Kohola Humpback Whale + Baby Necklace
- Regular Price
- $160.00
- Sale Price
- $160.00
- Regular Price
- Unit Price
- per
- Koholā + Baby measures 29 mm long
- All sterling silver or 18K gold vermeil
- Hand-carved and cast
- Lead and nickel free
- Made in Hawaii
- Choose from chains or on a leather cords
- Leather cords come with adjustable silver clasp. Please tell us if you'd like a longer leather cord.
- You may also like our other whale pendants
- More information on vermeil can be found in the blog
About Koholā - Humpback Whales
The Hawaiians revered whales, and considered them a manifestation of Kanaloa, the god of the ocean and its creatures. They were also 'aumakua to the Hawaiians, or ancestral spirit guides. The high chiefs (ali'i) would wear whale teeth which were believed to bring power, or mana. Whales were originally called palaoa, but now that name more commonly refers to toothed whales such as sperm whales. Kolohā are more specifically humpbacks (which are filter feeders without teeth). Sadly much knowledge about whales and their special relationship to the Hawaiian culture has been lost. (find more information here and here) The Hawaiian Islands are the principal winter breeding grounds for the North Pacific humpback whale population. From November through April, thousands of humpbacks migrate to the warm Hawaiian waters to breed, give birth, and nurse their young calves - about half the North Pacific population. They estimate the total population between 8000 - 12000, with the rest of the humpbacks spread between western Mexico and the southern islands of Japan. (note these statistics vary by source) Humpback whales live about 40 to 50 years, and attain 45-60 ft in length; calves are between 13-16 ft long. Humpbacks spend spring and summer farther north in cooler waters like Alaska, and feed on krill and small schooling fish. An endearing characteristic we witness with whales is the affection mothers have for their young, swimming close together, often touching each other with their flippers. Indeed, one of the most most joyous things you can find in the ocean is the excitement of a baby whale learning to breach - leaping out of the ocean again and again!
US Shipping: The good news – shipping for all US orders over $100 is free! Otherwise our standard shipping rates are $9.99 anywhere in the US (8.99 in Hawaii). If you are fortunate enough to live in Hawaii, we are happy to arrange a pick up.
International shipments: Please be patient while your purchase makes its way to you, we are a long way from most places. In fact, Hawaii is the most remote place from any other land mass in the world! Know that we will diligently get your order out as soon as we can, but that even with the best of timing, it may still take a few weeks to arrive. If you would like it sent somewhere not in our shipping list, please contact us or email at hello@alohikai.com and we’ll look into it for you.
Timing: ‘Alohi Kai jewelry is shipped from Hawaii, and some jewelry will be made to order which takes a bit of time. If we have it in stock, we’ll ship it out immediately. For silver pieces made to order, allow 1-3 days to ship; vermeil can take up to an additional 2-3 weeks to finish. If you have a deadline earlier than this, send us a note to be sure – we may have one we can ship immediately. We generally use priority mail (5-7 days for shipping), but please allow 2-3 weeks delivery.
Our shipping is generally done via USPS First Class mail, however if you need something faster, and we have it in stock, we can send it priority mail (3-5 days from ship date), please email us at hello@alohikai.com to arrange it.