This mug is an imaginative morphing of Lono Imagery with that of Captain Cook.

Some Native Hawaiians may have misidentified Captain James Cook as Lono's incarnation, which may have later caused Cook's death (see Third voyage of James Cook). It is uncertain whether Cook was mistaken for the god Lono, or one of several historical or legendary figures also named Lono-i-ka-Makahiki. It was traditionally held that the god Lono had appeared as a human who then established games and the annual taxing. Before departing to "Kahiki", he promised returning "by sea on the canoes ʻAuwaʻalalua".