Portfolio > Na ‘Aumakua

Hawaiians have always honored the gentle guidance and wisdom of the whales. They are the essence of their deep rooted connection with the ocean and the humpback whale has become ‘aumakua to many Hawaiians.

However, sperm whales in this painting sustain their huge size by diving to incredible depths (up 70,380 feet) and they are able to dive the deepest of all mammals on earth. In the pitch black of the abyss, sperm whales find their prey through echolocation. Like the Polynesian navigators, sperm whales are lead by the North Star and they are able to navigate between Hawaii, Rapa Nui, and Aotearoa (New Zealand).