi maikaʻi kona unahi a ʻo kona kino, ʻaʻole nō he puʻipuʻi. Ke nānā iho ʻoe ua piha kona paʻa ʻana i ka ʻupena a loaʻa aku iā ʻoe, a pau kona kapalili ʻana, a laila puka maila ka hou o ka iʻa a kū a keʻokeʻo...a i ka hoʻihoʻi ʻana aʻe hoʻi i ke kūlana o ka ʻanae pali, ua maʻa ka mea kākau nei i ka inoa o ia iʻa a me kahi e loaʻa ai... ʻO ke ʻano o ka ʻanae pali, puʻipuʻi kona kino. Ke nānā iho ʻoe kohu iʻa loko. Uliuli maikaʻi kona unahi, aia ma ka mahamaha he ʻula. Ke nānā iho ʻoe i nā ʻaoʻao a i ʻelua ma ka nuku, he ʻula, no ka mea no ka ʻai mau i ka limu. Ua like nō hoʻi ia me ke kaikamahine i milikaʻa ʻia e nā kūpuna; ke nānā aku ʻoe, puʻipuʻi maikaʻi, mōhāhā ka maka, ʻula ka papālina, maikaʻi ke kīkala, nepunepu e pilikia ai kou noʻonoʻo. Pēlā nō kēia iʻa he ʻanae pali.” (Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, 30 April 1925).

As descendants of the land and all the plants and animals that evolved before them, genealogy established our ancestors’ kuleana (duty and privilege) to mālama the “resources” (kūpuna) that sustained them (a responsibility that continues for us today). This meant never overdrawing and also taking at the right times, which necessitated a deep understanding of the life cycles of the plants and animals they depended upon. The ʻanae (Mugil cephalus or striped mullet) is a delicious native fish that was widely caught and also raised in fishponds. Our kūpuna recognized and named several distinct growth stages of this fish including: pua ʻama (fingerlings), kahaha (hand length), ʻamaʻama (8 in.), and  ʻanae (1 ft. or longer). All size classes were eaten, but ʻamaʻama were and still are very popular, and for good reason: many fish that size (legal size now is 11 in.) have had a chance to reproduce, thus playing their full role in sustaining the population. They spawn from winter through spring, so the season is closed then to make sure reproductive adults can do their special dance undisturbed. Pua ʻama look the most different from the other stages, as they are a bluish silver and their scales are not yet prominent. Their head becomes broader with age and their snub nose earned them the nickname puaʻa iki (little pig), so they can be used alongside or in place of a pig in offerings. Waiʻanae (water of the ʻanae) is renown for an abundance of  ʻanae, especially in places like Pōkaʻī where fresh and salt water mix. The famous movement of the ʻanae holo from Honouliuli to Lāʻie Maloʻo is recorded in story and still takes place today (flip for this moʻolelo and more). 

The āhole fish (Kuhlia sandvicensis) is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It is a small but delicious fish, growing to an average size of 12 inches. The name āhole refers to the adult stage of the fish and āholehole to the young stage. Like some of the other Hawaiian fish that are good eating, āhole like brackish water, especially in their juvenile stage. Also called puaʻa kai (sea pig), āhole could be used in ceremony as a substitute for a pig. One of the meanings of āhole is to fidget or to be restless, thus āhole was commonly used in hana aloha (love magic). Kānekololou was a god often petitioned in hana aloha for his ability to loulou, or hook people together.

He aha ka iʻa e Kānekololou? What is the fish, o Kānekololou?

Ma nā mele a me nā mo‘olelo kumu honua a ko‘i honua ho‘i kākou e ‘ike ai, he kua‘ana nā mea ola a pau no kākou, no kānaka. ‘O ia pili mo‘okū‘auhau nō paha ke kumu o ka ho‘okohu ‘ana o nā kūpuna i nā ‘ano like ‘ole o kānaka i nā lā‘au, manu, i‘a a holoholona o ke ao. Ua lohe mua kākou a pau i ka hua‘ōlelo haole kaulana loa ‘o “hater”, he kanaka e ke‘u ana a e ‘aki wale mai ana me ke kumu ‘ole, a ‘o kona hoa like paha ma ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i, ‘o ia ho‘i ka “‘alamihi waha kani”. E nānā aku i ka wehewehena o ka Hoku o Ka Pakipika no ka po‘e e kū‘ē ana i ia nūpepa maika‘i, ka nūpepa mua ho‘i i ho‘okumu ‘ia ma lalo o ka mana o ka po‘e Hawai‘i (‘a‘ole na ka po‘e mikionali a i ‘ole ke aupuni, e like me nā nūpepa mua): “Ua hō‘ino wale mai kekahi po‘e i kēia nūpepa pono o kākou, ‘a‘ole na‘e he hiki iā lākou ke hō‘ike mai i ke kumu i hō‘ino ‘ia mai ai, ‘a‘ole nō ho‘i he hiki iā lākou ke kuhikuhi mai i kekahi ‘ōlelo ‘ino a kū ‘ole ho‘i i ka pono, he “‘alamihi waha kani” wale nō kā lākou.” He la‘ana helu ‘ekahi kēia no ke kanaka kāko‘o ‘ole mai i ke kū‘oko‘a o ka Hawai‘i, i ka ‘imi ‘ana o ka lāhui i kona pono iho, a no laila ke hana ‘ia mai kākou pēlā e kekahi kanaka e poholalo ana i nā hana maika‘i a kākou, e hea aku nō iā ia ma kona inoa kūpono, he ‘alamihi waha kani, a e waiho aku iā ia e ‘ai pīlau e like me kona ‘ano mau.

Famous for being momona (sweet) and ‘ono (delicious), ‘alamihi crabs (also ‘elemihi and ‘elepī) were caught back in the day by some people through a method called kono ‘elepī. This involved tying an ‘opihi to a cord and dangling it between rocks and in cracks. The crab, tempted by the fragrant morsel, would try to snatch the bait. Once it locked on with a niho (claw), the cord was quickly yanked upward and the crab seized. The “hua” or tasty flesh of the crab was the reward for the patience and tenacity needed to get enough crabs for a meal by this method. Despite being a fabulous accompaniment to poi, this crab’s name and associations are sometimes less than illustrious. It’s often used to refer to a noisemaker or blabbermouth, as well as someone who has done something regretful or offensive. Figuratively, to ‘ai ‘alamihi is to seek forgiveness, sit in the discomfort of repercussion, or feel the embarrassment of one’s boastful claims not coming true (those are just a few possible meanings). Metopograpsus messor, as they are called in Latin, are found along rocky shorelines, in muddy reef flats, near river mouths, and in calm bays and harbors all over the warm water regions of the world.

Ma ke kono ‘elepī e loa‘a ai ka hua momona - Kono ‘elepī is how you get the sweet flesh.

Hānau ka ʻaʻawa noho i kai, kiaʻi ʻia e ka ʻawa noho i uka - Born was the ʻaʻawa (Bodianus albotaeniatus) living in the sea, guarded by the ʻawa (Piper methysticum) living on land. This line is taken from the famous creation chant known as the Kumulipo. The ʻaʻawa, a.k.a. "Hawaiian hogfish", is a handsomely striped and beautifully colored endemic reef fish. It is a predatory wrasse sporting a fierce set of choppers. Tasty like its cousins the hīnālea, ʻaʻawa was caught by both net and pole casting back in the day. ʻAwa is the Hawaiian name for both a plant and the relaxing drink made from its roots. The favorite drink of Kanaloa, Kāne (for whom ʻawa is a kinolau, or physical form) opened many springs during their travels together so that his companionʻs thirst for ʻawa could be quenched. Hawaiians of old chewed or pounded their ʻawa before mixing it with water and straining the fibers out. This drink relieves tension in the body and eases the mind. Like we have a few beers with friends to relax today, Hawaiians enjoyed ʻawa in the company of others as a way to unwind (and to sleep restfully). Instead of Doritos and dip from a plastic tub, maiʻa (banana), iʻa maka (raw fish), moa (chicken) and other freshly prepared foods were their pūpū (light food taken with ʻawa). Just as many people are leaving rice for poi these days, a renewed interest in ʻawa has inspired several to put down the bottle and take up the ʻapu (a coconut shell cup used to drink ʻawa) - a much healthier alternative. In traditional times, ʻawa was also used medicinally. If one had offended their ʻaumakua, ʻawa hiwa and a puaʻa hiwa (black pig) were offered. Hawaiian ʻawa cultivars are many, each with their own name and unique appearance. It is rumored that long-living ʻawa plants were sometimes named by the families who cared for them and harvested their roots for several generations.

E mama a wali, e inu, e hikikiʻi - Chew (the ʻawa) till it is finely mashed, drink it, relax.

The high mountains of Maui and Hawaiʻi are home to a unique group of endemic plants called ʻāhinahina (genus Argyroxiphium). The five species, also known as green swords and silverswords, thrive in extreme conditions from summit bogs to alpine deserts. Their leaves form a gorgeously rotund rosette. A mature plant produces a stunning flowering stalk that is very kū (erect), copious amounts of seeds, and then dies (this can take 50 years or more, for the Haleakalā silversword). The now extinct A. virescens once lived at Puʻunianiau, East Maui. The threatened A. caliginis lives in the lush bogs of ʻEke and Puʻu Kukui, West Maui. Haleakalā is home to A. sandwicense subsp macrocephalum, which was nearly extinct, but saved by fencing and feral goat eradication. The rarest species come from Mauna Loa (A. kauense, or Kaʻū silversword) and Mauna Kea (A. sandwicense subsp sandwicense). Down to less that 100 and 15 wild individuals respectively, large-scale collaborative restoration efforts have resulted in the out-planting of more than 10,000 seedlings for each species. Both are now breeding on their own - a huge success considering their former status. We are thankful that these kiaʻi (guardians) of the mauna (mountain) will be around for our moʻopuna (grandchildren) to experience.

Kau keha i ka wēkiu - Resting dignified at the highest point.

Coming Soon

Ka Pule Hailona ʻAwa a Haumea
Eia ka ʻawa, e ke akua,
He ʻai nāu, e ke akua,
He ʻai na kini, na ka mano a me ka lehu o ke akua,
ʻO ke akua i ka pō loa,
ʻO kini o ke akua, lau a menehune ke akua—
Mai ka hikina a ke komohana,
Mai ka lā kau a ka lā komo,
Mai kai Koʻolau a kai Kona,
Mai ka paʻa i luna a ka paʻa i lalo,
Mai ka hoʻokuʻi a ka hālāwai,
E hālāwai a pau, eia ka ʻai, ke ō,
Eia lā he ʻawa— He ʻawa nānā pono, nānā hewa,
He uli pono, he uli hewa,
He ola, he make, Huaʻina ke ola o ke kanaka, ʻ
O ke ola nui, ʻo ke ola loa āu,
A ke akua, Ola kuʻu aloha,
Ola loa nō— ʻĀmama—Ua noa—Lele wale

As a kaikuahine (sister) to Kāne and Kanaloa, Haumea’s relationship to ʻawa stretches back into ke au iō kikilo loa (the distant past). In the koʻihonua for Ahukai Kaʻuʻukualiʻi (Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, 20 June 1868), Kāne and Kanaloa journey over the ocean to Hawaiʻi. After their arrival, they ʻālana (offer) to Haumea the “pū ʻawa hiwa” and she conceives a child to them, purported in this chant to be her first. We know, however, that the great, fertile mother of all has several kāne to whom she bears children. One of the most notable is Wākea, with whom she lives in Kalihilihiolaumiha. When Wākea gets in a debacle for taking wild bananas that supposedly belong to the unkind chief, Kumuhonua, he is taken for execution. Haumea (Papa), who is fishing during Wākea’s capture, must then ascertain whether or not he is alive. Her chosen tool for hailona (divination) is the ʻapu ʻawa. Kaliʻu, a man she meets on her path to find her kāne, has the ʻawa she needs, but no water. Haumea chants to her kūpuna, throws a stone deep into the mountains, and a spring opens, filling the pool known as Pūehuehu. The text in this design is the first two lines in that pule: Ō kokolo ke aʻa i ka pō loa (Creep along, root, in the generative darkness), Ō puka ka maka i ke ao loa (Come forth, shoot, into the light). Kaliʻu prepares the ʻapu and over it Haumea does another pule (flip to read). When she gazes into the ʻapu, the pūnohu of the ʻawa is on the right side, indicating that her beloved Wākea is still alive. This powerful story shows us Haumea’s ability to use ʻawa, a tool gifted to her by her brothers, to commune with the akua and receive answers in a time of need.

He pili wehena ʻole - An inseparable association, or close relationship. Taken from the pages of the Hawaiian Dictionary by Pukui and Elbert, this ʻōlelo most aptly describes the nature of the connection between the ʻaiea tree (Nothocestrum sp.) and the Hawaiian hawk moth (a.k.a. Blackburn sphinx moth or Manduca blackburni). This beautiful endemic moth is Hawaiʻi's largest native insect (with wing spans up to 5 inches) and was the first Hawaiian insect listed as endangered. Under its patterned gray and black wings is a bodice with five bright orange spots running down either side. It loves the native ʻaiea tree and spends its caterpillar phase there feeding on leaves. The extremely rare N. latifolium and N. longifolium are the two (of 4) species of Nothocestrum that inspired the artwork here. Hawaiians used the light colored ʻaiea wood for thatching sticks and canoe trimmings, as well as for making fire. Its other name, hālena, may be a reference to the treesʻ wood, or its pretty light yellow/green flowers (which were used medicinally along with its leaves). Unfortunately, the place ʻaiea and the hawk moth call home is an extremely endangered habitat: the dryforests of Hawaiʻi, only 4% of which remain today. At Auwahi, Maui, Biologist Art Medeiros and his team of volunteers have successfully outplanted thousands of trees and shrubs of several native species, including ʻaiea, in one of the largest dryforest restoration efforts in Hawaiʻi to date. Thanks to their work, this special and inseparable association of native moth and tree just might survive into the future.

Other names for the Hawaiian raspberry are kala and ʻākalakala, and they apply to two species: Rubus hawaiiensis (found on Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi, Maui, and Hawaiʻi) and R. macraei  (found on east Maui and Hawaiʻi). Like the names suggest, ʻākala is one of the few native plants with thorns (kala, kākala), albeit fairly small and inoffensive ones. Most Hawaiian plants did not need thorns or other defenses because there were no native grazing mammals (cows, deer, goats, etc.) to fend off. The same is not true for their non native counterparts, like R. ellipticus, a.k.a. yellow Himalayan raspberry, whose armor of razor sharp thorns can seriously hurt you. R. ellipticus is also the most invasive of the non-native raspberry species introduced to Hawaiʻi. It grows in dense thickets, suffocating and crowding out native species. ʻĀkala is found at high elevations in mesic to wet forests and woodlands. Beautiful dark pink flowers produce large juicy fruits that range from yellow to dark red and were traditionally used to produce dye for kapa. It is rumored that the tart and succulent fruits are also great for making pies and jams.

Ka hua wai nui o ka nahele - The juicy fruit of the wilderness.

Hoʻi ke aloha i ka piko o nā kuahiwi, i Molokai hoʻi, kahi e hana ʻia ai ka lole All Aloha. ʻO ka piko nō ia o ko mākou ʻoihana i hoʻokumu ʻia me ka manaʻo e hiʻi aʻe i nā mea Hawaiʻi a me nā moʻolelo kūpuna. No laila, ma ka haku lau ʻana, ʻo ia nā mea a mākou e hoʻohanohano aku ai, e hoʻolilo ai hoʻi i mau lau e linohau ai ka poʻe ke ʻaʻahu. Nani nō hoʻi ka ʻaʻahu ʻana i ka lole i hana lima ʻia ma nā pūʻulu liʻiliʻi, no ka mea he kū kahi nō kēlā me kēia mea. Na ka lima maiau o ko Molokai poʻe ka hana ʻana i ka lole All Aloha. ʻAʻole wale nō no ka pākela nani o ko lākou aloha, akā no ka pono ke lilo ka hana na nā keiki papa o ka ʻāina. Inā ua hoʻolilo ʻia aku na kekahi lāhui ma ka ʻāina ʻē, inā ua nui aʻe ke kālā e loaʻa mai ana iā mākou. ʻAʻole naʻe kēlā ʻo kā mākou e ʻimi nei, ʻeā. ʻO ka paipai i ko Hawaiʻi me ke kū haʻaheo i ka hana ʻia ma ka ʻāina aloha, ʻo ia ka liʻa o ko mākou manaʻo, a ʻo kāu nō hoʻi ia e kākoʻo aku ai ke kūʻai mai ʻoe i ka lole All Aloha. No laila, e oʻu mau kānaka, e kūʻai haʻaheo! E ʻolu iho i ka ʻike na kāu waiwai e hānai i ka hana noʻeau Hawaiʻi a ko kēia au e hoʻohiwahiwa aku ana i ko ke au kahiko. E ʻaʻahu nō a hoʻohanohano i ka ʻāina nei - Wear it and honor this place!

Hana ʻia me ke aloha ma Hawaiʻi Nei - Made with love here in Hawaiʻi. Hawaiʻi once had a large and thriving aloha wear industry. Today, it's hard to find a shirt or dress made on the shores of our islands, as business owners make a higher profit when they manufacture clothing overseas in huge facilities. In that scenario, both owners and employees miss out on the beauty and pride of small-scale local production. At Kealopiko, we experience the satisfaction and fulfillment of the people who do the work because we do it with them. Our aloha wear is produced in small batches at our Molokaʻi workshop, where ladies from the island dye and print each piece of fabric by hand and with aloha, producing one-of-a-kind garments. When you choose Kealopiko All Aloha wear, you support local art and manufacturing, jobs for Molokai residents (and employees throughout Hawaiʻi), and Hawaiian design and language. You won't find pineapple or ginger on our version of aloha wear. Our artwork that pays tribute to the plants, animals, people, language, and history unique to these islands.

E ʻaʻahu nō a hoʻohanohano i ka ʻāina nei - Wear it and honor this place!

*Words and phrases on the wrapping paper*

Translations in alphabetical order

Aloha Kalikimaka - A phrase similar to Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas), found in early Hawaiian language newspapers

ʻai a māʻona - eat till full

ʻai kole - satisfying conversation, to converse thus

hikikiʻi - to lean back, kick back, relax

hoʻohialaʻai - to cause delight

hoʻokāhiko - to deck, trim, dress in finery

hoʻokani pila - to play pila (stringed instruments), to jam

inu a kena - drink till quenched

kahiau - to give lavishly

kalikimaka - Christmas

kūkahekahe - pleasant conversation, jesting, laughing, and telling anecdotes

kukui ʻōlino - bright and dazzling lights

lāʻau ʻaʻala - Fragrant tree

lokomaikaʻi - generosity, good will, kindness

luakaha - to while away the time enjoyably

luana pū - to visit, meet/hang out with, socialize

makamaka - close friend with whom one gives and receives freely

manawaleʻa - a generous heart, charity

mehana ka hale i ke aloha - the house is warmed by love

(filled with the love of family and friends)

mele - song, singing, music

nanea - relaxed, at ease, interesting, enjoyable

ohaoha - delightful, friendly

ʻohana - family

pāʻina - to have a meal together, party

pilialoha - close friends and relatives

walaʻau - to chat, talk story

ʻĀweoweo Ua makemake ʻia ke kū nui mai o ka iʻa? Ka heleleʻi ʻana mai paha o ka ua ma ka ʻāina maloʻo? Ua inaina ka ʻaumakua i kona kahu? Ua maʻi paha kekahi lālā ʻohana? ʻO ka iʻa ʻula kekahi mea kūpono i mōhai “i ʻoluʻolu mai ka ʻaumakua” a me ke akua ke hahau pū ʻia aku me ka pule. ʻO ka ʻāweoweo paha kekahi o nā iʻa ʻula a nā kūpuna i hāʻawi aku ai ma ia ʻano hana. Kau ka manaʻo i ke akua wahine, iā Pele, ke noʻonoʻo ʻia ka inoa ʻo Mokuʻāweoweo, kahi o kona ahi ʻenaʻena e ʻā mai ai. Wahi a Pukui, ua pili ia inoa i ua iʻa nei, a hoʻohālike ʻia aku kona ʻula i ko ke ahi hāweo lā a ka wahine. I ke kaua ʻana o Kamehameha me Kīwalaʻō ma laila, ua kapa hou ʻia mai ka inoa o kekahi ʻano kō no ka ʻāweoweo: “No ka nui o nā kānaka a me ka nui o nā make, ua pōloli lākou i ka ʻai a me ka make hoʻi i ka wai, akā i ka hele ʻana aku hoʻi ʻo Pōhina me ka pūʻā kō, nīnau maila ʻo Kīwalaʻō iā Pōhina, ʻHe aha ka inoa o kēia kō?’ Haʻi akula ʻo Pōhina, ʻHe ʻōhiʻa ka inoa o kēia kō.’ ʻŌlelo hou maila ʻo Kīwalaʻō, ‘E aho e kapa ʻia ka inoa o kēia kō he ʻāweoweo.’” Wahi a D. Kahāʻulelio, he loaʻa aku nō ua iʻa maka nunui nei ma nā pō “ʻāweoweo a ka launa ʻole ke lawaiʻa,” ʻo ia hoʻi nā Kū, nā Lāʻau, ʻo Mōhalu, Hoku, Akua, a me Mahealani. Ma ka paeaea nō e loaʻa aku ai. He ʻeono anana ka lōʻihi o ke aho e pono ai, a he pāoʻo ka maunu. Aia ma Honomāʻele, Hāna, kahi a Aiai, keiki a Hina lāua ʻo Kūʻula, i kau aku ai i ʻekolu ʻiliʻili ma waho o ke kua nalu, a laila ʻākoakoa maila nā pōhaku ʻē aʻe ma ia wahi like a lilo aʻela i koʻa ʻāweoweo kaulana.

In Hawaiʻi, red was and still is synonymous with sacredness. The first and most sacred red is the essence of life, the very blood that flows through our veins and out on the monthly tides of wahine, ensuring the continuity of generations. As embodiments of akua, aliʻi were considered sacred and red objects were often reserved for them, such as ʻahuʻula (feather capes, lit. “red garment”) and the choicest red kapa dyed with the bark of noni roots (the most stunning and permanent red of all our dye plants). Offerings to akua and ʻaumākua often included red fish, such as the one being honored here: ʻāweoweo (Priacanthus meeki). Its bright red color lives up to its name, which denotes the blazing red of Pele’s fires in her caldera atop Mauna Loa. Not only is this fish’s color stunning, but its scales form a pleasing pattern, repeating in a soothing rhythm that recalls the nao hoʻōki (watermarks) found on iʻe kuku (square wooden kapa beaters) and beaten into kapa in the final stages of its manufacture. ʻĀweoweo cruise in crevices and under reef ledges by day and come out at night to feed on plankton. Endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago, populations of this fish are beginning to decline on Oʻahu and Maui. They are abundant in Papahānaumokuākea, which is likely an important seed source for our local waters. Historically, large runs of ʻalalauā, or young ʻāweoweo fish, were a hōʻailona (sign) that portended the passing of an aliʻi.

The ʻākoʻakoʻa (coral) is the very first organism born in the Kumulipo and has the ability to remain strong and steadfast in rough ocean conditions. Human activity is causing ocean temperatures to rise, compromising the health of the world's coral reefs. Coral bleaching in the reefs of the northwestern and the main Hawaiian islands is an increasing problem ("bleaching" is when the living part of the coral dies and all that is left is the calcite structure that was their home, which then turns white). Of the roughly 150 species of corals in that make up Hawaiian reefs, about 25% are endemic. The reefs formed by lobe corals and other "stony" species are home to over 9,000 species of invertebrates and more than 7,000 of these are endemic! For many lāhui, these reefs are a major part of our natural and cultural heritages. Losing corals, reefs, and the organisms in them would mean losing cultural relationships forged by our ancestors over many generations. Helping to preserve coral reefs in all their diversity will allow cultural practices to survive for generations to come.

He kani ka mua, he kūpaʻa i kai koʻo! - The first one is tough, stands strong in rough seas!

Ka iʻa lei hala hiʻi i ka poli - The fish that is treasured like a lei of hala worn on the breast. This beautiful reference to the aku fish comes from the story of Kamiki, a long running series in Ka Hoku o Hawaii penned by John Wise, J. Kihe, and other fabulous writers of the time. In one part of the story, Kamiki goes aku fishing (hī aku) at the famous aku grounds in Kona. A special pā (mother of pearl hook) named Kaiakeakua, that was handed down 591 generations from Ololo to Pilikaʻaiea, is given to Kamiki to use and he quickly fill his boat with hundreds of fish. Kamakau talks about hī aku as an aristocratic and proud sport where fishermen donned lei made of hala keys, ʻilima, and lehua, as well as a variety of very fine malo. Who would have known it was also a Hawaiian fashion event?! Commonly called bonito or skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), aku is a large, highly migratory fish found in the warmer waters of the planetʻs oceans. It is enjoyed by people all over the world and, like several marine species, has been historically overfished. Yearly global catches rose from 1950 onward, peaking in 1991 when, according to one statistic, 1,674, 970 tons of fish were caught. International organizations aimed at keeping shared migratory fish populations healthy claim that this species has stabilized and is no longer being overfished. However, with an increasing population and demand, the long- term survival of aku and other species of pelagic fish cannot be guaranteed.

Ferns are the green gilding of Hawaiian romance and story and they are everywhere. Woven into lei, made into skirts of magical power, laid down as a blanket for a lover, embodied by gods and goddesses, the list goes on. When we think of epic tales of aloha, the mind quickly alights on the amorous Kamapuaʻa, the insatiable kolohe (rascal, rogue) who is known to take on the form of a fern. Palapalai a Kamapuaʻa (Amauropelta globulifera) is the frond featured on this garment, along with the lau ʻamaʻu, a watermark design for kapa that represents the ʻamaʻu fern (a Hawaiian endemic genus of fern called Sadleria ). The area where ʻamaʻu ferns grow in abundance is called ʻamaʻu or wao ʻamaʻu. Kamapuaʻa must have run away from Pele to one of these upland regions and assumed his ʻamaʻu fern form - one of his many kinolau (multiple bodies).

This medium-sized endemic evergreen was known to Hawaiians as āulu, kāulu, ʻālaʻa and ʻēlaʻa (Latin name: Planchonella sandwicensis). It lives in mesic to dry forests (600-4000 ft) throughout the islands. The red-brown undersides of their leaves make them easy to spot amongst other trees. The dense and close-grained wood of the ʻālaʻa is yellow with black streaks and was used in making ihe (spears), ʻōʻō (digging sticks), pale (canoe gunwales), and posts for houses. The leaves and bark were used medicinally and the sap for catching birds. Today, significant numbers of these trees can be found in the mesic forests of Waiʻanae (Oʻahu) and the dryforests of Auwahi (Maui), and Puʻuwaʻawaʻa (Hawaiʻi). An ʻōʻō made of ʻālaʻa wood was also called ʻālaʻa, as was the action of prodding or digging with an ʻōʻō, but the figurative meaning is to dig into the mind, or to be dislodged by the wind. This design is patterned from "leaf skeletons" - the intricate network of veins that is seen during a certain point in leaf decomposition. These lace-like bodies are maps of systems that once transported water and nutrients. This intimate design perspective reminds us that sometimes the smallest details that are the most beautiful.

E ʻālaʻa ana i ka manaʻo - Digging deep into the mind/meaning.

No kona nani ‘oi kelakela, ke hō‘ike aku nei mākou i kekahi mau mea a Iosepa Nāwahī i kākau ai no ke ānuenue (Ka Leo o ka Lahui, 24 May 1893): Ua mau nō ka ‘ike pinepine ‘ana o nā pi‘o ānuenue pālua i kapa ‘ia (1) Ka Pi‘o Mō‘ī, ‘o ia ka pi‘o ānuenue ma loko a me (2) Ka Pi‘o Ali‘i, ‘o ia ho‘i ka pi‘o ānuenue ma waho...Ke Ānuenue i Pili i ko Hawai‘i Po‘e Ali‘i: Ma nā mo‘olelo kahiko o Hawai‘i nei, ua ‘ōlelo ‘ia, ua hānau ‘ia mai nā ali‘i ki‘eki‘e loa e ka Pō. Mai ka lani mai kona iho ‘ana mai a na ka hekili a me ka uila i kūkala ākea a‘e i kona hiki ‘ana mai ma loko o nā ao, a ma loko o ka pi‘o ānuenue ‘o ia i kūkulu ai i heiau nona ma ka honua nei. ‘O ka hānau ‘ia ‘ana o nā Mō‘ī a me nā ali‘i ki‘eki‘e loa o Hawai‘i nei, ua pili nō iā lākou ke kū ‘ana a me ka pi‘o ‘ana o ke ānuenue, ke ku‘i ‘ana o ka hekili a me ka ‘ōlapa ‘ana o ka uila. He hō‘ailona ho‘i ka pi‘o ‘ana o ke ānuenue no ka noho ‘ana o ka Mō‘ī ma kekahi wahi a no kona hiki ‘ana mai ho‘i paha. Ma muli o ke kūlana o nā ali‘i i loa‘a ai nā inoa pili i nā pi‘o ānuenue pālua a kapa ‘ia ka Pi‘o Mō‘ī a me ka Pi‘o Ali‘i. ‘O ka Mō‘ī wale nō ka i noho aku i loko o ka Pi‘o Mō‘ī ma ke kahua i loko o ka heiau, a ‘o nā ali‘i ho‘i, ua noho lākou ma waho mai, ma ka Pi‘o Ali‘i i loko o ke kahua o ka heiau ho‘omana, a ‘o nā kaukau ali‘i ma waho a‘e a pēlā aku ho‘i a hiki i ka maka‘āinana ma waho loa.”

Few things delight and inspire awe in the specific way that a rainbow does. Is it their unexpected appearance or their general magnificence that makes us pause and stare in appreciation? In Hawaiʻi, aliʻi (chiefs) were likened to these exquisite celestial phenomena and it's easy to understand why the metaphor fits. As earthly manifestations of the divine, chiefs were exalted and placed above, metaphorically, in the same lofty heavens that give us sunlight, moonlight, clouds, rain and mist - the glorious ingredients of rainbows. Ānuenue is a generic term for rainbow, but our kūpuna named several types of rainbows, each with their own specific character. According to Joseph Nāwahī the names piʻo mōʻī and piʻo aliʻi for the inner and outer arch of the double rainbow, respectively, relate to the position of chiefs in heiau during ceremony, with the ruling chief inside the main part of the heiau and the other chiefs outside of that. The other ānuenue featured here are: hakahakaea, a rainbow with lots of green, kāhili, a standing rainbow segment and leho pulu (a.k.a. uakoko), a low-lying rainbow.