‘Pola Hanau: Birth of a Tradition’

Malulani Konanui of Puna will tell his story of how a newfound passion for woodturning took him on a journey that connected new tradition to ancient Hawaiian customs, and to the Hawaiian concept of a newborn baby as a “bowl of light” in “Pola Hanau: Birth of a Tradition” at 7 p.m. Monday, May 7, at the Lyman Museum in Hilo.

When Konanui retired from the police force and took up woodturning, he decided to create a special wooden bowl as a gift to mark the birth of his niece’s baby. Over time, more people learned about these pola hanau (birth bowls) and began to request them for their babies, so he has continued with his labor of love.

The pola hanau took on added spiritual significance when Konanui learned of Hawaiian customs related to birth and infancy that had been shared by his ancestors with early 20th-century anthropologists and historians. These traditions linked a family, their newborn’s piko (umbilical cord), and a wooden bowl used to safeguard the piko until it could be transported to the sacred hill of Puu Loa for a blessing, then deposited in a final resting place.

Today, pola hanau embody the aloha of a family for their keiki, and Konanui completes each one within 24 hours of the baby’s birth, “so that all these babies have aloha from the beginning.”

Admission is $3; free for museum members. Seating is limited to 65 persons on a first-come, first-seated basis. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The nationally accredited and Smithsonian-affiliated Lyman Museum showcases the natural and cultural history of Hawaii to tell the story of its islands and people. The museum at 276 Haili St. is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For additional information, call 935-5021 or visit www.lymanmuseum.org.