Hanau Hou

Hanau Hou: Rebirth is the powerful life story of B. Malulani "Uncle Malu" Konanui, who was hānai (adopted) as an orphaned infant and raised in the old Hawaiian way in the small fishing village of Opihikao. Through hardship, discipline, and aloha, he grew from a boy fishing off the Puna coast to a Navy serviceman during the Vietnam era, to a dedicated police officer, and eventually a master woodturner. Along the way, he embraced the guiding Hawaiian values of lōkahi (harmony), hōʻihi (respect), aloha (love), maopopo (understanding), and ha'aha'a (humility), which shaped both his personal journey and his lasting contributions to his community.

In retirement, Uncle Malu discovered his true calling-reviving a nearly forgotten Hawaiian tradition through his signature creation, the Pola Hānau (birth bowl), crafted to honor the birth of each child. Over nearly three decades, he has shaped more than 450 bowls from native woods, reconnecting families with their heritage and restoring an ancient practice tied to the sacred piko (umbilical cord). Woven with mo'olelo, family memories, and spiritual insight, Hānau Hou: Rebirth is more than a memoir-it is a legacy of light, love, and cultural renewal, reminding us that to live pono is to live in harmony with the past, present, and future.