Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 3, 1 March 1994 — Ke ao nani [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ke ao nani

Naturally Hawauan

by Patrick Ching artist/environmentalist

A/a/'a, a friend in the sea

1 hroughout the world, seagoing people have regarded dolphins as more than mere anima!s. Their

intelligence, playfulness and compat- I ibility with humans is quickly recognized by anyone fortunate enough to I witness those marvelous creatures in I their oeean home. There has always been an aura of mystery surrounding dolphins and

other marine mammals. This is especially true in Hawai'i. Somewhat baffling is the question of why dolphins and other marine mammals, conspicuous as they are, are rarely referred to in Hawaiian literature and lore. Little is known about their relationship with the ancient Hawaiians except for a few references stating that dolphins were the property of the ali'i; were occasionally taken for food and oil; and were not allowed to be eaten by women. Early archeolog-

tcal sites on O'ahu, Kaua'i and Hawai'i have tumed up dolphintooth ornaments similar to those

found in eastern | Polynesia. Several species of dolphin, or nai'a, as they are known to Hawaiians, occur in Hawaiian waters. The Pacific bottlenose dolphin is the largest, with males averaging 10 feet long and

weighing 850 pounds. The Spinner dolphin is the smallest, averaging six feet long and weighing 175 pounds. The dolphins discussed in this article should not be confused with the dolphin fish (mahimahi). Though they live in the oeean, dolphins are more closely related biologically to humans than to fish. They are warm-blooded, airbreathing mammals. Their calves are bom alive and nurse on their mother's milk. Dolphins are very intelligent animals. Their brains

are larger than humans. They have a complex language to eommunicate with eaeh other. If you are in the water, or on a boat near some dolphins you ean often hear the squeaking and clicking sounds that they make. In recent years dolphins have become the subject of intense research and controversy. Many people have ideas about how dolphins should be treated, or not treated. There are some who feel that dolphins should not be kept in captivity, under any circumstances, and some who feel that keeping and studying dolphins is emeial to understanding them and ourselves. Commercial ftshing operations in some countries look upon dolphins as pests and ruthlessly slaughter them by the thousands. On the other extreme, there are those who feel that dolphins are many times smarter than humans and may even hold the secrets to the universe. There may be as many opinions about dolphins as there are dolphins. The only the opinion that

this writer will express is that dolphins, wild or captive, should be treated with the respect and dignity that all animals deserve. In 1972 the Marine Mammals Protection Act was passed whieh makes it illegal to kill, haim or

harass dolphins and other marine mammals in the United States. For more information on marine mammals or to lodge harassment complaints, contact the National Marine Fisheries Service at 5412727.