‘OMA‘O — For ten years, ‘Oma‘o resident Martin Lugo has been honing his carving skills on authentic reproductions of Hawaiian hooks while working in construction and for the hotel industry. That is, until May, when he was laid off. Lugo
‘OMA‘O — For ten years, ‘Oma‘o resident Martin Lugo has been honing his carving skills on authentic reproductions of Hawaiian hooks while working in construction and for the hotel industry.
That is, until May, when he was laid off. Lugo interpreted this turn of fate as an opportunity to focus on one livelihood.
“Now I am putting 110 percent into something I enjoy,” said the 23-year Kaua‘i resident.
Wife of 11 years, Tess Lugo accompanies her husband to six craft shows annually. July 25 the two will once again have a table at Koloa Plantation Days.
“Martin’s story can inspire people,” Tess Lugo said. “You can do what you never thought you could do.”
Hanging in one corner of his studio are the Dremels he uses to cut, shape and polish his designs — designs ranging from hand carved octopus and whale tails to his most popular item, Hawaiian style fishing hooks.
“When I first started I’d buy bags of shells to mess around on,” he said. “Then I realized how much more durable the larger shells were.”
That’s when friends began sending him red abalone, New Zealand yellow lip mother-of-pearl and multicolored black-lip mother-of-pearl.
“I wanted to perpetuate my son’s culture,” he said. “My son from my first marriage is Hawaiian and I want to show him that in Hawai‘i people were carvers and you can still make a living off an ancient craft.”
Early in his carving career Lugo wore his hooks to work as a doorman at the Sheraton. Everyday he’d have visitors stop to inquire about the hook hanging from twine around his neck.
“People wanted to know the symbolism behind Hawaiian people wearing the hooks and that made me want to know more,” said the former Californian.
Lugo’s research disclosed ancient Hawaiians as believing spiritual power (mana) resides in a person’s bones. Hawaiians would cut and carve fishing hooks from the femur of a deceased friend to wear for luck and also as a symbol of their friend accompanying them while fishing.
“You wear the hook facing the heart,” he said. “You’re hooking the luck in your heart.”
Ultimately all the inquiry from visitors led Lugo to his company name, Niele On Hooks.
“Martin was looking for a word in Hawaiian to describe his hooks,” recalled Tess Lugo. “I was telling him, ‘everybody is so nosey — they are so “niele” on your hooks, why not niele on hooks.’”
That was eight years ago and the name stuck.
To learn more call Lugo, 652-5163 or visit him under the craft tent at Koloa Plantation Days July 25.
