“Ka nuku mio mimo i kū maikaʻi i ka piʻo o ka pua;
The slender, finely tapered beak that fits well into the curve of the flower”
– Keaukulukele
(Left) Mamo (i luna) with longer more curved beak, and perhaps 2 sq inches of hulu melemele. ʻIʻiwi (i lalo). – Photo: Bret Nainoa Mossman, Museum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris (Right) On C. peleana, rather than front door, shorter beaked ʻiʻiwi tries a side entrance. Mamo would’ve had ʻaʻale pilikia. – Photo: Still from a video by Jack Jeffrey
You know what I wish? I wish I knew how to inspire curiosity in folks. I’ve been nīele my entire life, still asking How come? When? Where? Others? Not so much it seems. I’m always wondering, searching, re-searching, exploring, mulling, musing.
Perhaps these days people are too busy. Trying to keep up with deluges of emails, social media posts and pics, and what-lā is all-consuming. And then, attempting to respond. Or not.
I return to pondering mamo (Drepanis pacifica), evolved, only found, and extincted on Hawaiʻi, whose sustenance was mainly wai ʻōhā. ʻŌhā, endemic lobelias, also evolved here with manu mamo whose exquisitely long and curved bill matched corolla curve, able to slide in and probe for nectar while pollenating pua.
Diversity of species dazzle. On Hawaiʻi, ʻōhā provided nutrition for cherished mamo. A range of species and habitats fed perhaps hundreds of thousands of mamo. (L) Clermontia lindseyana, (R) C. kohalae. – Photos: Brooks Rownd
Together, various species of ʻōhā, with mamo, likely populated a good part of Moku o Keawe. Wherever the plants were, so, likely, were the birds. Many many thousands of mamo. Hundreds of thousands. And plantations of olonā. Acres. With which to fashion nae.
It’s challenging to envision the vibrancy of what was. And maybe depressing too. I wish we better understood these things, and would want to study and learn and be filled with wonder about what was . . . and lament the loss while acknowledging spectacular accomplishments. Without sewing-machined feathers.
