Listen to audio sample:

Koa trees are another plant species that is found only in Hawaii and nowhere else in the world. The tree is usually medium sized, with leaves shaped like a half-moon.

Koa wood, if you’ve never seen it before, is a highly prized hardwood for its unique and exquisite patterns and grains. People sometimes call koa the “Hawaiian mahogany”.  Because it was so highly valued in ancient Hawaii, it was reserved exclusively for the use of the ali’i or  royalty. Oftentimes, a canoe for the ali’i was made by carving out the trunk of a single koa tree.

But the word “koa” also means warrior in Hawaiian. There was a deadly ancient weapon called the “lei-o-mano” that was made of koa wood and shark teeth - often from a great white or tiger shark. This shark-tooth club was used primarily in hand-to-hand combat. Not to make it too graphic, but as you can imagine, the sharp teeth were quite effective in slashing and ripping the flesh. The victim could die from just one heavy blow with this shark-tooth club.

After the arrival of foreigners in Hawaii, cattle ranching became a popular business. much of the native forests were cut down and burned to raise cattle. as these animals munched their way through the forest, koa trees were nearly depleted at one point.  Fortunately, after years of conservation efforts, koa is making a comeback to this native forest.

today koa wood is harvested responsibly and used for making high-end furniture, ornaments and musical instruments, such as the guitar or ukulele.  You can likely find these koa products at a souvenir shop near your hotel or condo. but mind you, they usually cost a small fortune. 

Since ancient times the area around  Pu’ukapele village was known for the abundance of koa trees that had been cultivated here for centuries. In fact, as youdrive, look out the window and see if you can spot a koa tree. The tree is usually medium sized with  leaves shaped like a half-moon. koa is another plant species that is found only in hawaii and nowhere else in the world. 

Koa wood, if you’ve never seen it before, is a highly prized hardwood for its unique and exquisite patterns and grains. people sometimes call koa the “hawaiian mahogany”.  Because it was so highly valued in ancient Hawaii, it was reserved exclusively for the use of the ali’i or  royalty. Oftentimes, a canoe for the ali’i was made by carving out the trunk of a single koa tree.

But the word “koa” also means warrior in hawaiian. there was a deadly ancient weapon called the “lei-o-mano” that was made of koa wood and shark teeth, often from a great white or tiger shark. This shark-tooth club was used primarily in hand-to-hand combat. not to make it too graphic, but as you can imagine, the sharp teeth were quite effective in slashing and ripping the flesh. The victim could die from just one heavy blow with this shark-tooth club.

After the arrival of foreigners in Hawaii, cattle ranching became a popular business. Much of the native forests were cut down and burned to raise cattle. As these animals munched their way through the forest, koa trees were nearly depleted at one point. Fortunately, after years of conservation efforts, koa is making a comeback to this native forest.

Today, koa wood is harvested responsibly and used for making high-end furniture, ornaments and musical instruments, such as the guitar or ukulele.

Want to learn more about koa trees?

Check out our Waimea and Na Pali Tour!