Koa Wood Art Hawaii
Hawaii is synonymous with surf, sand and spirituality. It is a magical collection of Islands full of volcanic minerals and rich in nutrients. The unique blend of nutrients and volcanic soil makes Hawaii home to flora and fauna, which are not found anywhere else globally; one of these is the Koa tree. The Koa grows higher up on the big island around 19685 feet (6000 meters) above sea level, and it is a protected and rare species. It has a rich history in Hawaii, the word Koa itself means brave, bold, fearless and warrior.
Koa wood history
The name comes from the late 1700s and the warriors who fought for King Kamehameha, known as Koa. The wood was combined with shark teeth to make weapons, and this weaponry was instrumental in bringing all of the Islands under the rule of Kamehameha.
As well as its rich history of use in combat, Koa was one of the first woods to be used for crafting canoes, fishing vessels and surfboards. Surfers became warriors of the seas when they used Koa boards. They were fearless in combating the sea itself and made Hawaii the birthplace of surfing.
Art gallery Hawaii
Koa wood in Hawaii is well revered for its rarity, history and of course, it's majestic beauty. The wood is a deep red color, and the natural grain forms curls that make it beautiful to look at. The Koa wood grain is exceptional, and unlike any other, it's no wonder that it's used in art. The Waimea Blue art gallery in Hawaii is situated at North Shore Oahu and specializes in local reclaimed wood art. They have a beautiful collection of handcrafted, original art and one of a kind Koa wood pieces made on the island.
The beauty of Koa wood art
Akima Kai (Our wood artists) uses Koa wood and epoxy resin to handcraft beautiful surfboards, wall art, serving board and more. All of the Koa wood is ethically sourced and never cut from living trees to protect the species. This is especially important given the rarity of the tree, and it's high demand. The beautiful grain that the wood produces doesn't appear until much later in the
tree's lifecycle, and if harvested too young, some of the natural beauty is lost.
The Koa tree has a life cycle of around 80 years, and it truly is a gift of nature. Koa's disperse seeds that can lay dormant in the soil for up to 25 years so that by the time an older tree is dying off, a new one is already growing in its place. It is a testament to the circle of life and only harvesting trees that are dying off protects this beautiful and rare species.
Koa is an extraordinary tree and sacred to the island, every home should have a beautiful piece of art made from the natural beauty of the warrior tree of Hawaii.
Blog by Waimea Blue