Updated a few sections, particularly with regards to etymology and terminology.

One major issue with attempting to provide exact meanings for slinging terms and definitions is that the Hawaiian language can be poetic in nature, with words and terms often having what we refer to as kaona (deeper, hidden meaning). Because of this, I dedicated a lot of time dissecting each slinging term/word I came across to reveal the possible kaona that might not have been mentioned in the listed definition.

Archaic Arms wrote on Mar 7^th, 2021 at 1:44pm:


Forgot to mention, AA.

A colleague of mine needed to obtain ʻolonā for a documentary they filmed last year on traditional Hawaiian Ulua fishing.

If you go through the same source, ʻolonā fibers can be yours for the cheap price of $3000/oz 

In all seriousness, hearing this from my colleague was quite sad. ʻOlonā cultivation and production was commonplace throughout much of our history prior to the mid and later 1800s. Now it is essentially impossible to obtain; even for most Hawaiians that arenʻt Hawaiian culture artesans or practitioners that can find/obtain ʻolonā plants to make the fiber themselves or afford the ridiculous prices.

xud9a - call me zud 👍 wrote on Apr 21^st, 2025 at 7:59am:


Although 'olonā is related to nettle, it's significantly harder to grow in both it's natural range or traditional plantations as they require very specific conditions that are difficult to replicate in modern times.

I encouraged a botanist colleague to attempt to propagate it as he frequently propagates, cultivates and distributes many of our native species to the community. He expressed interest but said it might be too difficult due to the specialized equipment needed, as well as the fact that most individuals would not be able to cultivate them properly without artificially creating a suitable climate.

xud9a - call me zud 👍 wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2025 at 3:55am:


Iʻve spoken to individuals who have significantly more experience with our native plants than I; my botanist colleague and another trained botanist who operates a nursery business specifically for native plants. In both cases, neither observed or was successful in cultivating them outside of their native range , so it would be essentially impossible for me to do so without creating the specialized structure that would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to fabricate and maintain where Iʻm located.

There is a community in my town that has 60 acres of forested land higher up in the mountains with lots of moisture. If I can convince my colleague to take up the propagation aspect, I could possibly convince them to start planting out ʻolonā. Given the current price point from the one source I mentioned, it could be a significant source of revenue for the members of the community while also increasing availability for artisans and cultural practitioners at hopefully a significantly less price point.

The major problem is that very few people still utilize understory plantation cultivation techniques used by Hawaiians of old, so it would be a learning curb for everyone involved.

Iʻve decided to extract specific references from journals and scholarly works and post them separately.




"Their weapons consisted of the pololū, a spear made of hard wood, from sixteen to twenty feet long, and pointed at one end. The ʻihe , or javelin, about six feet in length, made of a species of hard red wood, resembling mahogany, called kauila, pointed and barbed. The laʻau palau, a weapon eight or nine feet long, between a club and spear, somewhat resembling a halbert, with which they were accustomed to thrust or strike, and the pahoa, or dagger, eighteen inches or two feet in length, made of the hard wood, sometimes pointed at both ends, and having a string attached to the handle, which passed round the wrist to prevent their losing it in action. Besides these, they employed the sling, and their stones were very destructive. The slings were made of human hair, plaited, or the elastic fibres of the cocoa-nut husk ; the stones they employed were about the size of a hen’s egg, generally ponderous pieces of compact lava, from the bed of a stream or the sea-beach, where they had been worn smooth by the action of the water."

"Their camp was near an open space, and they generally selected the most broken and uneven ground, frequently rugged tracts of lava, as their fields of battle. Sometimes they encamped on the banks of a river, or deep ravine, which lying between them and their enemies, secured them from sudden attack. But they do not appear to have thrown up lines or other artificial barriers around their camp ; they did not, however, neglect to station piquets at all the passes by which they were likely to be approached. Each party usually had a pali or pā kaua, natural or artificial fortress, where they left their wives and children, and to which they fled if vanquished in the field. These fortresses were either eminences of difficult ascent, and, by walling up the avenues leading to them, sometimes rendered inaccessible; or they were extensive enclosures, including a cave, or spring, or other natural means of sustenance or security. The stone walls around the forts were composed of large blocks of lava, laid up solid, but without cement, sometimes eighteen feet high, and nearly twenty feet thick. On the tops of these walls the warriors fought with slings and stones, or with spears and clubs repelled their assailants. When their pali was an eminence, after they had closed the avenues, they collected large stones and fragments of rock on the edges of the precipices overhanging the paths leading to the fortification, which they rolled down on the heads of their enemies."

(Note: Pali, lit. "cliff, precipice, side of a steep revine, a steep hill"; Pā kaua, lit. "war fence/enclosure". Pali  likely refers to a naturally occurring structures, such as cliff faces or steep hills, but may also refer to man-made structures with steep sides, such as outposts)

"Sometimes they engaged in fleets amounting to upwards of one hundred canoes on each side. At a distance they fought with slings and stones, and other missiles, and, at close quarters, with club and spear. Their fleets were not lashed together like those of the Society islanders. The Sandwich Islands not being surrounded with coral reefs, there is but little smooth water; and the roughness of the sea, most likely, induced them generally to select terra firma for their theatre of war."

“We had not travelled far before we reached Ninole, a small village on the sea-shore, celebrated on account of a short pebbly beach called Kōloa, the stones of which were reported to possess very singular properties, amongst others, that of propagating their species. The natives told us it was a wahi pana (place famous) for supplying the stones employed in making small adzes and hatchets, before they were acquainted with the use of iron ; but particularly for furnishing the stones of which the gods were made, who presided over most of the games of Hawaii. Some powers of discrimination, they told us, were necessary to discover the stones which would answer to be deified. When selected, they were taken to the heiau, and there several ceremonies were performed over them. Afterwards, when dressed, and taken to the place where the games were practised, if the parties to whom they belonged were successful, their fame was established; but, if unsuccessful for several times together, they were either broken to pieces, or thrown contemptuously away. When any were removed for the purpose of being transformed into gods, one of each sex was generally selected, and were always wrapped very carefully together in a piece of native cloth. After a certain time, they said a small stone would be found with them, which, when grown to the size of its parents, was taken to the heiau or temple, and afterwards made to preside at the games.

We were really surprised at the tenacity with which this last opinion was adhered to, not only by the poor people of the place, but by several others, with whom we have since conversed, and whom we should have supposed better informed. It required all the argument and ridicule that we could employ, to make them believe it could not possibly be so. Kōloa was also a place of importance in times of war, as the best stones used in their slings were procured here.”

(Note: Based on the locations of Ellisʻ tour, Nīnole likely references an ahupuaʻa (land division) in the moku (district) of Kaʻū, located in the southern region of Moku o Keawe, which
we now refer to as Hawaiʻi island or the Big Island, rather than the Nīnole occurring along the Hāmākua Coast in the northern region of Moku o Keawe)

Exerts from "Kamehameha and His Warrior, Kekūhaupiʻo" by Rev. Stephen L. Desha

Contest between ʻOulu and Kekūhaupiʻo

When the Hawai‘i people were put to flight by the combined Maui and O‘ahu forces, they were in great difficulties, but also the Maui people had suffered great losses, therefore they did not pursue the Hawai‘i people. While the Hawai‘i people were fleeing seaward to where Kalani‘ōpu‘u was staying, there came news of the battle inland—the fleeing people met Kekūhaupi‘o and his young lord, and at that time the fearlessness of Chief Kamehameha and his warrior, of whom this story is old, was shown. They briefly halted their speedy flight and turned to see the famous actions of those fiery ones—Pai‘ea Kalaninuimehameha, and his battle instructor, and at this same time heard of the genuine fearlessness of Kekūhaupi‘o, attempting to shield the rushing flight of the Hawai‘i people.

The warrior on Kahekili’s side most famous for hurling stones was sent after them. His name was ‘Oulu and he was also famous for shooting arrows (pua mau‘u)

.

When ‘Oulu came close to Kekūhaupi‘o, he whirled his sling and cast his slingstone with great strength at Kekūhaupi‘o’s right leg while at the same time Kekūhaupi‘o lifted up his foot and the stone struck at his feet. It was said that the place where the slingstone dug into the earth was hot and that when Kekūhaupi‘o lowered his foot that place where the stone had struck was very hot. ‘Oulu again whirled his sling mightily and cast straight at Kekūhaupi‘o’s left leg. During the flight of the slingstone, Kekūhaupi‘o quickly lifted up his left leg and the stone struck where Kekūhaupi‘o’s foot had been. When Kekūhaupi‘o set his foot down that place where the slingstone had struck had been made very hot by the strength of the throw of this famous warrior of Kahekili. When the second stone missed Kekūhaupi‘o, ‘Oulu began his third attempt to harm the life of the famous warrior of Hawai‘i Nui Kuauli, and Kekūhaupi‘o realized he was in difficulty as there was no time to meet hand to hand. Also, Kekūhaupi‘o realized that he had escaped the previous slingstones because ‘Oulu had not wished to harm his opponent. When ‘Oulu was whirling his sling for the third time, Kekūhaupi‘o called out to his opponent in a loud voice: “E ‘Oulu ē, for me, a slingstone?” When ‘Oulu heard this call by Kekūhaupi‘o, he whirled his sling with great strength and threw the stone elsewhere. By this means, ‘Oulu spared the life of Kekūhaupi‘o because that last slingstone which ‘Oulu had thought to hurl was to have been directed straight at Kekūhaupi‘o’s navel. This was realized by Kekūhaupi‘o and was the reason he asked for that slingstone.

That was a noble action (hana kohu) showing admiration for the opponent in accordance with his status.


Kamehameha and the Battle of Hakalau, circa 1791

...While Kamehameha and his men were idling pleasurably at Hakalau, feasting on the delicacies prepared by the chiefesses, he received secret information about the Maui people saying that they were planning to attack him and his people. As the most favorite occupation of this Pai‘ea Kamehameha was warfare, he rejoiced in this news. He secretly called Kekūhaupi‘o and some of his officers and disclosed the news which had been told him. They began to discuss the means of meeting the enemy who were thinking of a night assault on them.

Quick preparations were made to meet the enemy, and the army called Hunalele was readied. These were people very accomplished with slingstones, led by Kalawa the famous warrior of Hālawa at North Kohala. They were quickly sent to the stream, where it emerged at the sea, to gather hard stones to let fly when they met the enemy.

At this time also the Huelokū were readied. They were very skillful at hurling spears and at seizing them and they were led by Puniawa, a famous warrior of Makahanaloa, close to Hakalau. He was a daring man accomplished in warfare.

Kamehameha ordered the warriors of this division to follow quickly after the Hunalele after they had thrown their hard basaltic stones which made a cracking sound when they struck.

When Kamehameha’s Hunalele warriors had prepared their slingstones they proceeded to the place where they would meet the Maui warriors led by that pā‘ele kū [black, referring to tattooing] warrior of the Bays of Pi‘ilani.

The Maui warriors were sure that Kamehameha was not aware of their secret attack and they came down thinking that Kamehameha was taking his ease. However they met with something undreamed of: the hot stones of Kaueleau (unyielding forces).

When those Maui warriors emerged from the ‘ama‘uma‘u ferns they were startled to meet the Hawai‘i warriors.

The stones from the slings of the Hunalele struck some of them, so that their bodies were left in the foreign land.

However, Kaihe quickly called to his warriors and led them fearlessly to meet Kamehameha’s Hunalele army, who, not having spears in their hands, were unable to fight with those Maui people. At this time the warriors of the Huelokū, led by Puniawa, the famous warrior of Makahanaloa, met the Maui people face to face and a very strong battle between the two sides began.

Kamehameha’s army was very skilled at hurling spears and in warding off or seizing the spears of their enemy. They fought like hyenas, uttering their battle calls, and trampled the Maui people who had become victims of Kamehameha’s Hunalele warriors. The Maui people displayed their fearlessness and great cleverness as they were very skilled in that type of battle, learned from numerous encounters. This “black man” of Kahekili was incomparably skilled with his spear and was overwhelming Kamehameha’s warriors, as well as warding off with great skill the thrusts of his opponents, so that his followers were encouraged by his bravery."



Kamehameha and the Assassination of Keōua at Puʻukoholā


... However, Keōua placed his general, Ka‘ie‘iea, behind himself. Ka‘ie‘iea then leaped to the other bow of the canoe, as this was a double canoe, and there the famous warriors fended off the spears of the people ashore. The spears were seized, warded off, and many of them flew into the sea. Those spears which were seized were hurled back by Keōua and Ka‘ie‘iea to the people on shore, and many of those were killed by the two of them. When Kamehameha’s warriors saw the bravery of this great ali‘i of Ka‘ū and his famous general, they knew they could not be victorious if they continued hurling spears, so they began to seize the rocks which had been heaped up at a place very close to where the fight was started. When the rocks began to be hurled at the two of them and the others on board, they attempted to seize them and hurl them back, and some of Kamehameha’s people were killed by their own stones which they had hurled. After some time had passed, however, perhaps about the hour of two o’clock, After Kamehameha’s people had slaughtered all of Keōua’s warriors, Ke‘eaumoku got the body of Keōua and took it ashore. Truly, the only one on the side of Keōua who escaped secretly was Kuakāhela, one of his leaders and kuhikuhipu‘uone."[/color]