About the Design: Prior to Ma‘ilikūkahi, O‘ahu operated under a few land division systems over the generations, most famously ka‘ānani‘au. However, it was Ma‘ilikūkahi that surveyed the land in such a way to implement our current moku and ahupua‘a system.
The six interlocking niho represent the six moku of O‘ahu. The space above represents the heavens (kāne/ wākea) while the space below represents the earth (papa/ haumea). The pattern is intended to be balanced as a reflection of Ma‘ilikūkahiʻs rule, and the ko‘i symbolic of kālai ‘āina- a testament to mā‘ilikūkahiʻs leadership and political prowess.
