Jul 25 / Ilima Choy

Ipu Hoʻokele: The Navigatorʻs Gourd

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Hua ‘Ōlelo Hou

Here are some of the terms that you will find in this article and a definition based upon the context that they are used.
  • ipu hōkeo:  a calabash used to store fishing items or food  
  • la‘au:  wood
  • ulu:  breadfruit
  • koa: a tree native to Hawaiʻi, acacia koa
  • kōkō:  net
  • ‘alihi:  a fine cord
  • pu‘u mana:  additional knots in a net
  •  ‘ōpelu:  makerel scad
  • aku:  bonito
  • Kiopaʻa:  Polaris
  • pū‘ulu hōkū:  constellation
  • Newe:  Southern Cross
  • kuamo'o:  backbone
  • Ke Alaula a Kāne:  Eastern sky
  • Ke Alanui Ma‘awe‘ula a Kanaloa:  Western sky
  • kūkulu:  pillar, direction
  • hikina:  eastern horizon
  • komohana:  western horizon
  • iluna:  above, upward, northern
  • ilalo: below, downward, southern
  • hōkū ai ‘āina:  guiding star
  • manu ‘iwa:  frigate bird  

“Mai ka hoʻokuʻi ā ka hālāwai.”

From the zenith to the horizon.

‘Ōlelo No‘eau #2059

The ipu ho‘okele wa‘a is a compass used by early Hawaiians to navigate across the great ocean. Some are made from an ipu hōkeo, others are made from the la‘au of ulu or koa. There were different size ipu ho‘okele wa‘a used for different types of travel. Large deep ipu ho‘okele were used to navigate near islands. Smaller shallower ipu ho‘okele wa‘a were used for open ocean travel or for rough seas.
It is said that the ipu ho‘okele wa‘a had a kōkō that was used like a grid at the top of the ipu. An ‘alihi is threaded through the kōkō below the base of the rim to secure it. Pu‘u mana are used to mark various stars. The ipu is also filled with water to reflect the stars used to guide one’s path.
The ipu ho‘okele wa‘a were still used in the 1880’s by skilled fishermen who would travel to Kuai-he-lani. Kuai-he-lani is located in what is now known as the marine sanctuary Papahanaumoku, or the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. Fishermen would travel there during the summer months to fish for ‘ōpelu and aku.
There are four holes or notches at the rim of the ipu. These are used to calibrate the compass by aligning the holes to known directions. There are two holes that lined up with Kiopa‘a and the star at the bottom of the pū‘ulu hōkū of Newe. A line is drawn at the bottom of the ipu connecting these two holes. This line marks the meridian that divides the ipu in half known as the kuamo'o. The half to the east is called Ke Alaula a Kāne and the half on the west is called Ke Alanui Ma‘awe‘ula a Kanaloa.
The holes that mark the kūkulu of hikina and komohana were aligned with various stars that were rising or setting at the time. A line is drawn at the bottom of the ipu connecting these two holes marks the celestial equator. This is called Ke Alaula a Ke Kuukuu (The Path of the Spider) or Ke Ala i ka Piko o Wākea (The Path to the Center of Wākea).

Two other lines were drawn in at the bottom of the ipu, iluna and ilalo of Ke Ala i ka Piko o Wākea. The line iluna is called Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kāne, it marked the northern most reach of Ka Lā. The line ilalo is called Ke Alanui Polohiwa a Kanaloa, it marked the southern most reach of Ka Lā.
The stars that are observed within these two paths were called hōkū ai ‘āina, and they were followed to travel to known lands. There are nine principle stars that are usually used to guide early voyagers, just like manu ‘iwa.

Activities

Building an Ipu Hoʻokele

Watch the video below and build a model of an ipu hoʻokele.

References

Kamakau, S.M., (1865, August 5). No ke Ao Hoku. Ka Nupepa Kuokoa. https://www.papakilodatabase.com/pdnupepa/?a=d&d=KNK18650805-01.2.22&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN%7ctxNU%7ctxTR--------

Johnson, R. K., & Mahelona, J. K. (1975). Nā Inoa Hōkū. In T. Kelsey, Appendix: Navigation Gourd Notes (pp. 142-153). Honolulu, Hawaii: Topgallant Publishing Company, LTD.