Hawaiian Dolphins, Angels of the Sea

See them play in the moonlight

Watch them dance in the sun

They're the children of freedom - everyone

As they care for each other

With no question or cause

They deserve to be treasured as a source of love

(The Promise)

Nai'as (Dolphins) are often called the “Angels of the Sea”. They are adored symbols of joy and playfulness that thousands of people connect with. 

Their divine aura delights our senses by radiating healing energy to mind, body and spirit. 

Dolphins, whales and humans are the only three sentient beings on Earth. Dolphins have a complex language and an extremely high level of understanding. With balance, harmony and transcendence, dolphins create grace in life.

In Hawaii Dolphins live and travel in large groups of hundreds at a time. Healthy adults protect and feed injured ones, and everybody guards mothers and their calves from predators. Dolphins demonstrate a level of selflessness and cooperation that most people struggle to achieve.

The pure generous spirit of dolphins provides protection and guidance. Dolphins trust their instincts and intuition rather than, as many humans do, over thinking things.
Sailors believe the sight of dolphins to be a good omen. Dolphins have been known to save people from drowning and shark attacks. 

Dolphins teach us to not only save ourselves, but to protect others as well.

Mahimahi, another name for dolphin in the Hawaiian language, means very strong. Dolphins in the wild are strong and fearless. When sharks or orcas threaten them, they don’t hesitate to fight instead of trying to flee. They represent strong moral convictions and self-confidence, reminding us to speak our minds and stand our ground rather than hide our true selves.
Dolphins also are believed to be the sacred resting place for the souls of the deceased.

Dolphins live peacefully with other species, including humans. Their gentle nature inspires us to look for the good in everyone and strive to bring peace to our lives and those around us.

Dolphins welcome us into their world, and invite us to swim with them into the unknown. They are intelligent friends who exemplify qualities we value-- cooperation, harmony, peace, joyfulness, health, beauty, wisdom, grace and, above all, unconditional love. Dolphins fill our minds with visions of freedom, encouraging us to attain many life-enhancing qualities.

With their loving, positive and joyful Mana (spiritual energy), the Nai'a (dolphin) motivates us to be strong, curious, inquisitive, and to enjoy life to the fullest.

The enchanting Mana of the dolphin inspired the creation of Nai'a, the Menehune Sailor.

Nai'a (Dolphin)

Birthdate: Ianuali 6, 2015 (01/06/2015)

Nai'a is named after his Aumakua (ancestral guardian spirit), the Hawaiian Dolphin. Dolphins are often called the “Angels of the Sea”.Surrounded by the joyful Mana (spiritual energy) and unconditional love of his Aumakua, Nai'a always feels protected when he sails his Wa’akaukahi (Outrigger Canoe) in the gentle breeze of Punalu’u Black Sands Beach.
Nai'a follows the dolphin's graceful movements, as they lead him deeply into the peaceful, spiritual realm of the Pacific Ocean.

Nai'a’s greatest treasures are the precious conch shells, which are a gift from the ocean. When he blows his Pu (Conch Shell) in the 4 sacred directions, its pure sound echoes across the vast ocean invoking blessings of divine Mana (spiritual energy). Nai'a's Pu attracts good luck and the courage to manifest dreams.

In the spirit of the dolphin, Nai'a inspires us to be strong, curious, and to enjoy life to the fullest.

Nai'a’s Tutu (grandmother) wove her Mana into the Ti Leaf Leis he wears around his neck. According to ancient Hawaiian beliefs, Ti leaves provide protection from all harm. She also crafted and blessed his conch shell amulet and adorned it with a star shaped crystal. Wearing his amulet and Ti leaf lei and guided by his Aumakua, the Dolphin, Nai'a always feels save and secure. 

Tutu also sewed his ocean blue Malu (wraparound) and crocheted his white pants.
Nai’a and his Kuku (grandfather) made his Wa’akaukahi (Outrigger Canoe) together. Walking through the forest they started following the native forest bird who selected the tree they would use to build the canoe. After Nai’a and his Kuku finished carving the Wa’akaukahi, they built the sail which has a design of 2 dolphins playing in the ocean. The dolphins on his sail give Nai’a the greatest comfort. They remind him that, if he should ever get lost at sea, he can call on his Aumakua, the dolphin, who always, without fail, comes to guide Nai’a safely back to shore.
All these things were Tutu’s and Kuku's sacred gifts of Aloha (Love) to their beloved Mo’opuna Kane (grandson).

Nai'a is about 3.5” tall fitting in the palm of your hand. The body is made out of stretch cotton and wired for flexibility. The eyes and mouth are intricately embroidered onto the face. Nai'a has little hands and feet, ears, buttocks, and a belly button. His malu is sewn out of the same cotton fabric as his sail. All accessories were individually handcrafted.

Nai'a is a one of a kind collectible display dolls handcrafted by Hawaiian Dolls. Nai'a comes with his story and a certificate of authenticity.

Nai'a reflects the divine Mana of the Hawaiian Dolphin.

www.Etsy.com

Aloha Doll Ornaments

Aloha Nui Loa (with lots of love)

Aloha Dolls radiate the magical spirit of Hawaii to all who are around them.

Aloha Dolls are one of a kind ornament dolls who were individually handcrafted on the Big Island of Hawaii with the greatest love and respect for all that is Hawaii.
They are a miniature simplified version of the collectible Magical Hawaiian Menehune Dolls. Aloha Dolls are about 3" tall. The bodies are made out of stretch cotton and stuffed with high quality poly fill. The eyes and mouth are intricately embroidered onto the face giving each doll a unique personality. Aloha Dolls are made to be handled with love and care. They are not suitable as a child's toy.
They are hung from an invisible loop to add their enchanting grace to any tree and embrace your home with the Aloha spirit of Hawaii.

Aloha Dolls are a wonderful gift to people close to you or to yourself at any time of the year.

Lulu (Peace)

Lulu embraces you with peace and harmony.

Lulu (Peace) wears a green grass skirt, an orange bikini, a green Ti leaf lei and a Plumeria flower. All accessories were individually handcrafted.

Leilani (Heavenly Flower)

Leilani invites you to enter her sacred space so that your beauty can unfold like the precious blossoms of the Plumeria Tree. 

Leilani (Heavenly Flower) has green leaf wings. She is a little flower fairy and wears a green, white and yellow flower dress, a yellow head lei and a Plumeria flower. All accessories were individually handcrafted.

Pele, Hawaiian Volcano Goddess 

Pele radiates strength and passion. 

Pele is named after the famous Hawaiian Volcano Goddess. She wears a lava red dress and a green feather head lei adorned wit red crystals. All accessories were individually handcrafted.

Alohi (Love) 

Allow Alohi to bless you with her love and let the spirit of Aloha shine from your heart. 

Alohi (Love) wears a hula skirt, a green feather lei and a green colored bikini. All accessories were individually handcrafted.

www.Etsy.com

Christmas Hula

Mele Kalikimaka! 

(Merry Christmas)

All these Menehunes are dancing into the Christmas spirit.Why not join them in their inspired celebration?

Uli'uli’s and Pu'ili’s Hula honors the miracle of creation.

Kahiko’s dance inspires us to awake, move forward and persevere, to live in faith with intention, determination and courage.

The gentle breeze of Olapa’s Mana (spiritual energy) empowers the spirit within.

Pua 'Olena’s dance channels the healing Mana of the 'Olena plant.

Mele Kalikimaka!

www.HawaiianCollectibleMenehuneDolls.com

Angels and Goddesses

The Christmas gift of Angel and Goddess art for guidance and inspiration.

Kukui

Elf Angel

Laka

Pretty Protea Angel

Poli'ahu, Hawaiian Snow Goddess

https://www.etsy.com/treasury

Hawaiian Halloween, Pala'ai, the Menehune Witch

Pala'ai (Pumkin)

Creating a miniature Menehune witch combining colors, dress codes and accessories pertaining to Halloween and Hawaii challenged my imagination.
But here she is: Pala'ai, the little Menehune Witch.

Pala'ai (Pumpkin)

Birth Date: ‘Okakopa 31, 2013 (10-31-13)

It’s Halloween in the Menehune village! There is so much excitement in the air!
Pala'ai was born on October 31 and Halloween just is her favorite time of the year. This year, Pala'ai (Pumpkin) is dressed up as a little witch. Carrying her Ipu Pu (pumpkin), she zooms on her broom to the Menehune Ohana (family) casting blessings and magical spells of Aloha (love) upon everyone she meets. Pala'ai’s happiness is contagious and in no time all the Menehunes wear big smiles on their faces, sharing their favorite Halloween treats, mai’as (bananas) and kahikis (pineapple), with each other.

Pala'ai’s magical Mana (spiritual energy) casts blessings of love and joy.

Pala'ai’s Tutu (grandmother) made her Halloween costume. She crocheted the witch’s hat and decorated it with a green feather Haku and an orange pompon on the tip. Tutu sewed a black cape out of silky material held together by a crystal in the front and an orange wraparound skirt with a Hawaiian flower design. She wove another green feather lei which Pala'ai wears around her hips. Tutu crocheted Pala'ai’s pointy black witch’s shoes and decorated the tips with small black pompons. She also crocheted Ipu Pu (pumpkin) and embroidered a face onto him. Then she gave Pala'ai an orange Plumeria flower to put behind her ear and her magical kitchen broom because a witch just has to have a broom.
Pala'ai’s witch costume was Tutu’s gift of Aloha (Love) to her Mo’opuna (granddaughter). Pala'ai loves to wear it. It makes her feel like a real little Hawaiian Menehune witch.

Pala'ai is about 3.5” tall fitting in the palm of your hand. The body is made out of stretch cotton and wired for flexibility. The eyes and mouth are intricately embroidered onto the face. Pala'ai has tiny little hands and feet, buttocks, and a belly button. All accessories were individually handcrafted.

Pala'ai is a one of a kind collectible display doll handcrafted by Hawaiian Dolls. She comes with her story and a certificate of authenticity.

Pala'ai conveys the Aloha spirit of Hawaii.

www.Etsy.com

Sacred Hula, the Soul of Hawaii

Aloha Mai 

 I come with love.

Hula is a highly ritualized Hawaiian dance expressing praise and worship to the Aloha spirit of Hawaii. The ancient Hawaiian Hula is a way of life linking humanity to spirit. It teaches about nature, respect and all that is sacred. 

Hula is referred to as the heartbeat of the Hawaiian people.

Many Kumu Hulas (Hula teachers) and Haumanas (students) dedicate their life to the art of Hula. Purification, rituals, and ceremonies have always been a prelude to this sacred dance which expresses love and humbleness. The beautiful movements tell stories about the wonders of nature, the creation of the world and much more.
Chants give life to Hula. Chants possess great Mana (spiritual energy) through the power of words.

Ke Ao Nani 

(The Beautiful World) 

I luna la i luna

Na manu o ka lewa

I lalo la i lalo

Na pua o ka honua

I uka la i uka

Na ulu la`au

I kai la i kai

Na i`a o ka moana

Ha`ina mai ka puana

A he nani ke ao nei

He inoa no kamali`i

______

Up above, above

Birds of the heavens

Below, below

Flowers of the earth

In the mountains, mountains

The forests

In the sea, the sea

Fishes of the ocean

Tell the refrain

Of the beautiful world

In the name of children

(Nona Beamer Collection)

Dancers often accompany themselves using a variety of traditional Hawaiian instruments which add the thrill of percussive sound to the Hula.

Vibrant colored feather gourds, called Ulu'uli, enhance the excitement of the dance.

Uli'uli

The Pu`ili dancing sticks are split bamboo rattles which intensify the rhythm of the hula.

Pu'ili

Together, the chant, the dance, and the instruments contain a magic that fills both, dancers and audience, with the spirit of Aloha.

The spiritual power of this beautiful dance inspired the creation of the Menehune twins 
Uli'uli and Pu'ili.
Hula dancers follow strict traditions when gathering the plants and materials for their costumes and instruments. Uliuli’s and Pili’s miniature costumes and accessories follow these traditions as closely as possible. A lot of love and energy went into their creation.

Eventually Uli'uli and Pu'ili became alive with the magic of Hula.

Uli'uli and Pu'ili

(Feather Gourd & Dancing Stick) 

Birth Date: ʻAukake 1, 2014 (08/01/14)

Aloha Mai 

I come with love.

Uli'uli and Pu'ili dance the ancient Hawaiian Kahiko Hula in unity and harmony.
The beautiful movements of their hands and bodies tell stories about the wonders of nature, the creation of the world and the Menehune Ohana (family). Uli'uli’s traditional feather gourds add sound and excitement to their dance. Pu`ili dancing sticks enhance the rhythm of their dance.

Uli'uli’s and Pu'ili’s Hula honors the miracle of creation.

Join them in their celebration of life’s joys and abundance.

Uli'uli and Pu'ili are Menehune Twins. Tutu (grandmother) is their Kumu Hula (Hula Teacher). She taught them the powerful movements of the Kahiko Hula.
Uli'uli is named after the Hawaiian Uli'uli (feather gourd). Tutu and Uli'uli made the feather gourds out of wood and bright red and yellow feathers. Tutu and Pu'ili carved his dancing sticks out of bamboo. Tutu blessed everything with Hawaiian salt and special prayers. The gourds and dancing sticks are sacred now. They were created for Uli'uli and Pu'ili and only they are allowed to touch them.
Tutu also hand crafted the traditional Ti leaf skirt and Malu (loincloth) for her Mo’opunas (grandchildren). In Hawaii Ti Leafs are used for protection and purification.
Tutu sewed a red top for Uli'uili and crocheted matching red panties.
She wove a yellow feather cape for Pu'ili and green feather Hakus (head leis), wrist and ankle leis for both of the twins. In Hawaii the Hulu (feather) represents spiritual strength, unity and love. It is believed to link to the divine.
All these precious things were Tutu’s gifts of Aloha (Love) to her Mo’opunas.

Uli'uli and Pu'ili are about 3.5” tall fitting in the palm of your hand. 

The bodies are made out of stretch cotton. The eyes and mouth are intricately embroidered onto the face. Uli'uli and Pu'ili have tiny little hands and feet, ears, buttocks, and belly buttons.
All accessories were individually handcrafted.

Uli'uli and Pu'ili are one of a kind display dolls handcrafted by Hawaiian Dolls. They come with their story and a certificate of authenticity.

Uli'uli's and Pu'ili's Hula teaches about all that is sacred.

 www.HawaiianCollectibleMenehuneDolls.com

Magical Powers of Hawaiian Ti Leaves

From ancient Hawaii up to this day the leaves of the Hawaiian Ti plant have been used for spiritual protection, purification and healing. Ti Leaves are sacred to Lono, the Hawaiian god of fertility and Laka, the goddess of Hula.
In ancient Hawaii Ti Leaves symbolized high rank and divine powers. Only the Ali’i (royalty) and Kahunas (high priests) were allowed to wear Ti leaves during their ceremonial rituals to ward off evil spirits and invoke the blessings of the gods.

In Hawaii Ti Leaves were and are still also used for many practical purposes, like wrapping food, making hula skirts and weaving leis.
Many people in Hawaii, me included, plant a Ti Leaf plant on each corner of their house for protection, purification, blessings, and good luck.

Ti Leaves have a very special, intense Mana (spiritual energy). I frequently pick 4 of the beautiful, shiny green leaves. The number four was considered sacred by ancient Hawaiians. Sometimes I surround myself with 4 Ti Leaves during meditation, which creates a feeling of resting within a sacred circle of light. At other times, I put them under certain objects or pictures to invoke protection, purification, blessing or healing.
Carrying a piece of a Ti Leaf on your body is believed to provide protection from negative energies. Wearing a Ti Leaf lei brings good luck. 

Bless your house with the powerful Mana of Ti Leaves! 

They make beautiful decorations and radiate a special feeling of safety and protection throughout the house.

The sacred Hawaiian Ti Leaves inspired the creation of Ti, a Magical Hawaiian Menehune.

Ti 

Birth Date: Lune 12, 2014 (06/12/14) 

Ti wanders happily through the enchanting Ohia forest. His Mana (spiritual energy) connects with the peace and serenity of Hawaii. In silence he communicates with nature honoring the divinity in all living things.
Ti is named after he Hawaiian Ti Plant which invokes spiritual protection, healing and good luck.

Empowered by the Ti Plant and his Ti Leaf torch, Ti's Mana bestows prosperity and blessings of body, mind and spirit. 

Ti’s Tutu (grandmother) wove her Mana into his Ti Leaf Haku (head lei). She sewed his Lavalava (wraparound) and crocheted green underpants. Last she strung and draped a Kukui Nut necklace around his neck. The Kukui Nut represents spirit revealing itself. The necklace blesses and protects Ti. Ti’s Kuku (grandfather) crafted the Ihoiho (torch) out of bamboo and Ti Leaves and fueled it with Kukui Nut oil.
All these things were Tutu’s and Kuku's sacred gifts of Aloha (Love) to their beloved Mo'opuna Kane (grandson).

 

Ti is about 3.5” tall fitting in the palm of your hand. His body is made out of stretch cotton and wired for flexibility. The eyes and mouth are intricately embroidered onto his face. Ti has tiny little hands and feet, ears, buttocks, and a belly button. The Ti Plant is made out of Ohia wood and artificial leaves.
All accessories were individually handcrafted.

Ti is a one of a kind collectible display doll handcrafted by Hawaiian Dolls.
He comes with the Ti Plant, his story and a certificate of authenticity.

Ti brings blessings, healing and prosperity to all who are around him. 

www.HawaiianCollectibleMenehuneDolls.com