Koa
trees are the giants in the wao koa (koa
forest). The koa trees are endemic to Hawai‘i;
it does not grow naturally anywhere else in the world. It
is a fast growing tree, adding as much as an inch in diameter
and two feet in height per year. When found in old forests
fighting other trees for light it will grow tall and relatively
straight, up to 100 feet tall, with a base and diameter up
to five feet. At the edge of a forest or on its own koa
will likely retain its lower branches, grow to shorter heights
with a broad canopy, and develop a crooked trunk with numerous
crotches and a diameter of up to seven feet. Koa
trunks are kālai (hewn) to form the ka‘ele
(hulls) of both the wa‘a kaukahi (single canoe)
and the wa‘a kaulua (double canoe). Hoe
(paddle) is also made of koa. Most papa he‘enalu
(surfboards) are made of koa although a few are wiliwili
or ‘ulu.
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Almost
all commercial koa harvesting is done on Hawai‘i. While
you will find koa growing from the 1,000 feet elevation
to over 7,000 feet, it thrives in the 2,500-6,000 range.
This is the range where many cattle ranches were established
100-150 years ago. At that time hundreds of thousands of
acres of native koa forests were destroyed by
the introduction of cattle. Koa is a member of
the legume family and its seedlings are to cattle like
candy is to kids. Thus little or no reforestation occurred
naturally on cattle ranches or where feral mammals roamed.
While native Hawaiians had cleared some of the lowland
forests, as the traditional kapu or laws were
dismantled in the 1800's and much of the native koa forests
died off due to logging and clearing for cattle ranches.
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The
story behind the koa tree is Kakae, a chief, lived at Wahiawa,
Kukaniloko, Waialua,
O‘ahu. One
day
his
wife told
him that
she desired to go in search of her brother, Kahanaiakeakua, who was supposed to be living at Tahiti. Kakae thereupon
ordered his man Kekupua to go into the woods and find a suitable
tree and make a canoe for his wife for this foreign voyage.
Kekupua, with a number of men under him, searched in the
forest belt of Wahiawa, Helemano, and Waoala, as also through
the woods of Ko‘olau, without success. From Kahana they made
a search through the mountains till they came to Kilohana,
in Kalihi Valley, and from there to Waolani, in Nu‘uanu,
where they slept in a cave. In the dead of night they heard
the
hum as of human voices, but were unable to discern any person,
though the voices sounded close to them. At dawn silence
reigned again, and when the sun arose, lo, and behold! there
stood a large mound of stones, the setting of which resembled
that of a heiau, or temple, the remains of which are said
to be noticeable to this day. Kekupua and his men returned
to their chief and reported their unsuccessful search for
a suitable koa (Acacia koa) tree for the desired canoe, and
related also the incident at Waolani. Kakae, being a descendant
of the Menehunes, knew immediately the authors of the strange
occurrence. He therefore instructed Kekupua to proceed to
Makaho and Kamakela and to stay there till the night of Kane,
then go up to Pu‘unui and wait till hearing the hum and noise
of the Menehunes, which would be the signal of their finishing
the canoe. And thus it was; the Menehunes, having finished
the canoe, were ready to pull it to the sea. He directed
them to look sharp, and two men would be noticed holding
the ropes at the pu (or head) of the canoe. One of them would
leap from one side to the other; he was the director of the
work and was called pale. There would be some men farther
behind, holding the kawelewele, or guiding-ropes. They were
the kahunas that superintended the construction of the canoe.
He reminded them to remember these directions, and when they
saw these men, to give them orders and show them the course
to take in pulling the canoe to the sea. Kekupua followed
all these instructions faithfully.
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