The Hawaiian version of tic-tac-toe was played with black and white stones, called 'ili'ili, on boards etched into massive lava rocks. It was probably difficult to lug those boards around; that was a sport in itself. Thus it was played mostly by royals, who had means and manpower, as they carried the great boulders from village to village for major tournaments.
Honu Creations has made konane portable by creating a cloth "board," with a drawstring that allows players to wrap up the stone playing pieces and tote it around in one neat little ho'okupu, or laulau-like package.
Chris Frost, who updated the game for today's mobile society, started making them as gifts for friends. Before that, he, too, would play on "found" boards etched into rocks along the Kona coast.
Other commercial boards were square in shape, but in speaking to others who have documented konane boards - about 100 of them statewide, concentrated on the Big Island - not one was square.
"I went through the Bishop Museum archives, anywhere I could find information. As far as I'm concerned, no one really even knows the rules of the game, so I just included simple rules."
Although the game is played today like tic-tac-toe, he said it was believed to be as complex as chess.
The game in pouch form sells for $16 to $18, depending on the store. Honu Creations also makes versions with an 8-1/2-by-12-inch koa board for $60 to $75, and a 10-by-16 koa board for $120.
Shops that carry the Original Hoku Honu Konane Board Game are the
Little Hawaiian Craft Shop in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, Quilts Hawaii at 2338 S. King. St. and
Kwilts 'n Koa at 1126 12th Ave. Suite 101. The game also is available at Hana Hou in Hilo and Under the Koa Tree in the Kings' Shops Waikoloa on the Big Island.
The convenience factor is not all that's changed about konane. The history that comes with the game says that the game was taken very seriously and was "often played for high stakes, even life & death." These days, winners would be lucky to get a free lunch.
We've all "Made A" at one time or another. Send us your tale and if we print it we'll send you an "I Made A" T-shirt, designed by our graphics boys. Send it to us at:Making A. Please include your phone number or a way to contact you and your T-shirt size.
Send WatDat? questions, Making-A stories or any other story ideas or comments to: Features, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, HI 96802 or send a fax to 523-8509 or E-mail to features@starbulletin.com. Please include your phone number.