Kupukupu | Basic Tshirt Dress - light pink

Kupukupu
Nani ke oho o ke kupukupu o Kānehoa,

Lupea nō i ka hau o Kalena,

ʻAʻala ka hanu o ka mauʻu nēnē,

I ka hoʻopē ʻia e ka ua kakahiaka,

Ala nā maka o ka palai o uka,

Ala nō, liʻa i ke anu a ka Waikoloa,

Kūkū pono nā lihilihi o ka lehua i ka ua,

Pehu ke koali ua honi i ka wai,

Aloha maila au iā Malamanui,

I ke kula o Pūleʻe i Kanoenoe,

ʻO ʻoukou kaʻu e uē aʻe nei,

I ka hele o māua me kuʻu aloha,

Koe iho ʻoukou i kauhale,

I kūlana hale hoʻi o kākou,

Aloha nō—ē

 

Ma ka moʻolelo o Kamaakamahiʻai, he aliʻi wahine ʻo Kahelekūlani no Oʻahu mai. I kekahi lā, manaʻo ihola lāua me kāna kāne, me Olopana hoʻi, e hele i Kauaʻi, i ka wā naʻe o ka hoʻolālā ʻana, uē nui ana ʻo ia i ke aloha i nā kūpuna me nā mākua a puka aʻela kēia mele. He hōʻike kēia i kona aloha i ka ʻāina i noho ʻia me ka ʻohana (Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, 31 Dec. 1870).

 

As creation and evolution unfolded in the beautiful and varied habitats of Hawaiʻi nei, ferns luxuriantly proliferated, eventually comprising 27% of our native flora. Growing in wet, dry and mesic environments, they perform critical ecosystem functions like buffering rainfall, mitigating runoff, and providing homes for a variety of creatures (insects, snails, birds, etc). Ferns were once found in glorious profusions all over. Their beauty and fragrance made them some of the most popular greenery for decorating spaces, adorning the body, and even scenting kapa. But their populations have suffered under habitat destruction and the onslaught of alien species, as most ferns are low-growing and easily eaten by hungry pigs, goats, and deer. Kupukupu, however, are fairly hearty and they belong to a genus of sword ferns called Nephrolepis; N. cordifolia is indigenous and N. exaltata subsp. hawaiiensis (aka ʻōkupukupu) is endemic. Exaltata (“exalted”) perfectly describes these proudly erect blades that stand singly, but “pop up” (kupu aʻe) together in abundance, likely the reason they’re used on hula altars, encouraging knowledge to sprout amply. As ferns go, kupukupu is fairly easy to propagate, making it popular for lei as well. Kupukupu abounds in traditional mele and compositions from times when native ecosystems were more intact tell us that it was often found with mauʻu nēnē. According to the kūpuna, where the two grew together generously, their fresh, delicate scent would perfume the air.