This spectacularly carved and dyed gourd is an impressive 26" long with a girth also of 26". Truly a piece of art with a beautiful story behind it.

In the olden days of Hawaii, ipu (gourds) were indispensable; used to preserve food, water and a variety of items, especially on the voyaging canoe. The artists at Ipu Arts have dedicated themselves to the perpetuation of the "once lost" art of the "tattooed gourd". They grow their gourds on the mauka slopes of West Hawaii. They then carve the skin to a chosen design and dye them from the inside with coffee. Some are dyed with traditional dyes. Many of their ipu can be used as drums.