Today, the fences keep the cattle and pig out of the areas where new koa trees are growing. On the contrary, when dead koa trees are removed from the mid-level elevations, new koa seedlings are quick to sprout. If you ever have a chance to visit the mid-elevations on the Big Islands, you will see that the circle of life continues as new koa trees are growing amidst trees that have naturally died and fallen.īig Island landowners today do not cut down any live koa trees. Koa trees have a natural life cycle of about 50-80 years due to the natural rot and decay that occurs to the trees over time. Due to self-management and the partnership of private and State interests, there is more koa growing in Hawaii now that 10 or 20 years ago. Koa has never been regarded as an endangered species, and it is certainly far from extinct. The State of Hawaii and plantation landowners are very strict about the harvesting of Koa and self-regulation is the standard practice. All koa harvested from the Big Island comes from previously dead and fallen trees. Today, Koa is so highly regarded for its beauty, that land owners find it a profitable revenue source, even more so than cattle. The most beautiful koa wood as a wavy, fluttering cross-grain pattern called “curly,” which is sometimes referred to as fiddle back. The rich volcanic soil of this largest, youngest island yields koa that is particularly dark and red. Koa Continues.In spite of decades of without attention or regard, today koa continues to grow on all Hawaiian Islands, particularly the Big Island. This was before westerners or “ malihini” came to regard Koa as a beautiful resource. Very often, fences used to separate plantations on the Big Island were built from Koa. Additionally, other livestock introduced to Hawaii, including pigs and goats, would graze on young koa seedlings before they had a chance to mature. Unfortunately, almost all the koa trees were eliminated for herds of cattle that roamed the region. North of Hilo, Hawaii, there is an area nowcalled umikoa, which was once a dense koa forest owned by King Kamehameha the Great. Unfortunately, large tracts of koa forests were eliminated to make way for grazing cattle. Cattle. During the 1800’s, land on the Big Island was gobbled up with enterprising ranchers hoping to use these wide tracts of land to raise herds of cattle. In later years, “ malihini” settlers from other countries introduced small stringed musical instruments that the Hawaiians called “ ukulele,” which were almost always made with koa wood. More importantly, koa was used to make many Hawaiian outrigger canoes for fishing, sailing, and traversing islands. These instruments were used in the same way as today’s x-acto knives. Food was served in carve out Koa bowls called “ umeke.” Cutting and carving instruments for daily living called “ niho ‘oki” were made from koa and shark’s teeth. After the great king’s death, his widowKaahumanu and son Liholiho abandoned the kapu system, thus allowing all Hawaiians to possess koa wood.ĭue to its widespread availability throughout the Hawaiian Islands, koa wood was used for every aspect of early Hawaiians’ life. Koa for the masses. In years that followed, koa wood was already so highly regarded that is was “ kapu” or prohibited for anyone to possess koa wood except the Hawaiian monarchs and ali’i royalty class. Undoubtedly, koa wood played a significant role in the great king’s quest to bring the Hawaiian Islands together. In the late 1700’s, King Kamehameha and his warriors traveled up the Hawaiian Island chain, uniting all the islands under his rule. They were often used for hand-to-hand combat and were highly effective with slashing and ripping the flesh in one cross-body motion, leaving the unfortunate victim eviscerated and an example of the power of the conquering warriors. Some of the early Hawaiian weapons were called “ l ei-o-mano.” These weapons were made of shark’s teeth, marlin bills, and koa wood. This wood became synonymous with the warriors themselves, and it became known as koa. The warriors of King Kamehameha the Great, created canoes and weapons from a wood plentiful on the Big Island of Hawaii. Koa in battle. The word “ koa” means “warrior” in Hawaiian.
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