Softcover Journal | 'Āko'ako'a - tan - ALL SALES FINAL

printed cover | 60 pages | approx measurements 5" x 8.25" x .25"

'Āko'ako'a
The ʻākoʻakoʻa (coral) is the very first organism born in the Kumulipo and has the ability to remain strong and steadfast in rough ocean conditions. Human activity is causing ocean temperatures to rise, compromising the health of the world's coral reefs. Coral bleaching in the reefs of the northwestern and the main Hawaiian islands is an increasing problem ("bleaching" is when the living part of the coral dies and all that is left is the calcite structure that was their home, which then turns white). Of the roughly 150 species of corals in that make up Hawaiian reefs, about 25% are endemic. The reefs formed by lobe corals and other "stony" species are home to over 9,000 species of invertebrates and more than 7,000 of these are endemic! For many lāhui, these reefs are a major part of our natural and cultural heritages. Losing corals, reefs, and the organisms in them would mean losing cultural relationships forged by our ancestors over many generations. Helping to preserve coral reefs in all their diversity will allow cultural practices to survive for generations to come.