Humuhumunukunukuapua’a Trucker

The Humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a is our take on the reef triggerfish (Rhinecanthus rectangulus), one of the most widely recognized of Hawaiian fish. 

The name “humuhumu”, the first part of the Hawaiian word used for all triggerfish, may mean “to fit pieces together”. This could refer to the way some species’ color patterns resemble blocks of colors. The second part of the reef trigger’s name is ” nukuāpua‘a ” and means “snout like a pig”.

To early Hawaiians, their behaviors of rooting through the sand or rocks for food and making grunting noises when handled represented pig-like habits.

In May of 2006 Governor Linda Lingle signed a bill that permanently established the humuhumunukunukuāpua‘a as the State Fish of Hawai‘i.