E Komo Mai (Welcome)

Aloha From Hana, Island of Maui, Hawaii

The people of Hawaii have always created the most beautiful bowls in Polynesia. Early in their history, the Hawaiians began crafting elegant wooden containers inspired by the rounded forms of gourds and coconuts. These containers came to be called "calabashes." This English word probably stemmed from the Spanish calabaza, meaning gourd. Under the general classification of the Hawaiian calabash were found smaller bowls and wooden dishes used for food.

The story of the Hawaiian calabash traces its history back to a time when these bowl containers were used almost exclusively by the royalty of ancient Hawai'i. Some of these calabashes were so prized that they were given personal names, or were named after chiefs or ancestors and passed down as precious family heirlooms. In 1886, when King Kalakaua celebrated his fiftieth birthday with a national jubilee, there was an outpouring of wooden calabashes of extraordinary workmanship given as gifts to the king. By this time the calabash had evolved from mere utilitarian usage to a true object of art.

Hawaiian wood bowls, ranging from simple yet elegant spherical forms to highly complex sculpture, are regarded by many collectors today as more art than artifact. Ardently collected, displayed, and treasured, the Hawaiian calabash has come to embody for many their pride in and love for the very spirit of Hawai'i. The Hana Coast Gallery is pleased and proud to be able to offer this special exhibit of Hawaiian bowls made by artisans of the islands from a number of beautiful native woods.