He Manu Ke Ali’i I Ka Lani
The bird is the chief in the heavens
Nā Manu o Hawaiʻi
Endemic Hawaiian honey creepers have evolved over millions of years in the Hawaiian islands to thrive and mold in Hawai’i’s ecosystems. For thousands of years the Hawaiian people have held these birds with some of the highest kapu, sacredness, for their roles in connecting chiefs to the divine through feathered ornaments.
These birds having evolved to be one with our unique forest ecosystems adds a level of fragility with their sacredness and isolation. We have lost today nearly 96 species of birds, and over 40 species of creepers in the Hawaiian islands with introduction of foreign diseases and plants. Extinction plagues our landscapes in Hawai’i, and so the questions must be raised, what are we going to do about it?
ʻula
1. nvi. Red, scarlet; brown, as skin of Hawaiians; to appear red. Piʻi ka ʻula, to blush, flush. A ʻula! ʻUla ka maka! Red! Red-eyed! [a rude remark, often said while drawing down an eyelid, a way of wishing ill luck]. Cf. ʻulaʻula. hō.ʻula To redden, make red. (PPN kula.)
2. n. Short for koaʻe ʻula, red-tailed tropic bird.
3. nvs. Sacred; sacredness; regal, royal (probably so called because red was a sacred color). Cf. ʻaha ʻula, ʻūlāleo. Ka makani ʻula, the sacred spirit.
4. n. Blood. He ʻula waiwai, blood of great value, as royal blood.
5. n. Agate. (Puk. 30.12.)
6. Same as ʻula ʻai hāwane.
7. n. A ringing in the ears, as due to rising in altitude, believed by some to be a sign that one is being talked of. Ke kani mai nei ka ʻula o koʻu pepeiao, [I] hear my ear ringing.
8. n. Ghost, spirit. Cf. ʻūlāleo. Kapuaʻi-ka-ʻula (Oʻahu place name), footprint [of] spirits.