In collaboration with the Papahānaumokuākea Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group’s (CWG) Nomenclature Hui, and other members representing various organizations including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET). We offer the name ʻIhikūholu to the sea pen species (Solumbellula monocephalus).
ʻIHI - KŪ - HOLU
ʻIHI - sacred, majestic, dignified; treated with reverence or respect
KŪ - to stand, stop, halt, anchor
HOLU - springy, pliable, resilient; to sway, as palm fronds; to ripple, as waves; to play back and forth
About the Name: A Story of Revelation & Meaning by Hōkū Pihana
ʻIhikūholu is the Hawaiian name that captures the sacred, majestic, anchoring, swaying, and resilient essence of the sea pen (Solumbellula monocephalus) revealed to us during the Johnston Atoll Expedition in 2022 with Ocean Exploration Trust (OET). Generally found on the seafloor of the Atlantic ocean, the name is given to honor the first recorded instance of this species to ever be found in Moananuiākea (the Pacific Ocean).
The presence of the ʻihikūholu in Moananuiākea and how it was revealed to us reflects the pilina (relationship) with Kanaloa, the akua (deity) of our oceans. From a Kanaka (Hawaiian) worldview, Kanaloa is and is of the ocean from the kai lipo (deepest ocean) realms to the shallow spaces of our coral reefs and intertidal zones. Kanaloa is also manifested in the organisms, geography, and oceanspaces.
ʻIhikūholu is a physical representation and manifestation of Kanaloa that reflects the majestic, alluring, and fluid nature of Kanaloa. We, our people and our lāhui (nation), are inspired by ʻihikūholu’s story of resiliency that is embedded within its name. As the ʻihikūholu stands firmly rooted in its deep-sea environment, it stays flexible, swaying majestically with the deep ocean currents. The name ʻihikūholu reminds us of the reverence and respect that we as humans must have for the sacredness of the ocean and ocean creatures. Like the ʻihikūholu, we stand firm, holding space for the kai lipo, our natural resources, and our cultural practices. Ola ka inoa!
