Long ago, in the time of kings and queens of old Hawaii, lived a high chiefess named Kaʻala. She was known not only for her beauty but for her wisdom, a gift said to be bestowed by the gods. Her family, descendants of the gods Kāne and Kanaloa, held the islands in a delicate balance of peace and war. The tides of fortune in Hawaii were ever-changing, but one thing remained constant—the power of the Lei Niho Palaoa she wore around her neck.

This sacred necklace was passed down through generations, from mother to daughter, chief to chief. It was made from the hair of her ancestors and carried the weight of their legacy. At its center hung a single whale’s tooth, shaped like a crescent moon, smooth and worn from years of reverence. In ancient times, whales were thought to be messengers of Kanaloa, the god of the sea. Thus, the tooth was a direct connection to the spirit world, a talisman of power.

Kaʻala had been given the Lei Niho Palaoa when she was just a girl. Her mother, before passing into the world of the ancestors, had braided her own hair into the strands of the lei. “This,” her mother said, “is more than a symbol of our lineage. It is a reminder that we are never alone. The mana of our kūpuna (ancestors) flows through it, guiding and protecting us.”

For years, Kaʻala ruled her people with grace and justice. But one fateful day, a rival chief from a distant island arrived. His ambition knew no bounds, and he sought to conquer Kaʻala’s lands, to claim her people, and above all, to possess the sacred Lei Niho Palaoa that adorned her.

This chief, Keahi, had long coveted the mana that came with such a powerful heirloom. He believed that by wearing the lei, he would gain the favor of the gods and become the undisputed ruler of all the islands. He challenged Kaʻala to battle, but she, wise and aware of the sacred trust she carried, did not wish for bloodshed.

Kaʻala turned to the gods for guidance. In a dream, the god Kanaloa appeared to her in the form of a great whale. The whale spoke in a voice like the ocean’s roar: “The Lei Niho Palaoa belongs not to one who seeks it out of greed, but to one who leads with a pure heart. The mana of your people is in you, Kaʻala, not in the whale’s tooth. Trust in this, and you will find victory.”

Awakened by the dream, Kaʻala prepared to meet Keahi. When the time came for the battle, she stood on the shoreline, facing her enemy. Around her neck, the Lei Niho Palaoa gleamed in the sun, a symbol of her heritage. Keahi, confident in his strength, lunged forward, but as he reached for the lei, a great wave rose from the ocean behind Kaʻala. The sea roared, and from the depths emerged a massive whale, its eyes glowing with ancient wisdom.

The whale circled the shore, and with a single flick of its tail, sent a spray of water toward Keahi. He stumbled back, terrified and confused. The people, seeing this, knew it was a sign from Kanaloa, affirming Kaʻala’s right to rule. Keahi, humbled by the gods, retreated and vowed never to return.

Kaʻala continued to lead her people with the wisdom of her ancestors. The Lei Niho Palaoa remained around her neck, not just as a symbol of her authority, but as a reminder that true power comes from within, from a heart aligned with the gods and the land.

And so, the Lei Niho Palaoa was passed down, its story growing with each new generation, forever binding the aliʻi to the land, the sea, and the spirits of their kūpuna.