Want to Learn How Hawaiian Royalty Used the Kukui Nut?
From sacred ceremonies to skin healing, this nut carried light, status, and tradition.
At first glance the kukui nut looks like something familiar, with its round shape and creamy interior, almost like a hazelnut. But kukui carries a deeper weight. This was the nut that lit night paths across the islands, that soothed warriors’ skin and bellies, and that adorned the necks of Hawaiian royalty. It wasn’t just a tasty treat. It was an item of honored ritual and custom, tied to gods, guidance and the glow of ancestral fire.
The Tree of Enlightenment and the Gods Who Claimed It
In Hawaiian tradition, the kukui tree (Aleurites moluccanus) wasn’t just useful. It was sacred. Believed to be a kinolau, or physical form of the gods, the kukui was closely associated with Lono, the god of fertility, peace, and agriculture and Kamapuaʻa, the wild, shapeshifting pig demigod tied to the forests and rains.
Lono’s association with kukui came from its life-giving properties. The nut was a source of light, sustenance and healing, fitting for a god who brought abundance. Kamapuaʻa’s connection was more primal, tied to the untamed and regenerative qualities of the natural world. To walk among kukui trees was to walk where the gods had stepped. To use the nut was to be in communion with their spirit.
Kukui, in this context, wasn’t just practical. It was a vessel of divine energy.
A Symbol of Royalty, Ceremony, and Protection
In ancient Hawaiʻi, kukui was deeply woven into ritual and rank. Only aliʻi (Hawaiian royalty) were once allowed to wear kukui nut leis. Polished to a dark glossy shine, these leis were markers of wisdom, status and clarity.
The leis themselves held layered meaning. Green kukui represented new beginnings, fresh journeys and rebirth. Black polished leis symbolized enlightenment earned through experience and time.
Kukui leis were worn during important ceremonies including Makahiki, the season of peace honoring Lono, war councils where clarity and guidance were essential and offerings or rites where kukui oil was used for anointing or light.
Some kukui nuts were even placed at altars or burned as a call for protection and clarity.
🌿 Modern Apothecary Tip
Kukui oil has long been used to soothe sun-exposed skin, restore hydration and calm inflammation. It remains one of Hawaiʻi’s most trusted healing oils.
A custom post-sun repair recipe featuring kukui oil will be available as a downloadable PDF in the Shoppe.