Pūloʻuloʻu, often called "kapu sticks", are symbols denoting the kapu of Hawaiian

aliʻi The aliʻi were the traditional nobility of the Hawaiian islands. They were part of a hereditary line of rulers, the ''noho aliʻi''. Cognates of the word ''aliʻi'' have a similar meaning in other Polynesian languages; in Māori it is pronoun ...

(chiefs or royals) and symbolizing the deceased ancestors of the

. They are traditional symbols of authority which are used in modern times including the

Seal of the State of Hawaii Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal (em ...

History

Pūloʻuloʻu are often called " kapu sticks". They were symbol of the authority and protection of the

(chiefs) of

Ancient Hawaii Ancient Hawaii is the period of Hawaiian history preceding the establishment in 1795 of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great. Traditionally, researchers estimated the first settlement of the Hawaiian islands as having occurred sporad ...

and also represented the

mana Mana may refer to: Religion and mythology * Mana (Oceanian cultures), the spiritual life force energy or healing power that permeates the universe in Melanesian and Polynesian mythology * Mana (food), archaic name for manna, an edible substance m ...

(spiritual power) of the aliʻi. It was made by wrapping bundles of kapa cloth on a stick. They were given ancestral names and placed in areas of prominence. They represented the ancestors of an aliʻi who had died and return from Po (heaven). The round shape denoted the shape of stars as seen from the traditional Hawaiian perspective. They often contain the relics of deceased ancestors such as bones, teeth, hair and other important remains. Their use as symbols of the kapu was introduced by Paʻao, a high priest (kahuna nui) from Kahiki. The pūloʻuloʻu were often placed at the residence of the aliʻi, at a

heiau A ''heiau'' () is a Hawaiian temple. Made in different architectural styles depending upon their purpose and location, they range from simple earth terraces, to elaborately constructed stone platforms. There are heiau to treat the sick (''heia ...

(temple) and at the burial sites of the aliʻi. Whaling captain Alfred N. Tripp gave King

Kalākaua Kalākaua (David Laʻamea Kamanakapuʻu Māhinulani Nālaʻiaʻehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua; November 16, 1836 – January 20, 1891), was the last king and penultimate monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, reigning from February 12, 1874, u ...

a pūloʻuloʻu made of a

narwhal The narwhal (''Monodon monoceros'') is a species of toothed whale native to the Arctic. It is the only member of the genus ''Monodon'' and one of two living representatives of the family Monodontidae. The narwhal is a stocky cetacean with a ...

tusk on the occasion of the king's 1883 coronation. The tusk, which measured seven feet two inches, was capped with a golden sphere and is currently displayed in the throne room of

ʻIolani Palace The Iolani Palace () was the royal residence of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi beginning with Kamehameha III under the Kamehameha Dynasty (1845) and ending with Queen Liliʻuokalani (1893) under the Kalākaua Dynasty. It is located i ...

between the two thrones of Kalākaua and Queen Kapiʻolani. The pūloʻuloʻu are also displayed at the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii at Mauna ʻAla where they are placed in the chapel and where metal representations are placed outside the chapels and the crypts. The coat of arms of the

Hawaiian Kingdom The Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ɛ ɐwˈpuni həˈvɐjʔi, was an archipelagic country from 1795 to 1893, which eventually encompassed all of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands. It was established in 1795 w ...

and the

seal of the State of Hawaii Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal (em ...

features the pūloʻuloʻu as a symbol of authority.

Gallery

File:Liliuokalani lying in state at Kawaiahao Church (color) (cropped).jpg, Pūloʻuloʻu used at the

funeral A funeral is a ceremony connected with the final disposition of a corpse, such as a burial or cremation, with the attendant observances. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember and respect th ...

of Queen

Liliʻuokalani Queen Liliʻuokalani (; Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Kamakaʻeha; September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917) was the only queen regnant and the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, ruling from January 29, 1891, until the overthrow of th ...

File:Kamehameha Tomb at Mauna Ala by Cliff.jpg, Metal representation of pūloʻuloʻu outside the Kamehameha Tomb at the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii at Mauna ʻAla File:Hawaiian Thrones (8515155462).jpg, Metal representation of pūloʻuloʻu made with a

tusk at

File:Royal Coat of Arms of Hawaii.svg, Coat of arms of Hawaii File:Seal of the State of Hawaii.svg, Seal of Hawaii

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Puloulou Hawaiian Kingdom Hawaiiana Hawaii culture Hawaiian nobility Hawaiian regalia

History

Gallery

See also

References

External links