North Pacific, Hawaii, Kauai, Pre-Contact Period, ca. 17th to 18th century CE. A rare and quite impressive pumice stone akua pohaku - a representation of an aumakua, a family or craft god - in its natural, uncarved form, known as pohaku in Hawaiian. Benevolent spirits are known as aumakua and act as protective guardians and deities in Hawaiian spirituality, sometimes these beings represent a sacred ancestor. Aumakua have traditionally been worshipped at rocky locales where it is believed they reside. After the general acceptance of Christianity, many keepers of the stone gods hid them, either from lingering sentiment or because they were afraid to destroy them by breaking them up. Thus, they have been found in caves, in concealment cavities in stone piles, in taro swamps, and buried underground. Some were kept by families, particularly by fishermen, who saw no contradiction to Christianity in keeping a good luck talisman which increased the supply of fish. Size: 8.4" W x 9.6" H (21.3 cm x 24.4 cm); 12.3" H (31.2 cm) on included custom stand.

According to Te Rangi Hiroa (Sir Peter Buck), "stone was used a good deal to represent family or craft gods ('aumakua). Some individuals were content to use pieces of unworked stone, whereas other made rough representations of the human figure. It should be remembered that it was not the workmanship but the prayers and offerings which gave a material object power (mana) and converted it into a god, no matter what the form." Arts and Crafts of Hawaii, 1957, p. 495.

A similar Hawaiian stone god figure of a smaller scale (5 inches high) sold for $15,000 at Bonhams San Francisco on May 5th, 2015 (lot 97, "Fine African, Oceanic and Pre-Columbian Art").

Please note this item may fall under the Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act and may not eligible for international shipping. Native American, Alaska Native, & Native Hawaiian objects are only eligible to ship within the United States.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired 2000 to 2010

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#177468

Weathering, abrasions, and natural pitting to surface, all commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact with nice preservation of form.