Hawaiian Poi Dog

TheHawaiian Poi Dog(Hawaiian:ʻīlioorʻīlio mākuʻe) is anextinct breedofpariah dogfromHawaiʻiwhich was used byNative Hawaiiansas a spiritual protector of children and as asource of food.
The original Hawaiian poi dogs were descended from thePolynesian dogsbrought to theHawaiian Islandsby thePolynesian people. Genetic studies on theNew Zealand Kurī dogindicate that the origin of this dog (and therefore probably the Hawaiian poi dog) to beIndonesia. Referred as theʻīlioin theHawaiian language, the modern name of thisbreedis derived frompoi, a Hawaiianstaple foodmade from mashed and cookedkalo(ortaro) root. The poi mash was used to fatten-up the dogs for use as livestock, as any meat obtained (from either land or sea) was deemed too valuable to be used simply as dog food. Since the Hawaiian archipelago did not have large,terrestrialmammals, other thanferal hogs(which also likely arrived with the Polynesians), poi dogs were not particularly desired or needed for hunting. The dogs were never deliberately or specifically bred to astandard, but humanselective breedingandnatural selectionstill came-into play.
European explorers, likeCaptain Cook, encountered "pot-bellied, short-legged" poi dogs that freely associated with the kept hogs in the villages. The dogs were said to have had very shortcoats, in a multitude of colors; brown poi dogs were regarded as distinct, enough to warrant a special name. The dogs' heads also had, peculiarly, a "flattened" appearance, a trait which is sometimes ascribed to the diet of the dogs, albeit in some unspecified way (possibly nutritionally-related); considering poi does not require substantialchewingto consume, the dogs may have graduallydevolvedthe need to maintain strongtemporalis muscles, as a reducedtemporal fossawill cause a dog's head to appear "flattened".Poi dogs were thus considered rather dim-witted and sluggish—most of them, seemingly, lacked acute senses and would neither make for goodhunting dogsnor be of muchpractical useon the islands. Nonetheless, they were said to be strong-willed and difficult to train.
The poi dog was a two-purpose breed; it was bred and used for sustenance on the islands and as alucky charm. Unsuited for much else, the breed declined intoextinctionas the islanders' beliefs were forgotten and eatingdog meatbecame unfashionable. Over time, free-ranging andferal dogs, brought by European and American settlers,interbredwith the local poi dogs; by the early20th century, at the latest, the breed had disappeared as a distinct entity.
No surviving artwork or photograph from Hawaiian history are authentically attributed as poi dogs. Often Western artists infused Euro-American characteristics in their 18th-century depictions of the dogs of Polynesia and by the 19th century, the dogs being depicted were of foreign breeds. The lack of details has led historians to guess at what works may be realistic depictions of the breed based on the physical characteristics.
WritersKatharine Luomalaand Margaret Titcomb both agreed an unfinished line drawing, dated to c. 1816–17, by French artistLouis Choris, who was part of the exploring expedition ofOtto von Kotzebue, may show one of the dogs in center which may resemble the extinct breed. Luomala also claims French artistBarthélémy Lauvergnepossibly captured a dog with the same traits in his colored drawing ofHonolulu Harborin 1836.
Ancient Hawaiianpetroglyphsdepict simplified representations of the dogs. They often show the curly tails and pointed ears characteristic of the breed.
In 1967, Jack L. Throp, director of theHonolulu Zoo, attempted tobring backthe breed through selective breeding of local dogs based onmorphologicalcharacteristics. The project studied 18th- and 19th-century descriptions of the dog before 1825 and also the surviving skeletal remains of the ancient breed to set a standard. From this, they selected local dogs in Hawaii, who were then bred for the desired traits. By the third generation from the original dogs selected in the program, a female was born with the desired appearance of the ancient breed.Commenting in 1969, Throp noted:
The program is thought to have discontinued shortly afterward.In 1976, the crews on theHōkūleʻaon their expedition to recreate the historical Polynesian voyage between Hawaii andTahitibrought along a dog from this program, which they named Hoku.
Today, the term "poi dog" is most often used to refer to mutts ormixed breed dogs, but also attribute specific characteristics to poi dogs, including the ability to eat anything, a strong will, and a unique appearance composed of different breeds. The term "poi dog" is also colloquially used to describe people of mixed heritage, although the more common term in use ishapa.