Pewa – (pronounced peh-vuh) are more commonly known to most woodworkers as butterfly patches or repairs. In the turning world they are commonly referred to as pewa. Pewas is the Hawaiian word meaning – tail of fish, shrimp, pr lobster. In Hawaiian culture it symbolizes – healing: Due to its use in repairing, it symbolizes mending relationships, community healing, and restoring cultural continuity.
It’s more commonly used today in flatwork to keep a crack from expanding. It can be used in wood-turning that way too, but there are other uses that pewas/butterflies can be in woodturning such as accenting a piece by using a different color pewa/butterfly than the wood of the main piece, “artsy” uses, etc.
West Michigan Woodturners 