"Kupu ka niu kupu ke kanaka."
The coconuts grow, people grow.
(He Pule Niu, Nathaniel B. Emerson 1897)
Niu, or coconut palm, is known across the Pacific as the "Tree of Life". It is integral to the wellbeing of Hawaiian communities as a source of food, water, medicine, wood, and fiber. In Honolulu and most communities, niu is the most widespread tree. Planting uluniu (coconut groves) is part of a Hawaiian royal legacy. Some of the few remaining ancient uluniu still stand today, telling the story of the people and their connection to the place.
In recent years, the coconut palm population has suffered losses due to an invasive beetle infestation. The coconut rhinoceros beetle is widespread across our islands and destroys trees by burrowing holes and chewing on fronds. Fortunately, there is hope as a movement of niu champions are rising to protect and replant niu across Hawai‘i.
This design honors the historical significance niu and niu haku (sprouting coconut), for it is the new generation that holds in it our hope for the future.
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