Okay, this is going to require a bit of a lead-in before I show you the item in question.

Shortly after the WTC disaster, I got the idea to make a patriotic red/white/blue TOHUNGA, with the intent of giving it to the staff of LEGO® Direct because of their close proximity to the area. When I heard that one of their own, Maureen R., had lost her brother in one of the Towers, I modified that plan. I decided to send it just to Maureen.

It took most of a month to complete the final details, and I sent it out on October 6th, hoping it would get there by the 11th. It didn’t. It arrived five days later, much to my initial disappointment. A week passed before I found out the whole situation. It turns out that on the very day that it arrived, Maureen was boarding a plane bound for Denmark. Exactly when she needed it most. MAIA ended up taking the flight with her.

After Maureen returned to the US she informed me of the circumstances of MAIA’s arrival, and that when she met with the BIONICLE™ design team she showed MAIA to them. Not only were they impressed with the gift, they also showed Maureen that photos and an article had already been posted on MoD. They gave Maureen something to send as a way to say thank you. And this is that item.

I’ve seen a few prototype KANOHI being auctioned on eBay, but not like this. The HAU was red, the PAKARI black, and each of the others were in the same colors that were used for the KANOHI that came with the actual TOA sets. While this may not be the only yellow HAU out there (Not with JALA all over the place…), it’s certainly the only yellow prototype HAU that I’ve ever heard of.

So anyways, if the BIONICLE™ design team is reading this article, I would just like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I never hoped for anything but to bring a smile to Maureen’s face when I sent MAIA, so to receive something like this is truly special to me. Heck, even Evil TAHU was so touched by the moment that a tear came to his eye. (You can’t see it in the picture because his KANOHI is in the way.)