In Hawaiian culture the chiefs or Ali’i wore an ivory fishhook around their necks as a sign of their royalty. These ivory hooks were carved from the teeth of sperm whales. On the island of Oahu, Kualoa is the only place where the bodies of sperm whales washed ashore. And from these whales the ivory obtained for the carving of lei niho palaoha. Thus Kualoa is considered a sacred place where the whale ivory is obtained.

lei niho palaoa

Photo Credit: (pic-a-flik54) / CC by 2.0

Top:
Lei Niho Palaoa (Neck Ornament), 19th century
Carved sperm whale tooth, braided human hair, olona cordage
Gift of Mrs. W. F. Giddings, 1941 (4939)

Bottom:
Lei Niho Palaoa (Neck Ornament), 19th century
Carved sperm-whale tooth, braided human hair
Gift of Anna Rice Cooke, 1927 (2088)

Whale Tooth Necklace (lei niho palaoa)

“The hooked pendant itself is made from the tooth of a sperm whale. Hawaiians respected sperm whales. They did not hunt them, but if a whale was beached it was regarded as the property of the king. They ate the flesh, and used the ivory for ornaments and inlay. The Hawaiian name for this type of ornament is lei niho palaoa…“

Source: The British Museum

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Categories: History
Tags: Ali'i, Features, Hawaii, Hawaii History, hawaiian islands, HHM, ivory, ivory fishhook, Kualoa, Kualoa Ranch, lei niho palaoha, Oahu, whale ivory, whales