Hard Koa is Hawaii's newest clothing brand. Hawaiian T-shirts, Hawaiian Tank Tops, Hard Koa caps, decals & more. Aloooha! Welcome to the website of Polynesia. Based in Hawaii, many of our products and services are authentically Polynesian. Such as our Hawaiian Flowers page. Grow your own flowers, fruits and vegetables of Hawaii with our seeds, cuttings and shoots. Also, preserve your past with our Koa Picture Frames. Try our home grown Mamaki Tea that will warm your soul as if you were sitting on Waikiki Beach. Experience the taste of Hawaii with our Hawaiian Jams and Jellies. Check out our Hard Koa T-shirts and soon to come caps and decals. You will love our Hawaiian Crochet Lei's which are made, (with loving care) in Hawaii, by a Polynesian. These lei's will definitely supply you with a life time of Aloha. Come away with us as we share legends and myths for you and your keiki (children) to enjoy. Learn about Hawaii's Landmarks and then, browse through our "Art gallery" and escape into the world of Polynesian Art; created by our local artist. Learn about the Real Tiki and view Tiki Art. Do you like "Kalua Pig" then checkout our Imu; underground oven page, and learn to Kalua your own pig. What ever you decide just " kick-back with us and cruz."

~ti-ki, te`ke, n. (usu.cap.), Polynesian.  A god represented in wood or stone; a mythological first man; a carved figure representing an ancestor.

  Yup, Tiki's aren't those coffee mugs you drink out of, nor is it the decoration of your new Tiki bar at home.  Today Tiki's are used for design and decor.  But, lets not forget , it is a god or was a god to someone.  There were many gods worshiped in ancient Hawaii by both commoners and royalty.  Men worshiped a whole different set of gods from the women.  In addition, commoners prayed and worshiped for themselves; while Kings (Ali'i) had a priest (Kahuna) do it for them.  In any case, all these gods were mostly variations of The four major gods;

• Ku - god of action, war; god of fishing and forests.
• Kane - creator god, gave life to living things; father of man.
• Lono - god of peace, seen in living things.
• Kanaloa - lesser god, god of the sea.

   Tiki images have four types;

1. Temple images
2. Akua ka'ai
3. Amakua
4. support figures

   1.Temple images were used for worshiping the four major goods at the temples dedicated to them.  Temple images functioned in several different ways other than representing deities.  Some were used near or as part of fences and walls.  Some marked entrances to the temple.  2. Akua ka'ai is also related to the four major gods.  These images were carved with a pointed support or prop.  The distinction between Akua ka'ai and Temple Images is based on ritual use and location.  3. Most of the Amakua types of images are animal.  These images were used as personal and family deities.  Amakua types were also used as sorcery and anti-sorcery images.  4. Support figures were basically attached to objects such as drums, bowls, carrying poles, etc.  Support figures were not necessarily deities nor were they favorable for rituals.  There are limited facts about the Hawaiian sculptural tradition , culture, and the society that produced it.  But there still remains about 150 surviving pieces in museums and private collections around the world, which (by the way) makes the competition between collectors intense.  

   Wooden images were usually carved in a standing posture, knees and arms bent, hands slightly flexed.  Their stance resembled a wrestler or boxer, but also a dancing style 'ai ha'a (low style) used by hula dancers in rituals at a temple suggesting vitality and alertness, not strength.

   It was common for Tiki's to have a crest running backward form the forehead.  It symbolized a value of the Hawaiian culture.  For example, in ancient Hawaii the head of a person was considered sacred and was not to be violated.  Likewise, when a Tiki was designed with a headdress that ran up the backbone rising over the head or forming a crest around the head it suggested a covering and protection of the sacred part of the body.  Head-dresses were associated with the god Ku and Lono.  The tall notched or barbed head-dresses that resembled the Hawaiian fighting spear were called the (ihe' type).  This type of spear fighting was called "Lonomakaihe" which is related to god Lono from whom warriors sought power and protection.  In relation, the design of the warrior helmet has an opening which resembles the shape of the mouth of many Tiki's.  It has been said the helmet shaped with a large mouth and crest, represented a deity.  This suggested that by wearing one signified imitating a god.  In this case Lono.

   The mouth of the Tiki was sometimes designed as a horizontal figure-eight shape.  Often teeth were carved into the mouth or were formed of carved bone.  The opened mouth with the ringed teeth suggested readiness of the gods to devour the offerings placed before them.  There is a famous temple called "waha'ula" (red mouth) built for god Ku and was used for human sacrifices.  It is said the eyes of the Tiki's there became animated when given an offering.  Temple images with inlayed mother of pearl eyes are called makaiwa (mysterious eyes).  This comes form evidence depicted from chants and myths.  Finally, sometimes figures were stained as a final touch.

   Most of the stone gods which survived are partially carved images and only the facial features are distinguishable.  Uncarved pieces of stone were also represented as a god, because the finished form of an image had nothing to do with the power it possessed.  That came only from continuous prayers and offerings.

   Woven Images were made by weaving a head and neck form from rootlets and covering this with a fine net mesh to which feathers were tied.  The same technique was used in making the feather helmets the Ali'i wore.  These god were revered by the Ali'i.

   Traditional woods used for sculpting the Tiki image was the ohi'a lehua (metrosideros macropus; M. collina) and Kanila (colubrine oppositifolia and Alphitonia ponderosa).  It is clear other woods were used.  Exotic woods reached the Hawaiian Islands as driftwood before European contact.  Driftwood ported Hawaiian shores as debris from ships, cargo, or containers and perhaps woods from Asia.  It has been assumed that the sculptor-kahuna may have used a piece of European wood for images in ritual use.  In addition, Metal attached to drftwood was the cultures first exposure to metals.

   European contact transformed tool technology from stone to metal.  But, because Hawaiian religion ws unaltered for a few decades after the arrival of Capt. Cook, it is positive iron tools were used in traditional ritual images.  Eurpean contact also influenced sculptural style.  Fine surfaces of some sculptures could only have been cut by metal blades.  European contact may have influenced the design of the Tiki, but the traditional design was clearly evident in later sculptures.  It is difficult to distinguish traditional sculptures and evolved traditional sculptures.

   The year King Kamehameha died (1819) there was a cultural upheaval; the beginning of the end of the Hawaiian religion.  The governance of Hawaii's monarchy was closely aliened with the four major gods up until that point.  The down fall of the state religion though, did not end religion as far as families and individuals were concerned.  And, it was surely not the end of the making of religious sculpture or religious practices.  Tiki's were destroyed by the Hawaiians after Kamehameha died.  Many were also left to rot and decay.  Under the new rule of Liholiho (Kamehameha's son) and under the direction of Kaahumanu (Kamehameha's wife) the Kapu system was ended.

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