Pū
Conch shell trumpet(Cassis cornuta)
Hawaiian Government Collection, 1891
As continued into the present, pū, or conch shells, are used by Hawaiians to announce the opening of an event, marking a gathering of the community. In many texts, authors allude to the very sacred reservations made for blowing conch shells, specifically for private religious ceremonies or the arrival of a Hawaiian royal of exceedingly high rank.
According to The Legends and Myths of Hawaii written by King Kalākaua, this conch Kihapū was once "ornamented with rows of the teeth of distinguished chiefs slain in battle." An object adorned with bone would be a statement of great mana, or power, as the exhibition of these victories through physical adornment would be a reminder to all who viewed it.
The shell trumpet Kihapū is said to have been named after a chief from Waipi'o Valley on Hawai'i Island named Kiha. This high chief's dutiful relationship to the god Lono gave Kihapū the extraordinary ability to call the gods. It also is described in many mythological retellings as being blown to herald the 'awa ceremony that the gods would partake in. Some scholars recounted stories of its thunderous sound traveling many miles. This powerful shell trumpet was prized by Kiha and guarded as a symbol of his divine authority to rule. Kiha used the shell to reinforce a sense of peace and security throughout his lands.