Coconut or Niu has a Hawaiian saying or ʻōlelo noʻeau, 'Ka wai lewa i ka makani' or 'The water which sways in the breeze.' Water is often symbolic of wealth, and the heavens, the region above, here provides blessings.
This print tells the life cycle or the genealogy of the coconut palm and it's fruit. Like a series of Russian dolls, each of us contains within us the multitudes of both our ancestors and the seed and nourishment for future generations. Similarly, the coconut contains within it multitudes. The coconut provides nourishment of both people and of the embryo within the coconut. The fruit is capable of withstanding long ocean voyages as it protects future generations within its husk. It is central to pacific cultures, allowing them to voyage and prosper.
- David Shepard