Kahuna redirects here. For thePokémon the Series: The Beginning episode "The Pi-Kahuna", seeEP067.

Island Kahuna しまキング/しまクイーンIsland King/Island Queen
The four island kahunas inPokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
Other names
Introduced in	Generation VII
Appears in	Sun, Moon,Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon Masters EX
Gender	Both
Counterpart	{{{counterpart}}}
Notable members	See list
Animated debut	To Top a Totem!(Pokémon the Series)
TCG debut	[[(TCG)|]]
TCG card	{{{card}}}
Manga debut	The Delivery of Rotom and the Girl(Adventures) Mastering the Z-Move(Pokémon Horizon)

Anisland kahuna (Japanese:しまキングIsland King orしまクイーンIsland Queen) is aperson who presides over a certain grand trial during a trial-goer'sisland challenge in theAlolaregion. Island kahunas serve as the final obstacle in that particular island's grand trial and battle aTrainer. There is one kahuna for each of the four main islands of Alola, with each one chosen by that island'sguardian deity. In addition to presiding over an island, they are also in charge of tending to their guardian's ruins when necessary and selecting newcaptains for their island.

Like captains, the kahuna also offer atypedZ-Crystal, as well as astamp for a Trainer'sTrainer Passport when defeated, replacing that of aGym Badge. Also similar to captains andGym Leaders, each known kahuna is known tofocus on a particular type, which may coincide with hobby or alternative job they have interest in. For example,Hala,Melemele Island's kahuna, is aFighting-type specialist, who's known for partaking in Alolan sumo wrestling. During the course ofPokémon Sun, Moon,Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, theplayer is required to defeat a kahuna before moving onto the next island in their island challenge. All four kahuna must be defeated in order to become as island challenge champion. Prior to the establishment of the AlolaPokémon League, a Trainer attempting their island challenge who had finished all of their trials and grand trials were to scaleMount Lanakila and battle all four kahunas in a row in order to become an island challenge champion, similar to that of a group ofElite Four members in other regions. During this reestablishment, some kahuna, notablyHala^SM andOlivia, have become a part of Alola's Elite Four.

According toAcerola, a person chosen to be an island kahuna cannot refuse the position; in this case, she was referring toNanu. A kahuna's reign lasts until they die, as was the case withHapu's grandfather and predecessor, or are forcibly ejected from their position by their respective guardian deity, as was with the case with a former unspecified kahuna who established the gang thatTeam Skull drew inspiration from. The time in between an island kahuna's exit from their position and the naming of a new one is not always immediate — following the death of Hapu's grandfather,Poni Island was left without a kahuna for several years.

It is unknown how the lack of a kahuna affects the island challenge, specifically the assignment of captains and the final trial. InPokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Poni Island's sole captain,Mina, says that a kahuna from one of the other islands has to substitute for an island without one in order to allow that island's grand trials to be conducted — a role Nanu had to play prior to Hapu's crowning. However, Mina does not mention who selected her to be a captain.

All kahuna keep their Pokémon inUltra Balls and use aZ-Crystal andZ-Move of their respective type. They all have theIsland KahunaTrainer Class.

List of island kahunas

Kahuna	Island	Hometown	Type
Hala	Melemele Island	Iki Town	Fighting
Olivia	Akala Island	Konikoni City	Rock
Nanu	Ula'ula Island	Route 17	Dark
Hapu	Poni Island	Ancient Poni Path	Ground

In animation

Pokémon the Series

Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon

InPokémon the Series: Sun & Moon, defeating the island kahunas was a major part ofAsh's island challenge. Ash andhis classmates have encountered all four main island kahunas from the games:

• Hala made his debut inTo Top a Totem!, where he watched over Ash while he completed theVerdant Cavern trial. InTrial and Tribulation!, Ash fought him and won, receiving a newElectrium Z to replace his first one afterTapu Koko swapped Hala'sFightinium Z with it.
• Olivia first appeared in person inThe Island Whisperer!, where she brought Ash's class toAkala Island. After completing theLush Jungle trial inCurrying Favor and Flavor!, Ash battled Olivia inTrials and Determinations! and won, earning aRockium Z.
• Nanu's first appearance was inWhy Not Give Me a Z-Ring Sometime?, where he gaveTeam Rocket aZ-Power Ring as thanks for helpingAcerola. Ash met him inTough Guy Trials!, and then battled him in a grand trial inGuiding an Awakening! and won, earning aLycanium Z as a reward. InPokémon the Series, he is an old acquaintance ofGiovanni, though the details of their common past are unknown.
• Like the games, Poni Island had no island kahuna as ofThat's Some Spicy Island Research!, when Ash and his classmates arrived to the island to conduct their personal research projects.Hapu first appeared in the same episode. Also like the games, she was not a kahuna when she was first seen, but her late grandfatherSofu was the island's second-most recent. As revealed in thefollowing episode, Hapu had been training to follow in her grandfather's footsteps, but had not been able to meetTapu Fini, despite multiple attempts to get in touch with it. InMemories in the Mist!, Tapu Fini accepted Hapu after witnessing her desire to save her friends from its illusory mist, and was officially instated as Poni Island's kahuna in a ceremony in thenext episode. The night after the ritual, Ash battled Hapu in a grand trial and won, earning aSteelium Z, as chosen byPikachu, as a reward.

InYoung Kiawe Had a Farm!,Kiawe's grandfather was mentioned to have been a kahuna prior to the start of theSun & Moon series. InThat's Some Spicy Island Research!, it was mentioned that the previousPoni Island kahuna, unrelated to Hapu or her grandfather, had retired due to age and illness.

InThe Dealer of Destruction!, the four island kahunas were revealed to have agreed withProfessor Kukui to act asreferees during the firstAlolaPokémon League Conference, a promise that they would go on to fulfill during theManalo Conference.

In the manga

Pokémon Adventures

Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon arc

InThe Delivery of Rotom and the Girl, the three current island kahunas met inMalie Garden to discuss the recent sightings of theguardian deities, coming to the conclusion that they had been angered bysomething, and decided to revive the old tradition ofisland challenge to appease them.

InThieving and Boss Crabominable, the island kahunas agreed to makeHapu the next kahuna ofPoni Island inIki Town, a decision that was verified whenTapu Fini gave her aSparkling Stone.

Trivia

• Every kahuna's typing is weak to either one of theguardian deities' primary typing, or theirFairy typing.
• Each kahuna wears an article of clothing of the color that corresponds to their island's name and guardian. Hala's Aloha shirt is yellow, Olivia's shirt is pink, Nanu's undershirt is red, and Hapu's bonnet is purple.
• InPokémon Sun and Moon, there is aZygarde Core at each Kahuna's home.
• All island kahunas keep their Pokémon inUltra Balls.

In other languages

Related articles

• Gym Leader
• Frontier Brain
• Trial Captain

Trial Captains andisland kahunas of theAlola region

Verdant Cavern

Ilima

Brooklet Hill

Lana

Wela Volcano Park

Kiawe

Lush Jungle

Mallow

Hokulani Observatory

Sophocles

Thrifty Megamart

Acerola

Seafolk Village

Mina

Melemele Island

Hala

Akala Island

Olivia

Ula'ula Island

Nanu

Poni Island

Hapu

This Trainer Class article is part ofProject CharacterDex, aBulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in thePokémon games.

• Trainer classes
• Game characters
• Terminology
• Pokémon Sun and Moon
• Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
• Island Kahunas