MANULELE

All Main Image Stalk Color Internode Leaf Flesh Growth
Main Image

Main Image

'MANULELE' ('Kā‘awe,' 'Lele')

Status: No Known Specimens

Background Information: Manulele translates to "flying bird." The word kā‘awe literally means "to tie anything around tightly around the neck, to choke, to strangle, hang," and was a name invoked in the hana aloha ceremonies. Lele literally means "to fly or jump" and is reported by Pukui to apply to an unknown fish. 'Manulele' is the most referenced cane in hana aloha, a ceremony intended to cause love in a distant person. In this sense, the "flying bird" carries the prayers to the targeted lover. While a variety is held in collections today as 'Manulele' (see 'Tolo Mauga'), it does not match the historical descriptions.

Historical Description: This is a storied cane with multiple accounts written about its usages, but little historical descriptions are found. Generally, the accounts run contrary to 'Not Manulele,' the exception being Ka'aikamanu's.

Stalk Color

Stalk Color

Kamakea records that the stalk is "maroon and purple striped," Moir reports it to be "yellow-brown with red-brown stripes underlaid with green in newly exposed portions, changing to buff-brown with maroon stripes in old stalk with a very fine strip of canary yellow," USDA records that it is “reddish-brown with purple stripes,” Hilea Plantation reports is “purple and brown striped.” Ka‘aikamanu’s description in 1917 conflicts with the others, reporting that it is “reddish and has tall greenish stripes.”

Internode

Internode

The internodes are conical or concave, have a sparse wax bloom and heavy, but narrow, wax bands. The growth rings are striped, narrow and raised and the root band, 8mm high, is striped with 3 or 4 rows of eyes. The buds are green, 14x12mm, generally pubescent and ovate with a round pointed tip and olive wings inserted below the middle (USDA).

Leaf

Leaf

The leaf sheaths are green with a purplish cast and striped with white, and are long and smooth. The leaves are somewhat variegated and have a decided purple cast (Moir). The dewlap is steeply ascending flaring ligulate, and both auricles are transitional (USDA).

Flesh

Flesh

The cane has dark brown pith (Moir).

Growth

Growth

Growth is that of Bandila type, producing large stalks of medium height (Moir).

  • Information

Status: No Known Specimens

Background Information: ‘Ainakea literally means “white (kea) pith/bagasse (‘aina)” or “white land (‘?ina).” According to Fornander this name refers to a particular episode in Hawaiian mythology: K?‘ula and K?ne, two powerful akua, practiced their sorcery on the people of Honua‘ula, Maui, and left the bodies of the dead strewn about and exposed. The duo added further insult by snacking on sugarcane grown by the victims to quench their thirst; since this time the cane has been called ‘Ainakea in reference to the white bones left bleaching in the sun. However, many l?‘au lapa‘au sources indicate that the name refers to the flesh of the cane, which is said to be the whitest of all Hawaiian canes – a particularly rare trait for a dark-skinned variety. An alternative name, Laenihi, refers generally to high-headed labroid fish of the genera Hemipteronotus and Iniistius. Another name, P?kea, is a quantifying term applied to Laenihi that refers to a whitish coloration and was used to denote a specific species of fish. ‘Ainakea was one of the few canes used in medicinal concoctions by the kahuna h?h?, and was important in the treatments for p?‘ao‘ao, ‘ea, hilo, and waiki.

Historical Description: ‘Ainakea is said to be [DE1] one of the prettiest Hawaiian canes, similar in appearance to ‘?hi‘a when it is young but lightening in color as it grows. It was often said to be one of the best-producing native cane varieties and was popular cane home gardens, particularly in dry and lowland areas.

Stalk Color

 

The stalks are described by Moir as “maroon-red and striped with apple-green when young, and changing to purplish-red and yellow when mature”; by Fornander as “red with long white stripes”; and by Spencer as “a ribbon cane, green and purple.” Alternatively, Ka‘aiakamanu compares it to Manulele (a striped cane), and states that the stalks were “dark reddish as the p?polo liquid.”

 

Authored by: Noa Kekuewa Lincoln.  
Please properly cite any use of information or graphics from this page. 

Lincoln, N. (2017) Kō: An Ethnobotanical Guide to Hawaiian Sugarcane Varieties. 
Retrieved from: http://cms.ctahr.hawaii.edu/cane/Home.aspx