Pua ka Wiliwili, Nanahu ka Manō: Understanding Sharks in Hawaiian Culture

Kanaka Maoli (Indigenous Hawaiians) are blessed with a written literature that documents observations and relationships their environment in the form of chants, stories, genealogies passed down orally for centuries. These literatures connect them to ancestral knowledge highlight species, places, processes importance. Such sayings as Pua ka wiliwili, nanahu manō (When wiliwili blossoms, sharks bite), from Kumulipo (a creation story), examples place nature, humans, specifijic creature—here shark, or manō—in ecological phenology. This article focuses on because importance Hawaiian culture availability historical references, contrast relatively little available scientifijic knowledge. Manō understood through Indigenous science roles ʻaumakua (guardians) unique individuals. By using lens which recognize uniqueness worldview, author highlights classifijication system developed applies this framework analyzing management scenarios. She argues can help adapt new ways classify our environmental interactions will bring us closer living relatives. Management decisions regarding culturally important species need not be based solely most current Western data but utilize much longer set stored oral