Post #554786 by coconuttzo on Sun, Sep 19, 2010 3:11 PM

A Hawaiian friend of mine's told me that the Hawaiian tikis(Akua iki) traditionally, are not supposed to be fully naked. They are supposed to have their "malo" or traditional loincloth on which were made of "Kapa"(tapa/tree bark cloth). It was a sign of respecting the akua iki by clothing them. With the arrival of Christianity, converted natives no longer took care of their carved dieties so over time of long neglect, the malo eventually decayed leaving behind any naked aumakua iki that survived the christian abolishment. That is why, any aumakua iki that were found by interested explorers & archeologists, are shown with no malo.

However, there are some that have remnants of malo wrapped around the waists which were found in ancient burial caves or lava tubes. Being very superstitious of the afterlife, ancient Hawaiians were buried with things that they deemed neccessary for the afterlife. For instance, I am told of an acient burial lavatube cave of a man who must've been a great seaman. Found along with the body which was wrapped with remnants of Kapa & Lauhala(Pandanus) mats, there was a Koa canoe, a couple of paddles, a bunch of ancient fish hooks, some wooden calabashes/bowls, a stone poi pounder, and a few aumakua iki carved images.