Robby Mist holding his late mother's wind gourd.

Hawaiian Burial Gourd "Wind Gourd"

I make wind gourds for the family of a loved one who is making the transition from body back to spirit. A wind gourd is the urn the ashes rest in. I ask the family if the deceased has an "aumakua" or a family god. A protector of the family could take more than one form but usually is a manifestation of an animal. Starting at $350.


ʻAumākua could appear as:

• honu, (turtle)
• pueo, owl (as at Manoa, Oʻahu, Kau and Puna)
• manō, shark (all islands except Kauaʻi)
• ʻalalā, crow (island of Hawaiʻi)
• ʻio, hawk (on island of Hawaiʻi)
• ʻelepaio, monarch flycatcher (also the goddess of canoe makers)
• ʻiʻiwi, honeycreeper (whose feathers were used extensively in featherwork)
• ʻalae ʻula, moorhen (whose cry was considered a bad omen)
• heʻe, octopus
• puhi, eel
• ʻiole liʻiliʻi, mouse
• ʻiole, rat
• ʻīlio, dog
• moʻo, lizard, or dragon 
• peʻelua/ʻenuhe/nuhe/ʻanuhe/poko, caterpillar
• pōhaku, rock
• leho, cowry
• ao, cloud
• mea kanu, plant

I design the gourd with the aumakua as pictured above. The back of the gourd gives the persons data along with a saying or a favorite flower or quote. Each is designed personally according to the family's wishes. This is a huge honor for me to design and make one of these sacred ipu. I also offer smaller replicas for each member who wants one, to store part of the ashes if so desired.