Post #605087 by MauiTiki on Thu, Sep 1, 2011 12:08 PM

Well I'm proud to "officially" introduce "KAMALO" my new mug design. here is the story behind the name.

A few months ago I was paddleboarding and had a 12 foot Tiger Shark swim under my board in 5 feet of water. The Shark was HUGE. Tiger Sharks are the baddest and meanest sharks we have in Hawaii. Their girth is amazing and much more impressive than the length. I had just gotten on my board after a fall and he swam under me just as I stood back up. The beast continued on towards some surfers so I followed him to warn them. Well, I guess he didn't like to be followed, because he turned around and swam straight at me, coming to the surface with his jagged dorsal fin out of the water. Terrified, I crouched low to keep my balance and I positioned my paddle to hit him if he became aggressive. As he passed right along side of me he kept getting higher and higher out of the water. I actually scraped his back with my paddle as he swam by. His skin against my paddle was like sandpaper. As he got perfectly even with me he proceeded to bump the back of my board with his massive head. Lucky for me I must not have smelled very good as he turned out to sea and I quickly paddled towards shore.

Here is my shortend version of a Hawaiian ledgend

Hawaiian ledgend tells the story on the island of Molokai of Kamalo and his two sons.

Long ago on the island of Molokai lived Kupa, the high chief, and Kamalo. Kamalo had two sons. Kupa had a house constructed in the Mapulehu valley. Kamalo lived nearby, in the village of Kaluaaha, which faced the channel between Molokai and Maui.

Inside Chief Kupa’s temple, two very special drums were kept. Kupa used the beating of these drums to communicate his thoughts to his priests over great distances. One day, when Kupa was away on a fishing trip, Kamalo's sons entered the chief's home and marvelled at the magnificent drums, and although their father had taught them the ways of the temple and that things sacred to the gods must not be touched, temptation overcame them, and the boys began to beat hard upon the drums.

When the chief returned and heard about what had happened, he became furious, killing the boys and presenting their bodies at the alter in sacrifice.

Kamalo became obsessed with revenge. No match for Kupa on his own, he consulted with prophets and seers throughout Molokai, but each one was fearful of Kupa and would not help Kamalo. Eventually, Kamalo came to the cliffs that overlook Kalawao and Kalaupapa. Down at the bottom there was an ocean cave of the shark god, Kauhuhu. No one had ever survived a meeting with Kauhuhu without being eaten. Kamalo talked his way past the two serpents guarding the cave and hid until the Shark God returned. When Kauhuhu returned he leapt upon Kamalo, jaws open to reveal sharp, shiny teeth. Kamalo quickly cried out for mercy and recounted his story in detail. Kauhuhu was overcome with pity and agreed to kelp him with his revenge.

Soon after Kauhuhu brought a great storm to Hawaii. It grew rapidly and came across the channel and rested in the highest peaks above the valley where Kupa lived. The rains brought flood waters down the mountains, washing Kupa and his sacred
drums out to sea.

I can relate to Kamalo in the fact that we both came face to face with the Shark God without being eaten and thus named my new mug KAMALO.