Name/Title
Hawaiian Ceremonial BowlEntry/Object ID
MK_0338Description
This is a vintage reproduction of a large Hawaiian ‘umeke la’au pakaka - or calabash hardwood bowl.
Original calabash bowls were made by Hawaiian people from both la'au (wood) and ipu (gourd), and were often used to hold poi - a traditional Hawaiian food made from mashing up cooked taro root (a starchy, potato-like vegetable). But they were also used to hold pork, chicken, and other foods common to the islands.
Hawaiian royalty often valued specific calabashes, and even naming them after royal individuals. The bowls were traditionally made with stone and coral tools, but this changed in the 19th century as new technologies were brought to the island with the advent of colonization.
The replica's gently sloped sides and beveled edge transitioning to the rounded lower body, alongside its glowing, deep wood grain remind viewers of of those earlier bowls and the traditions and daily life they carried with them.
This treasured piece has been in the Mauna Kea's collection since 1965, when Laurance Rockefeller developed the hotel, and was recently restored. Guests may have previously seen the bowl displayed on the 7th floor of the hotel's Main Tower.Made/Created
Place
State/Province
Hawai'iCountry
U.S.A.Continent
North AmericaLocation
Floor
8th FloorBuilding
Main TowerRoom
Kamani RoomBuilding
HBR Main Tower* Untyped Location
Storage ShedFloor
7th FloorBuilding
Main TowerRoom
2nd Floor Art Storage RoomFloor
2nd FloorBuilding
Beach WingArea
Beach Wing-to-Koi Pond BreezewayFloor
Lobby LevelBuilding
Main TowerFloor
8th FloorBuilding
Main TowerRoom
2nd Floor Art Storage RoomFloor
2nd FloorBuilding
Beach WingRoom
Engineering AtticFloor
Promenade LevelBuilding
Main TowerFloor
7th FloorBuilding
Main Tower