ʻAlakoko and Kalālālehu
There were two royal children who lived in the valley along a river mouth with Kīpū on the mountainside and Niumalu on the ocean side. The siblings lived there together as brother and sister, the brother named ʻAlakoko and the sister named Kalālālehua.
YWCA Centennial Logo
The YWCA Centennial logo commemorates YWCA of Kauaʻi serving the people of Kauaʻi for 100 years. The logo was designed by Maile. To the Moʻolelo Murals team, the logo represents the interconnectedness of the past and the future.
Ohe Kapala on Hāʻupu
The kinloau (many nonhuman forms) of the Akua (god/goddess) Hina can be seen in the profile of a beautiful wahine found on Hā'upu mountain, mistakenly called Queen Victoria’s profile today.
Wāhine Hula
Next to the YWCA Centennial Logo and Palapalai fern (the kinolau of Laka, the steward of Hula) are hula dancers. These hula dancers were inspired by Hālau Ka Lei Mokihana o Leinaʻala who represents Kauaʻi at the Annual Merrie Monarch Festival.
Kamakahelei
Kamakahelei was the queen or Aliʻi Nui of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau in the 17th century. Kamakahelei was powerful because she had lineage from all of the islands which prevented Aliʻi from the other islands from coming to Kauaʻi for conquest.
Nāmāhoe and Hina
Akua Hina represents motherhood and is steward of the moon. Hina is associated with kuku kapa (beating kapa) like the kapa shown in the mural that is supplanted on Hāʻupu mountain. Hina is a prominent Akua.
Pōhaku Kuʻi ʻai and Kalo
Kalo (taro) is one of the most significant plants in Kānaka ʻŌiwi culture because Kalo is thought of as a literal ancestor to kānaka. The moʻolelo o Hāloa tells of the Akua Wākea (said to be of the father of the sky) and the Akua Hoʻohōkūkalani (meaning “to star the sky”) had a stillborn child named Hāloanaka.
Kamehameha Butterflies
Kamehameha Butterflies are endemic to Hawai‘i. The Kamehameha Butterfly is the state insect and was named in honor of the House of Kamehameha, the royal family that unified the Hawaiian islands in 1810.
Lehua Makanoe
A shrub that is endemic to Kaua‘i and specifically the Alaka‘i Swamp area of Kōke‘e. It is critically endangered, but was once used to make lei.
he Naupaka Kahakai
The Naupaka flower, according to one mo‘olelo, tells of the the lovers Naupaka and Kaui. Naupaka is the sister of akua Pele, who became jealous of the relationship between Naupaka and Kaui.
Koki‘o ke‘oke‘o and koki ‘o ula
The Koki‘o ke‘oke‘o (native Hawaiian white hibiscuses) are the only species of hibiscuses in the world known to have fragrant flowers.
Green Sphinx Moth and ‘Ālula
The Fabulous Green Sphinx Moth is the primary pollinator of ‘Ālula. When the moth went extinct the ‘Ālula population started to decline.
‘I‘iwi bird and the ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua
The ‘I‘iwi and ‘Ōhi‘a are in a symbiotic relationship. Mo‘olelo (story/ narrative) has it that the Volcano Goddess Pele was jeaous that her romantic interest, ‘Ōhi‘a fell in love with another wahine (woman) named Lehua.
Koa Tree and the ‘Elepaio
The Koa Tree was used by our ancestors to create canoes, housing, weapons, and tools. Koa means “brave” and can also mean “warrior” as Koa Trees are known for their strength, steadfastness, and resiliency.