Manny Mattos, a Big Island wood carver, explained his appreciation of ancient Hawaiian weapons and his love of creating museum-quality reproductions of them — some from rare endemic wood — to a small group at Kahuku Public Library on June 24. "Basically, I recreate all of the old Hawaiian weapons out of endemic woods for educational and cultural purposes," he said.

"The Hawaiians were brilliant. Their weapons were of high quality," said Mattos, who got involved in the craft about 15 years ago when he retired and moved to the Big Island. "For example, they were the only one's who used [shark] teeth," he continued, showing a small "pahoa nihoa" or toothed club, which most warriors apparently preferred. He explained the Hawaiians often used tiger shark teeth, and sometimes bull shark teeth for the slashing weapon that was used in close, and that a longer version of the weapon was sometimes used by older warriors who might not have wanted to get as close to their opponents.

"They were great craftsmen and women. In fact, the women would fight alongside the men," Mattos said, pointing out they apparently preferred smaller weapons which they could conceal "as well as a tripping stone on a long cord ["pikoi"]," something like an Argentinean bolo.

Mattos said he studies pre-contact Hawaiian weapons in museum collections, and then with a special permit from the State Department of Land and Natural Resources, collects downed endemic wood for his carvings. However, not all of his recreations are made from wood. For example, he showed a "hoa" appropriately made from a two-foot-long swordfish bill, although he quickly added that Hawaiian warriors used the weapon as a dagger and not like a European-style sword. The "hoa" was further wrapped with "olonä" — a type of Hawaiian twine that is very strong. "The best olonä grows in Ola'a," he said.

Mattos also showed a similar "newa" or club made from endangered "kawila" wood. "The kawila was the 'iron' in their culture because it is very strong," he said. "The majority of weapons and tools were made from it, and the Hawaiians would also use it in their buildings."

He added he's impressed with the old workmanship: I use modern electrical tools for my carving, but many times the wood breaks my blades."

Next he displayed another "pahoa nihoa" carved from rare "uhiuhi" wood. "There's maybe 50 uhiuhi trees left in the dryland forest," he said, explaining that goats, cattle, other introduced species and forest fires have wiped out the "miles and miles" of them. "Forest fires right now are the greatest threat," he said, adding there is an ongoing effort to propagate more.

He patterned another pahoa nihoa after an original he saw in a museum that had been made of whale bone. Sometimes he'll also make copies for sale, but out of dryland koa wood; and he said at least one of his creations, made from the rare uhiuhi, was worth at least $5,000 but is not for sale.

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