Kahu

"Quicksoaring Kahu-riders treelaunch, and great battles fought!"
— Tamaru, Mata Nui Online Game

Kahu
Rahi
Known locations	Le-Wahi (formerly) Spherus Magna
Pronunciation	Kah-hoo
Set	Kahu (instructions)

Kahu are hawk-like Rahi.

History

The Kahu species, a sub-species of the Gukko, was created by the Makuta using Viruses and Liquid Protodermis to be one of the Rahi to inhabit the Matoran Universe.

When the Great Cataclysm brought about the creation of the island of Mata Nui, many Kahu migrated there and established themselves in Le-Wahi. The Le-Matoran Gukko Bird Force utilized Kahu as flying steeds in their fights against infected Rahi of Le-Wahi. Some Kahu had Kanoka Launchers mounted on their backs for combat purposes. Le-Matoran could summon the bird using Flutes. Kahu were launched by a Matoran with signal Lightstones.

Kopaka riding a Kahu

1,000 years later, the Kahu migrated back to the Matoran Universe when the Bohrok swarms were awakened to cleanse the island.

After the Mata Nui Robot was critically damaged in the Battle of Bara Magna, many Kahu emigrated from the Matoran Universe to Spherus Magna.

Kongu's Kahu

A Kahu bird was tamed by Kongu on Mata Nui. He mounted a disk launcher on the bird, and rode it several times in the Great War. When the Nui-Rama swarm attacked, Kongu asked Takua to be his second on the Kahu. The Kahu was later injured by an infected Lewa. The Kahu soon recovered and assisted Kongu in the Battle for Kini-Nui.

Abilities and Traits

A Kahu's wings light up with energy during flight. Kahu are strong enough to carry two Matoran riders, allowing for one Matoran to pilot the bird and a second Matoran to fire a disk launcher.

Set Information

A Kahu in set form

Kahu Set

8548 (Alternate) Kahu

Kahu can be built out of the two Nui-Jaga in set 8548 Nui-Jaga released in 2001. The instructions for this combination could be found in the purple Nui-Jaga instruction booklets. Its lower body featured a trigger that allowed the Kahu's mouth to open and close.

Quotes

"Traveler, will you be my second? My Kahu stays treebound without a Disc-thrower!"
— Kongu, Mata Nui Online Game

Trivia

• The Kahu was, for a long time, not considered to be a part of the official BIONICLE canon, having been completely replaced by the Gukko bird because of a legal conflict with The LEGO Group using Māori words ("kāhu" being the Māori word for "hawk"). It has since been reapproved by Greg Farshtey not only as a canon Rahi, but also a subspecies of the regular Gukko, along with the Kewa.
• In Matoran, the word "kahu" also means "hawk."

Appearances

Books	Multimedia
Novels BIONICLE Chronicles 1: Tale of the Toa (HU)	Online Games Mata Nui Online Game (FA) (SC) Card Games BIONICLE: Quest for the Masks (NC)