Bringing the Kukui Nut back to its glory...
Here's the skinny...
One of my favorite pieces to make are our Kukui Nut Bracelets. Not a lot of people outside of Hawaii or the Polynesian Islands know about these precious little nuts so I thought I would give the scoop on them.
When the Polynesians first arrived in the Hawaiian Islands, they brought with them the seeds of the Kukui Tree. The ancient Hawaiians used the oil derived from the nuts for many things in their culture. They used the oils for treating skin ailments, burns and for helping with sore muscles. The word “Kukui” is a term that refers to a ‘light or torch” and these nuts were often used as torches and lamps which could also help to count time. It is said that each Kukui Nut can stay lit from 5 – 15 minutes. As time went on, the oil was used for lotions, soaps and even for protection of wooden surfboards. The outer shells were often used in the process for creating natural dyes for tattoos and the meat can be added as a spice to food or ingested as a natural laxative. It literally is the Jack-of-All-Trades nut for the South Pacific. As you can guess, the Kukui Nut has great symbolism for Hawai’i and for many other Polynesian cultures. In fact, the Kukui Tree became the State Tree of Hawaii in 1959. That poor dang Coconut Tree.
Here's why we love them...
So, let’s get into why we love using these nuts for our Bracelets. The shells of the nuts were polished and worn as leis by Hawaiian nobles and royalty as symbols of protection, peace, enlightenment and light---they have a subtle energy known in Hawaii as ‘Ki.” Therefore, people who wear Kukui Nut Leis are essentially ‘bearers of light.’ Traditional Kukui Nut Bracelets were often worn at weddings to symbolize the joining of spiritual light into a single, holy glow. Ministers, Hula dancers and military leaders began wearing these leis and bracelets as protection and for spiritual strength which later became adopted by the masses. They are used today for traditional ceremonies, weddings, graduations and given out to arriving guests throughout the South Pacific.
Unfortunately, from the 1950’s until recently, they were often sold at touristy shops as cheap souvenir leis and bracelets which kinda diminished their glory over the past few decades. I wore one of these when I was young for years and years until it began feeling dated and cliché to me. I also started seeing them in mass at the corner market stores and on tourist wrists so that also put a damper on them (the bracelet now felt like a gimmick). It got thrown in a drawer and forgotten about until a few years ago. I still liked the bracelet, but felt it lacked something---it just was a string of nuts at this point. It’s another reason why I started making bracelets. I wanted to give them a make-over and give them back that cultural punch and individuality they desperately needed. That’s also when I decided that I personally wanted to bring these traditional bracelets back into their glorious light...with a new signature.
Our Kukui Nut Bracelets.
I find them very cool…not only for all that significance, but how they look and feel. There really is a therapeutic feel to them like ancient meditation beads. In fact, many historians say they were actually the very first form of meditation/worry beads. The nuts come in a variety of colors so the design possibilities are endless. I added some new flare, design elements and components to the traditional string Kukui Nut Bracelets which gives them a bit more pop and some added significance. Even though these bracelets look big and chunky, they are light and perfect for the beach or da club. They are also made with heavy-duty stretch chord so they will stick around for a very looooooong time. When you flash a Shaka or hold a cocktail wearing one of these nut jobs, you literally are the cat’s meow. They scream island style and I tell ya…when you wear one of these bracelets…you feel the sand between your toes, the sun on your face and the aloha flowing over you.
You won’t find these types of Kukui Nut Bracelets anywhere else except here at Islands To Highlands. Like all our bracelets, these are hand-made and one-of-a-kind. So, come check ‘em out and find the right Kukui Nut Bracelet that shows off your island tradition and aloha spirit. Shaka and bear the light...
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Big Shaka Shot!