Note: most of our surviving information that originates prior to the development of the Hawaiian writing system was recorded over a decade after warfare had come to an end in Hawaiʻi and use of the sling had already begun to fade into history. The last major battle to likely utilize solely traditional warfare and weapons took place during the Battle of Mokuʻōhai in 1782 (though the sling remained an important weapon throughout and following Kamehameha the Greatʻs conquest), with the last recorded observation of traditional warfare and weapons occurring in the Kauaʻi Rebellion of 1824. The first recorded book of Hawaiian history and culture written from the Hawaiian perspective was printed in 1838. Because of this, most of the surviving information of the sling and their use depends largely on the accounts of non-Hawaiians before the development the written Hawaiian language, as well as oral histories passed down amongst the Hawaiian people before being documented by scholars.

Hawaiian Terminology & Definitions

UPDATE: 5/16/25

'Alā / 'alā o ka ma'a - another term for sling stone, though more correctly refers to intentionally shaped biconical/prolated/oblate spheroid projectiles, as well as a specific type of dense basalt that was mined and shaped for tools like adzes

'Eke'eke ma'a - sling pouch/cup ('eke'eke = small pouch/bag; maʻa

ʻEke ʻalā/pōhaku - stone/projectile pouch (ʻeke = bag). Slingers likely utilized a netted pouch to carry their stones/projectiles that was fastened to their malo (traditional loincloth) during combat, yet could be slung over the shoulder when moving or retreating.

Kā 'alā - the art and practice of throwing sling stones/ammunition (kā: to hit, strike, throw, smite, hack, thrust, toss, fling, hurl, dash, especially with a quick hard stroke;  'alā: see previous reference above). Kā'alā is also one of the terms used to define/describe a slinger

Kanawao - round water worn/shaped stone (technically pebble or small), known to be used for slinging and/or fishing sinkers

Ma'a - word for sling. Also the snapping/cracking sound made by the sling breaking the sound barrier; sometimes used to refer to the act of using/throwing with a sling

Ma'a pōhaku - basic word for rock sling, but may also be used to describe the action of slinging

Pōhaku - word for rock

Maaalaioa - Archaic spelling of what now would be spelled as ma'ālai'oā or ma'ālaioā. Modern ictionaries define this term as "to shoot a sling", though likely a mistranslation and instead refers to a specific way the sling was used in warfare to break open defenses/formations of opposing forces, or to pass over the primary lines of a formation and into the main body of an army (ālai: "obstruction/defensive formation"; 'oā: "to crack / crack open"; oā: "to pass or toss over an object or to go beyond a specific point"). Also referenced as term to define a slinger.

Ma'akū - listed a term for slinging with a sling and stone / the act of using the sling; be specific to a particular way the sling was used. My speculation is it refers to the act of casting the stone high into the air, as with a volley or hitting things in flight or high off the ground. Example of term being used: "Ua maʻakū aku lāua i ka manu" (They slung a stone at the bird with the sling).

Mea kaua - weapon. In Hawaiian culture, the sling was primarily viewed as a weapon, though there are some indications it was used in limited capacity as a hunting tool for birds, possibly pigs/boars, and possibly in forms of competition or games (mea: thing/object; kaua: war)

Pōhaku ma'a - basic reference of a sling stone

Origin of the Hawaiian People/Hawaiian Sling

It is generally believed that Polynesian migrations to Hawaii took place in multiple waves between 100-1400, and the islands were settled by multiple different peoples of Polynesia and potentially other seafaring peoples of the Pacific, the most recognized influences/colonizations coming from the Marquesas Islands and Tahiti, with sling technology arriving in the Hawaiian islands during these migration/colonization waves. It is unknown which specific people first introduced sling technology, or when.

There are ongoing debates on the influence of South American cultures on Hawaii, Polynesia and Oceania as a whole, as well as hypotheses and emerging evidence of inter-Oceanic travel that may have included contact and cultural exchanges between the peoples of the Americas, Australia and Eastern Pacific thousands of years ago, though this is largely dismissed by researchers and scholars.


UPDATE: 4/19/25

Slings - primarily made from the fibers of hau (sea hibiscus), coconut, ʻule hala (pandanus aerial root) and ʻolonā, though also suspected of being made with other types of natural fiber materials commonly used in other applications (ex: wauke) and more exotic materials like human hair (which in Hawaiian tradition contains the mana or spiritual power and essence of an individual). Based on identified fiber types, the strongest and best slings were made from the fibers of the olonā, one of the strongest natural fibers in the world.

Texts indicate that hau was the most common fiber utilized to create ma'a in Hawai'i, likely due to the ease of production, availability and the characteristics of this type of fiber (extremely high tensile strength, yet flexible). However hau is more susceptible to rot and water permeation/absorption than most other fibers utilized, which would affect the slings capabilities in Hawai'i's tropical and subtropical climate; especially rain or battlefields around water (ocean warfare and fighting in or amongst fresh water bodies was common in Hawaiian warfare).

Investigation into the different types of fibers revealed slings made from coconut fiber, hala and olonā likely likely produced the best in terms of water and rot resistance. However, coconut and ʻule hala fibers are significantly more difficult to extract that either hau or ʻolona and tend to be a lot more abrasive to the user. Overall, ʻolonā is still the winner, yet it's cultivation and production difficultly, along with its prioritization of other more important crafts, may explain why it likely wasnʻt used as frequently as hau and may have been utilized in slings made for high ranking chiefs or as ceremonial objects/weapons.


Projectiles UPDATE: 4/19/25

There are two specific references to stones types used in the sling.

The first, kanawao, seems to refer to the most basic form of rock projectiles: a naturally water worn/rounded stone that occurrs in or along rivers and stream beds. 

The second, ʻalā, refers to both a type of extremely dense, solid basalt rock that was intentionally mined from d-ike rock, though sometimes can occur naturally (though rare), while also used to describe an intentionally shaped biconical, prolate and oblate spheroid projectiles (similar to what we would consider glandes) that was the preferred projectile used with the sling.

Distinguishing between the two types of stone can be confusing for most. The simplest way is to distinguish kanawao as the typical slingstones one readily finds in nature, while ʻalā are mined. A key visual difference is the presence of air pockets in the rock, which will often be present in kanawao, yet mostly or completely absent in ʻalā, as well as weight and density, which is also higher in 'alā. However, as both types of stone were shaped, I now specifically user term 'alā for shaped projectiles and pōhaku when referencing naturally occurring stones to avoid confusion.

Some text indicate that Hawaiians also used shaped pieces of dense wood when stones werenʻt available.

No examples of clay ammunition have been found as the fabrication of pottery is believed to have been utilized only extremely limited cases, if at all, due to the lack of ideal clay types in the Hawaiian islands and pottery technology likely being lost by the time their ancestors arrived in the islands. However, recent experiments with purified volcanic soils from my home (likely vertisol, mollisol or entisol based) produced excellent results in the creation of hard clay glandes via air drying that are somewhat resistant to cracking or shattering, even when temper is not included and striking hard surfaces.

Findings on ʻAlā Shape - Update 4/19/25

An interesting note on ʻalā is when compared to other cultures of the Polynesia, Hawaiians not only preferred both heavier projectiles (3-6oz seems to be the average), but also spherical prolate spheroids than elongated types (think glandes more shaped like lemons, rather than longer like an American footballs).

First, limitations in fabrication. While Hawaiians were more than capable of achieving the typical elongated prolates we are familiar with, surviving 'alā indicate they largely chose not to. One explanation for this lies in traditional Hawaiian stonecrafting techniques, in which a stone was "pecked" with a hammer stone to obtain their shape and further refined and smoothed with grinding stone. Given the preferred types of stones used for ʻalā, refining to a an elongated prolate would have required drastically more time, labor and skill.

Secondly, Hawaiian warfare was primarily unarmored and at closer ranges and in smaller combat areas than other cultures, sometimes in densely forested or vegetated areas. While elongated prolate spheroids naturally produce greater penetration and the ability to fly longer distances more accurately, spherical prolates can can achieve ideal aerodynamics and accuracy at closer ranges due to increased flight stability while being less dependent on a more perfect release.

Furthermore, considering the majority of combatants in traditional Hawaiian warfare did not include armored units outside of Chiefs (Aliʻi), who utilized densely woven feather capes (ʻahu ʻula) and helmets (mahiʻole), and some individuals observed to have used basic forms of torso armor made of woven mats or layers of traditional fiber, penetration wasn't as essential or necessary other parts of the world where heavily armored and shield units were the norm. In this light, spherical prolates are significantly more effective at delivering impact forces (and thereby damage) more uniformly while also reducing potential for glancing off a target.

It is also important to note that while there is clear reverence for the sling throughout Hawaiian history, we were not a sling centric culture like others across the Pacific (like Guam) or other parts of the world, which could have limited technological improvements to both the sling and projectile designs.

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Not much is known about the specific design details of Hawaiian variants of slings prior to European contact as none exist today.

The British museum houses the only known surviving example of a traditional Hawaiian sling in museum collections (Oc,HAW.175) that predates the 1900s, believed to have been collected in the 1830s. It is unknown how old the sling actually is or if it was used in any of the conflicts prior to or between Kamehameha the Greatʻs conquest of the Hawaiian islands (~1782-1810) and the Battle of Kuamoʻo (1819).  Slings on display at the Bishop Museum are modern creations of the 20th century and likely based on examples curated by the museum in the early to mid 1900s and referenced in the book "Arts and Crafts of Hawaiʻi" by former Museum curator, Peter Buck.

Focused Analysis of Oc,HAW.175 Update 4/26/25

First off, we have ArchaicArms to thank for identifying this sling.

It is unknown at this time if this design was the standard for sling construction or possibly ceremonial or belonging to an individual of a high chiefly rank due to it's intricate design and ʻolonā fiber being utilized in its fabrication. It consists of a solid pouch made from tightly woven 'olonā fibers connecting to the retention and release cords, both of which were braided with a herringbone plait weave. The original finger loop appears to have originally been spliced into the retention cord, forming a simple eye. Some resources have indicated that the pouch was braided first and then the cords braided or attached separately, which is somewhat evident in 175 for at least one side of the pouch, though more analysis of the pouch/cord connection point is needed.

One interesting feature of this sling is a coating applied to the pouch and cord connection points. Information obtained from "Arts and Crafts of Hawaiʻi" provided more insight and substantiation to my hypothesis of this substance being intentionally utilized in sling construction or possibly repair. Hawaiians  utilized a natural adhesive akin to epoxy that was derived from the sap of the ʻulu, āulu and pāpala kepau trees, which when combined with powdered pumice, red earth/clay soils (ʻalaea) or heavy clay soils (pālolo) forms a thick paste used in repairs of wooden items and as a stiffening and waterproofing agent for cordage. In the case of cordage, differing mixtures were observed to be specific to cordage types; namely ʻalaea and pālolo mixes primarily utilized for hau, ʻule hala and coconut fibers, while powdered pumice primarily utilized with ʻolonā. The reason for this may lie with the fiber structure, with hau, ʻule hala and coconut being significantly more abrasive and porous when compared to ʻolonā, thereby benefiting from a smoother, smaller particle size to fill in fiber pores and weaving/braiding voids while not increasing abrasion. In contrast, ʻolonā, having a smoother fiber structure and being more robust/resistant to abrasion, would benefit from a grittier, more abrasive filler to help with adhesion. Mixtures made with powdered pumice and āulu/pāpala kepau sap also produced a visually smoother and stronger adhesive compared to those made from ʻulu sap, which tends to become hard and brittle after drying.

Thus far, I have yet to determine if the coating was applied to the pouch from a functional standpoint, such as reinforcing the pouch structure and/or improve traction/grip within the pouch, or specifically utilized for repairs.

Note: I had originally assumed that the broken retention loop of 175 had been repaired with the same substance found on the pouch. Curators of the British Museum clarified that this is actually discoloration due to the maʻa being hung for display by an iron nail, which corroded and lead to its discoloration. It is assumed at this time that this damage also resulted in the break.   




The  primary throwing style may be what we might consider the basic helicopter style, as the only description Iʻve been able to find describes the cast as "being whirled around the head", though it's possible that different schools of slinging may have developed other throwing styles are familiar with.


UPDATE: 5/17/25

Usage of the sling was primarily for warfare, though there is evidence that it was utilized in the hunting of birds and potentially pigs. There are legends in which the sling was utilized in competition and being called a "play thing of boys" (meant as an insult), so it is plausible that it was used for competition or games based on these observations.

Sling units have been referenced as being one of main unit types within a Chiefʻs army, even in periods when warfare was forbidden, being expected to be trained and fabricating or repairing slings and slingstones at all times.

As with most specialized units of militaries throughout history, there were likely dedicated training centers or schools for slingers throughout the islands, with some of those places preserving their association with either famous slingers, famous events in which the slings were used and/or places where sling training occurred. Examples are provided in a follow-up comment.

In terms of equipment, it is believed that unlike the majority or large number of warriors, who often fought naked, slingers wore one of the few units who loin cloths (malo) that allowed them to carry both the sling and a net-bag ('eke ma'a) of sling stones, thus freeing up their hands when not in combat or using/carrying other weapons/tools. The net-bag would be tied on the right side of the waist and could be thrown across the chest and over the left shoulder when running.

The use of the sling was witnessed to be a major component of the opening of most engagements when opposing armies at their greatest distances. Volleys of slingstones and spears were hurled between both forces as they drew closer to each other to engage in close quarter combat (CQB). However, the sling was also mentioned or observed or at least perceived to be used at closer ranges as well, as evident in one telling of the death of high chief Kiwalaʻō in the Battle of Mokuʻōhai.

The sling appears to be a one of the major weapons utilized during naval combat. Hawaiian naval combat took place on canoes with opposing forces often fighting in lines, with sling utilized at greater distances as the opposing lines of canoes closed in on each other to engage in CQB.

Several stories also indicate that slingers were major components of outposts, forts and fortresses..

While there are some references indicating that Hawaiian bows may have been utilized in warfare as late as Kamehamehaʻs conquest of the Hawaiian Islands, the bow was primarily used in the hunting and control of rodents, which was also a sport amongst those of the royal class. In this light, it is safe to assume that the sling was the primary long distance projectile used in combat.


Other notes

An interesting note in Mr. Buckʻs book is one sling that was was donated to the museum, comprised of a very simple braided split pouch design and utilized to shoot 'alā along the axis of the projectile, much like we would expect amongst Balearic slingers. The sling maker and donor is listed as Edgar Henriques, an American businessman who emigrated to the Hawaiian Islands in 1896. While his name suggests he may have been of Hispanic origin, I was unable to confirm if he or his family may have come from the Balearic Islands or regions that may have been influenced by the singing culture of Spain and thus the sling he fabricated.

There is a specialty type martial art that focused on the utilization of a strangulation cord. It is highly likely that slingers also specialized in this strangulation cord technique as a form of close quarter combat (CQB) when the sling could not be employed due to the enemy being in close proximity.

Consultation with practitioners of the traditional Hawaiian martial art Lua reaffirmed the idea that a slinger likely carried CQB weapons like wooden daggers (pahoa), edged daggers (pahi), short spears (ʻihe), wooden clubs (laʻau palau), stone clubs (newa), or shark tooth implements, either to finish off a stunned opponent or for defense when opponents were in within ranges that made the use of the sling difficult. Further discussions with individuals associated with Lua groups claim they still utilize slings as part of their practices, with their techniques being genuine to traditional techniques. As to the authenticity of their techniques and slings, I am unsure of at this

Fantastic. Intrigued by this "Olona" fibre, I went searching and found this!
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Oc-HAW-175">https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Oc-HAW-175

Kick wrote on Mar 7^th, 2021 at 1:47pm:

Try clicking the second one (the one at the end). Even though I pasted one link, two things come up in the post 

I'd like to see the CQB strangulation technique 

Thanks for the additional info! Interesting that the sling was used other than a ranged weapon. Also interesting that the Hawaiians had specific martial arts/techniques for tripping/strangulation.

Kick wrote on Mar 8^th, 2021 at 3:03am:


It would be more similar to a meteor hammer, with either a stone or dense wood as the weighted end with varying lengths of rope.

But again, this is surviving knowledge. We must remember that the Hawaiian population was decimated within the first 100 years following western contact (+400,000-500,000 population in 1778 to ~60,000 population in 1878), so a lot of our arts, practices and cultures died with our people.

Also, beginning with the introduction of firearms in the late 1700s (which aided Kamehameha the Great significantly in his conquest of the islands) and moreso after our traditional form of government and religion (known as the Kapu system) was abolished and the battle of Kuamo'o (where there was a final stand to preserve the Kapu), our kingdom essentially phased out traditional forms of warfare from military practice and no major conflicts occurred until the Wilcox rebellion of 1898, which by then what military we did have was completely westernized and used modern military firearms and weapons.

Given these scenarios, we likely lost unimaginable amounts of knowledge regarding traditional Hawaiian warfare, which may have included more sophisticated types of projectile weapons similar to the bolas or more advanced designs of slings.

It's so cool to hear about the history of a culture I don't know almost anything about. Thanks for these posts!

Added some updates to the original post for those still following