Nestled in the middle of the crowded streets of a Hawaiian town, a man stands before a table layered with navy velvet. The afternoon sun makes the smooth surfaces of the polished ivory and sanded wood carvings gleam as they lie in neat rows along the exhibition shelves.
He sweeps a hand over his collection: “If you want fake stuff, go to the other shops. This is handmade,” he says proudly.

The man introduces himself as ‘One (oh-NEH) Tuai. He began carving at the age of four under the tutelage of his grandfather, learning how to make decorative carvings, jewelry, and ceremonial weapons.

The first piece his grandfather carved for him inspired Tuai to continue the trade in an association known as South Pacific Island Art (SPIA). By doing so, Tuai follows the footsteps of his grandfather, who was a “kahuna,” or expert, of the craft.

“This is the [Maui] hook that my grandfather has carved for me to make my wish come true,” he said, pointing to a carving on his table. “[All my work] is what I do for him.”

Tuai has been working professionally for over 15 years. During that time, he has carved in Florida’s Disney World and along the beaches of San Francisco.

Tuai’s company has since found its place among the many street vendors of the town Lahaina. He also spends some of his time teaching his craft in the city center.

All of his work is made of natural materials: mostly cow and whale bones, as well as various types of wood. The SPIA dedicates time and effort into educating others about the style and meaning behind ancient Polynesian art.

“Every piece owns its own story,” Tuai said, gesturing towards an informative binder containing the background legends of each carving. “In the olden days, we didn’t have any records, but we kept a story through the carvings passed down generation to generation.”

He then points to a few more dangerous-looking instruments lying on his display table. Fashioned from carved wood and attached shark teeth, these knives are nowadays used for ceremonial purposes, but in earlier times they were used to protect the family. “Family is the number one thing,” Tuai said.

Tuai is able to sell “about 10 to 40” carvings a day. “I never [carve] one by one,” he adds definitively. Instead of painstakingly whittling each piece of bone or wood separately, he goes through batches of about 40 and finishes them within a week.

Photos of his process and his work can be found on SPIA’s website, http://www.myspia.com.