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Ipū kūkui / Pohokūkui

human history

Ipū kūkui / Pohokūkui. Stone lamp. This is a low and round stone mortar used as a lamp. It is grey in colour with darker variations around the cupped rim. The cupped depression is centred on the surface shows where ni'au (coconut frond midrib) skewered with kūkui nuts (candle nuts) would be placed. This would be lit from the top and the oil from the kūkui kernels would cause them to burn for several minutes. The base marks and inscription show this was from Ka'u, a district in the southern area of Hawai'i island.

Nama tāpiringa: 1950.170 Whakahounga o Mua: 19 Nov 2025