Hawai‘i Wisdom — February 2016

A humpback whale tail. Photo courtesy of Kalasara Setaysha

O luna, o lalo; o uka, o kai; o ka palaoa pae, no kea li‘i ia.

“Above, below; the upland, the lowland; the whale that washes ashore — all belong to the chief.”

The chief owned everything in the land he ruled. Ivory obtained from the teeth of whales that washed ashore was very valuable.

Source: ‘Olele No‘eau, by Mary Kawena Pukui