ʻIliahialoʻe
Santalum ellipticum
Large bushy shrubs or trees up to 15 feet tall, but usually 4 to 8 feet tall, with elliptical, pale, green-blue leaves and fragrant flower clusters that are light green with hints of salmon or orange. Once pollinated, the flowers develop into round fruits that ripen to a dark purple and have a single hard seed within. The most appealing feature is its sweet-smelling heartwood, which retains the sandalwood fragrance for a long time.
He lāʻau pūnohunohu; ʻumikūmālima kapuaʻi ke kiʻekiʻe loa. ʻO ka maʻamau naʻe, ʻehā a ʻewalu kapuaʻi. He mau lau uliuli oloolo, a he mau pua ʻōmaʻomaʻo onaona. He mau hua poni a hoʻokahi ʻanoʻano i loko o ka hua. Kaulana ke onaona o ka ʻiʻo lāʻau.
Four species of sandalwood are endemic to Hawaiʻi, with even more subspecies. This particular species is found on all the main islands, mostly in low coastal regions, although it no longer grows on Kahoʻolawe. One natural plant on the Big Island does grow at above 6,000 feet.
ʻEhā ʻano ʻiliahi ʻāpaʻakuma o Hawaiʻi nei. Ulu kēia ʻano ma nā mokupuni nui a pau o ka pae ʻāina; ma ka ʻāina pili i kai. ʻAʻole naʻe i ulu mau ma Kahoʻolawe. Eia kekahi, hoʻokahi wale nō ʻiliahialoʻe i ʻike ʻia i ke kuahiwi o ka moku ʻo Hawaiʻi ma kahi o 6,000 kapuaʻi o ke kuahiwi.
The sweet-smelling wood of ‘iliahi is used to scent kapa, and the flower clusters can be used in leis.
Hoʻohana ʻia ka lāʻau no ka hoʻopē ʻana i ke kapa. A wili ʻia nā pua i loko o nā lei.
Sandalwood was one of Hawaiʻi’s first exports. Trading was founded in 1791 by Capt. John Kendrick of Boston and lasted until about 1840, when the sandalwood was pretty much wiped out. It is estimated that ‘iliahi sold for about $125 per ton and that the industry made close to $4 million.
ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻis were forced into labor, so the clearing of ‘iliahi not only hurt the population of the plant, but also the morale of the people. There is even documentation of the labor being so brutal that family members would actually pull out young sandalwood plants so that their loved ones wouldn’t have to do it in the future.
ʻO ke kua ʻiliahi ka ʻoihana uku kālā mua o Hawaiʻi. I ka M.H. 1791, ua hoʻomaka ʻia kēia kālepa ʻana e Kāpena John Kendrick no Boston a mau nō kēia kālepa ʻana a hiki i ka M.H. 1840. Mai nalowale nā ʻiliahi a pau o ka pae ʻāina. Kuhi ʻia, $125 no kekahi puʻu ʻiliahi he 2,000 paona. ʻAneʻane $4 miliona i loaʻa mai ke kālepa ʻiliahi mai.
Nui nā kānaka i kauleo ʻia no ke kua ʻiliahi. He hana luhi nō kā hoʻi ia. ʻŌlelo ʻia, ua huki ʻia nā pulapula ʻiliahi i ʻole ai e mau ka hana luhi o ke kua ʻiliahi i kēia hope aku.