Banded wana unbothered by crab's bodily invasion

By Susan Scott

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 29, 2012

~~<p>Last week, while snorkeling off Lanikai Beach, I found a huge, gorgeous black-and-white wana strolling along a stretch of white sand with all the confidence of an armored tank. Not many people stop to admire wana, but I do. Their spiky spines shimmer purple and blue in the bright sun, and when the animal waves those needles at me, I view it as a friendly warning: I don't want to hurt you, but …</p>
<p>Wana, pronounced VAH-nah, is the Hawaiian name for sea urchins with slender, needle-sharp spines. Ancient Hawaiians named other types of sea urchins, too. For some individuals, those called wana were aumakua, or family gods. Others ate wana gonads raw, cooked or dried, but those who considered wana their aumakua neither harmed nor ate sea urchins.</p>
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Last week, while snorkeling off Lanikai Beach, I found a huge, gorgeous black-and-white wana strolling along a stretch of white sand with all the confidence of an armored tank. Not many people stop to admire wana, but I do. Their spiky spines shimmer purple and blue in the bright sun, and when the animal waves those needles at me, I view it as a friendly warning: I don't want to hurt you, but …

Wana, pronounced VAH-nah, is the Hawaiian name for sea urchins with slender, needle-sharp spines. Ancient Hawaiians named other types of sea urchins, too. For some individuals, those called wana were aumakua, or family gods. Others ate wana gonads raw, cooked or dried, but those who considered wana their aumakua neither harmed nor ate sea urchins. Login for more...