Keiki 'A'alahonua Aloha Shirt Prussian Nālehua

Sig Zane

This aloha shirt is by Sig Zane Designs, a company founded by Sig Zane and wife Nalani Kanakaole in 1985 in Hilo on Hawai'i Island.

The company seeks to share 'the values of the Hawaiian people through art, by honoring the plants of the islands, and providing a unique experience that is enhanced by teaching the symbolism of the Hawaiian name of the plant, and giving insight to other aspects of our lifestyle that will build upon the experience: all to express gratitude, appreciation, and compassion for allowing a life in this island environment along with the hosts of this culture.'

Plants associated with hula inspire much of their work. In hula, when dancers wear lei, they become that plant.  Sig Zane applies the same philosophy to his clothing design: 'I like to think if I dress them with certain plants, then they become an element of that'.

The lehua flower

This shirt, which is a keiki's (child) size, features a pattern of lehua flowers from the 'o`hi'a tree, and is named after a wind that comes with the rain in Hilo. Many of Sig Zane's designs are similarly place based. He writes:

'Famous in song, especially those of the Big Island of Hawai'i, the lehua flower is a symbol of love, of land, and of Pele, the Volcano goddess. While visiting the different districts of our island, you will see many colors of the blossom: the salmon of the forests of Keahialaka, the golden yellow of Kipu'upu'u, and the deep reds of Kaniahiku that most resemble Pele.

'In the Hilo district, there is a wind that carries the fragrance of the earth! Named 'A'alahonua, it usually accompanies the rain.'

A suitable pattern for keiki

Sig Zane produced shirts in this pattern for both keiki  (children) and 'ōpio (young men). In regards for designing for children, he is careful not to use motives that 'are not good for a child'. The lehua, however, is perfect. The new sprouts of the lehua flower are called liko. Liko symbolise children or new beginnings.

Co-collecting in Hawai'i

This shirt was acquired by Te Papa during a co-collecting trip to Hawai'i in 2017 based around the aloha shirt, and associated designs. Te Papa worked with Noelle Kahanu, a cultural specialist from the University of Hawai‘i, to develop collection that reflects the ways in which Hawaiian culture has been historically represented, and misrepresented, through the aloha shirt, and the ways in which contemporary native Hawaiian designers are utilising the aloha shirt to communicate indigenous cultural values. Sig Zane selected this shirt for Te Papa.

Te Papa’s co-collecting programmes are guided by the principle of mana taonga – the sharing authority with stakeholder communities.