Huki's Ability and Maku's Prank

[chuckschwa]

This has confused me for years. In Huki's old bio it reads:

Quote

Huki, who stands on Onewa's right side, lives in the desert village of Po-Koro. He is the greatest goal scorer of all time at Koli and one of the few Po-Koronan able to crush boulders with both his feet and his head. It is said that he learned this skill after Maku soaked his mask during a practical joke. (Maku must have known that the Po-Koronan cannot swim and hate water.)

So, I am aware of Maku and Huki's playful/romantic relationship. I'm also aware that Po-Matoran / Po-Koronan (this must have been before the word "Tohunga" was dropped for "Matoran") relate to their elemental theme of sinking like a rock. What I do not understand is the nature of Maku's prank on Huki, and how this led to his ability of crushing boulders with his feet and hands. Did soaking Huki's mask lead to his talent of strength? If so, how? Is there some cultural reference I am overlooking?

[Nato G]

I imagine it would be something simple along the lines of "ah, get this water off me" followed by Huki running into a rock and managing to accidentally smash it with his face. 

[Alyska]

Yeah, it didn’t say the prank gave him the ability, only that he learned it afterwards.

Although Po- Matoran absolutely would joke that the water had mystical properties and made him immune to concussion or something. Maybe they play similar pranks on each other ostensibly to bestow good luck.

I liked to think the original  prank was Hewkii’s mask coming off while he was training (which happens all the time), and Macku hands it back to him after hiding pieces of wet sea sponge in the cheeks of the mask. When he puts it on... SQUELCH. Cue the running around screaming part.

[chuckschwa]

18 hours ago, Alyska said:

Yeah, it didn’t say the prank gave him the ability, only that he learned it afterwards.

I'm open to this translation. I think the only reason the two events seem tied together is because of the line "It is said ..." like it's a local hearsay. If they were not related, I feel like the author could have worded the two ideas differently.

[Fyndegil]

So like, Maku soaked his mask, and then the Matoran joked that that was how he learned to break boulders with his head?

[Alyska]

I do like the “freaks out at the prank and smashes into a rock” take. It’s such a Hewkii thing to do, and is exactly the sort of thing Po-Matoran would make dumb jokes about. 

Interestingly, Hewkii isn’t the only Matoran who can do this, apparently Dalu breaks walls with her head when she’s angry.

[Master Inika]

I think the implication is that he panicked when he put on the wet mask and smashed his head into a boulder, probably shouting "Get it off!"