Hawai‘i is built on a firm physical foundation of volcanic rock and coral reefs. As time passes, erosion of land and formation of pōhaku have resulted. Each pōhaku, ‘ili‘ili, and ko‘a were once part of a larger mass. These pōhaku were used to create a foundation for hale (houses), kuapā (fishpond walls), and heiau (temples). Our kūpuna believed that there is mana (power, strength) in everything. Today we continue to use pōhaku as traditional tools to perpetuate our Hawaiian cultural practices.
Crystals Rock!
Student Reader
Volcanic activity can create wonders! Let’s begin with ʻaʻā and pāhoehoe flows. When they slowly cool and begin to harden, small open spaces in lava allow certain molecules to gather together in solid, identical, repeating patterns. This is one way that crystals form. The kind of crystals that are created depends upon which minerals get carried to the surface by underground molten rock, magma.
The upper mantle of the Earth contains a huge amount of olivine (ol-eh-VEEN), perhaps the most abundant mineral in the mantle. Magma brings a lot of it to the surface. Small green and root beer-colored crystals of olivine are common in Hawaiʻi. Even spectacular baseball-sized clusters, called dunite (DUH-night), are easy to find if you know where to look. Hawaiʻi even has green sand beaches made of olivine crystals finely crushed by wave action. In other parts of the world where olivine is softer and less likely to shatter, the crystals are made into jewelry. High quality olivine is called peridot (pear-a-DOE or pear-a-DOT).
Elsewhere on the planet, volcanic activity creates rarer crystals such as emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. But you won’t find such things in Hawaiʻi because they’re typically located in the thickest parts of continental crusts. The Earth’s crust under oceans is 3-6 miles thick, and under Hawaiʻi it’s even thinner. Continental crusts, where rarer crystals are found, can be as much as 30 miles thick!
basalt with olivine olivine
Did you know that even without volcanoes, crystals form? When water evaporates, it may leave behind minerals that develop those same types of solid, identical, repeating patterns. Calcite and salt crystals are created this way.
Many beautiful crystals are found throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Included are photographs of a few.
In the Hawaiian “Stone Age”
by Dr. Sam Gon III, Consultant to Moanalua Gardens Foundation
Illustrations by: Lu Wilson
Archeologists refer to the material culture of ancient Hawai‘i as neolithic, since its basis was via the use of stone tools. In a volcanic setting, metal-bearing ores were unavailable, so the development of tools and weapons was based on a foundation of available materials that included coral-derived limestone, sedimentary sandstone, and a variety of volcanically-derived rocks such as pumice, dense, fine-grained basalt, lighter, more porous basalt, and rather uncommon igneous rocks such as obsidian (volcanic glass), and jasper. With such a limited set of working materials, it is amazing how rocks of various kinds were incorporated into every aspect of Hawaiian life, from warfare to personal grooming, from cooking to creation of carved figures, from house-building to communication, and from agricultural complexes to massive temples.
Smaller pōhaku reflected a myriad of ‘aumākua, from the famous pueo (owl) stone god to stones that represent manō (sharks), fish, and other creatures. Of course, stones were worked into human form too, perhaps the best known being those found on the small NW island of Necker, which show strong traces of Marquesan carving style, and verify the shared cultural heritage of Polynesia as well as an extension of the Pacific voyaging tradition.
There are so many terms for the different kinds of rocks, and terms for special tools and devices made from pōhaku that to even list them all would require a small book. Some of my favorite pōhaku related items include:
Type Descriptions
kilo pōhaku dark polished stone mirrors which provide a fine reflection of one’s
kilo pōhaku dark polished stone mirrors which provide a fine reflection of one’s
face when covered with a sheen of water
pōhaku kīkēkē bell stones which would render a clear, loud tone audible throughout
the ahupua‘a in time of need
pōhaku kōhi stone tools for splitting hot baked breadfruit, again part of a
pōhaku kōhi stone tools for splitting hot baked breadfruit, again part of a
Marquesan legacy
ma‘i pōhaku phallic stones, such as the famous Kauleonanahoa on Moloka‘i, that women would sit upon to ensure pregnancy
ma‘i pōhaku phallic stones, such as the famous Kauleonanahoa on Moloka‘i, that women would sit upon to ensure pregnancy
maika gaming stones which were carved convex discs rolled for accuracy
between close-set stakes during the Makahiki season. So devoted to
such pastimes were our Hawaiian ancestors that the list of different maika types based on material, size, shape, and color, provide a page
full of names.
So the next time you hear that ancient Hawaiians lived in the stone-age, you will know just how rich a life that was. It provides a legacy of pride that is reflected even in the popular song “Kaulana Nā Pua,” whose third verse tells us
“Ua lawa mākou i ka pōhaku, i ka ‘ai kamaha‘o o ka ‘āina.”
The stones are wealth enough for us, the astounding sustenance of the land.
The stones are wealth enough for us, the astounding sustenance of the land.
Moanalua Gardens Foundation 11/2002