Aho: Cordage

Cordage was critical to the construction of the Hawaiian Canoe. Ropes and Cordage were made out of both Introduced and Endemic plants.

OLONĀ

Olonā (Touchardia latifolia) is a plant endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and a member of the nettle family. It was one of the few native Hawaiian plants extensively cultivated for its fibers, which produced exceptionally strong, lightweight, and durable cordage.

Wild clumps of olonā were known as ōpū olonā. Because the plant required particular growing conditions, especially moist, sheltered environments, suitable areas for cultivation were limited. Olonā was grown in cultivated patches or gardens, described by the Hawaiian terms māla and kīhāpai. These planting areas were carefully tended and weeded to encourage healthy growth.

The exceptional quality of Hawaiian olonā cordage attracted the attention of early Western visitors. European sailors remarked upon the extraordinary length and strength of Hawaiian fishing lines, some extending 300 to 400 fathoms (1,800 to 2,400 feet). They also observed that Hawaiian lines made from two or three strands could be considerably stronger than European lines of much greater thickness.

By the nineteenth century, the strength, light weight, and resistance to deterioration of olonā cordage had become widely recognized. During the 1870s, King David Kalākaua collected olonā as a form of taxation and sold supplies to Swiss Alpine clubs, which valued the material for mountaineering ropes.

Cultivation and Propagation

Olonā was propagated through root shoots, rooted branches, stem cuttings known as slips, and seeds. Another method involved bending older or fallen stalks to the ground and covering portions with soil to encourage the development of new roots and shoots.

During cultivation, lateral branches were sometimes removed from the upright stalks to reduce interruptions in the fiber-bearing portions of the stems.

Some historical accounts indicate that red-veined varieties were preferred over green-veined forms, possibly because their fibers were considered stronger.

Harvesting and Preparation

Olonā generally required approximately 12 to 18 months to mature sufficiently for harvesting. Preferred stalks were straight, approximately one to two inches in diameter, and sometimes reached heights of ten feet.

Men, women, and children participated in harvesting olonā. Historical accounts also describe women as specialists in preparing and twisting the finished fibers into cordage.

The harvested stalks were stripped of their outer bark to expose the fiber-bearing inner layers. Long strips could be removed by hand, particularly when the stalks were straight and properly matured.

Some traditional methods involved soaking the harvested strips in water, sometimes in running streams, to soften the material before scraping. Other accounts describe preparing the fibers without this soaking period, indicating that practices varied.

The strips were then placed upon long, narrow wooden boards called lāʻau kahi olonā or papa olonā. Scrapers made from seashells or turtle shell were used to remove unwanted material from both sides of the strips, leaving the strong, light-colored fibers.

This process required considerable skill. Experienced workers could prepare large quantities of olonā, but improper scraping could damage the fibers and reduce their usefulness.

After scraping, the fibers were separated, dried, and twisted into cordage of various sizes according to their intended purposes.

The resulting cordage was exceptionally strong and durable. It was valued for fishing lines, nets, and numerous other applications requiring reliable fiber construction.

Olonā demonstrates the extensive knowledge Hawaiians developed concerning native forest plants, their cultivation, and the specialized techniques required to transform them into essential materials.

Hau

Hau

Before the arrival of Westerners, hau was a highly valued plant in Hawaiʻi. Historical accounts indicate that permission from the appropriate local authority was required before cutting it. The konohiki (land and resource manager under the aliʻi) oversaw the use of resources within an ahupuaʻa.

Today, hau is often called "hau bush" because of its spreading growth habit. In some areas, it forms dense, nearly impenetrable thickets covering many acres. Although sometimes described as invasive because of this aggressive growth, hau is currently classified as an indigenous Hawaiian plant. Its extensive root system also helps stabilize soil, while its dense foliage provides effective windbreaks.

Traditionally, hau branches were placed along shorelines to indicate areas where fishing was kapu (prohibited), including periods when certain fish were spawning. This practice helped regulate the harvesting of marine resources.

Hau Cordage — ʻIli Hau

Hau cordage was made from ʻili hau (hau bark), which provided a readily available material for many everyday needs.

To prepare the cordage, young stems or smooth branches were cut, and a lengthwise slit was made through the bark. The bark was then peeled from the wood by hand and soaked in water to soften the material. After soaking, the outer bark could be removed, leaving the smooth, cream-colored inner fibers, which were twisted or braided into cordage. For certain purposes, the outer bark was left attached and gradually wore away during use.

Hau cordage served many purposes, including ropes for hauling canoe logs, canoe lashings, slings, bowstrings, fishing and carrying nets, handles for water gourds, fasteners for lauhala baskets, shark nooses, and strands for lei making.

The fibers were also used to make strainers for coconut cream and ʻawa drinks, to sew pieces of kapa together for clothing and bedding, and to produce sandals and other useful articles. Hau bark itself could be processed into a form of kapa and used for hula skirts. Hau fibers also served as cords for marking straight lines when applying designs to kapa.

Hau in Hawaiian Tradition

In one Hawaiian moʻolelo, hau is described as a sister of the goddess Hina who was transformed into a tree. A Tahitian tradition describes hau as a grandchild of heaven and earth.

The hau flower also carries symbolic meaning. Its blossoms open bright yellow in the morning, gradually change to orange and reddish hues, and usually fall by the end of the day. This brief flowering cycle has been interpreted as a reminder of the temporary nature of human life.

NIU

Niu — Coconut

Hawaiʻi lies near the northern edge of the coconut-growing region of the Pacific. Although coconut palms grow successfully in Hawaiʻi, they generally produce more abundantly in the warmer tropical islands closer to the equator, where coconuts were more extensively used.

Niu (Cocos nucifera) was among the useful plants brought to Hawaiʻi by early Polynesian settlers. Within the traditional Hawaiian worldview, niu is recognized as a kinolau (physical manifestation) of the akua Kū.

The coconut palm provided food, drinking water, oil, containers, and materials for numerous other purposes. Its fibrous husk was particularly valuable for producing the cordage essential to canoe construction.

ʻAha — Traditional Coconut Sennit

ʻAha is the Hawaiian name for cordage braided from coconut husk fibers. It was one of the principal materials used for lashing together the components of traditional Hawaiian canoes.

Coconut sennit was particularly suitable for marine use because of its strength, flexibility, and resistance to deterioration from seawater. When properly braided, its relatively coarse fibers gripped one another firmly, helping prevent the lashings from slipping. Traditional flat-braided sennit could also tighten when wet.

ʻAha was used to secure the ʻiako to the ama and hull, join the hulls of a waʻa kaulua, and lash together various wooden components of the canoe.

Traditional canoe rigging commonly employed flat-braided sennit made from two to five strands, with three-strand braiding being particularly common. Different sizes and strengths of ʻaha were produced according to their intended purposes.

Making high-quality ʻaha was a demanding and time-consuming process requiring considerable skill. Traditionally, specialized cordage makers, often women, produced the finished braids. Their work was highly valued, and ʻaha was an important article of trade.

Preparing Coconut Fibers for ʻAha

The following describes one method of preparing coconut husk fibers and making cordage.

Select mature coconuts. Remove the husks and divide each into approximately 8 to 10 sections. Discard the short, unsuitable fibers near the ends of the husk.
Soak the husk sections. Place them in water for approximately two weeks, or until sufficiently softened to work. Flowing water can help remove unwanted material. Stones may be used to keep the sections submerged.
Remove the outer skin. After soaking, work each section by twisting or bending it over the edge of a firm surface. Peel away and discard the outer skin.
Beat the fibers. Place a husk section on a hardwood block or flat stone and beat it with a wooden mallet.
Continue separating the fibers. Work from the center toward the edges, turning the section as needed. Repeated beating loosens and removes unwanted material surrounding the fibers.
Rinse and clean. Rinse the fibers thoroughly to remove the remaining loose material. Shaking, combing, or working the fibers with shells helps separate and straighten them. The cleaned fibers can then be gathered into bundles for easier handling.
Form the initial strands. Small groups of individual fibers are rolled or twisted together to form continuous strands. Additional fibers are gradually introduced as the work progresses.
Prepare the strands for braiding. The strands are made as even as possible, with sufficient fibers added to produce the desired thickness and strength.
Braid the ʻaha. For traditional flat-braided canoe sennit, the prepared strands are interwoven tightly, commonly in a three-strand pattern. Fibers are continually added as needed to extend the braid to the required length.

The completed ʻaha could then be used for lashing the various components of the canoe.

The Importance of ʻAha in Canoe Construction

The strength of the traditional Hawaiian canoe depended not only upon its wooden components but also upon the quality of the lashings holding those components together.

Unlike rigid mechanical fasteners, traditional fiber lashings allowed a degree of controlled movement between connected parts. This flexibility helped distribute the forces exerted upon the canoe by ocean swells and breaking surf.

The quality, thickness, number of wraps, and arrangement of the ʻaha were therefore critical to the canoe's strength and performance.

The skill required to manufacture and apply ʻaha was an essential part of traditional Hawaiian canoe construction.

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