Thursday, August 28, 2008

Ka Lae o ka ʻŌʻio





Ka Lae o ka ʻŌʻio is the point that extends out into the ocean as you round the turn on Kamehameha highway at the end of Kualoa and enter the beginning of Kaʻaʻawa (as you head towards Kahuku -top picture above).

Ka Lae o ka ʻŌʻio not only separates nā ahupuaʻa of Kualoa and Kaʻaʻawa. It also separates nā moku (districts) of Koʻolaupoko and Koʻolauloa.

Kanehoalani hill or ridge directly above Ka Lae o ka ʻŌʻio is steeped in legend (bottom picture). The famous burial cave of aliʻi called Pohukaina located in this ridge is said to have once had many entrances and extend through out the Koʻolau mountains.

There was also a spring above Ka Lae o ka ʻŌʻio called Kaʻahuʻula. Kaʻahuʻula spring was reportedly destroyed by the US army during WWII when a gun site was built above and earth and rock from the gun site area covered the spring. The gun site can be seen to this day.

I am not positive as to the exact meaning of Ka Lae o ka ʻŌʻio except that with the kahakō over ʻŌʻio it means "The Point of the Bone Fish". Without the kahakō over ʻOʻio, ʻOʻio means "procession of ghosts of a departed chief and his company" per the Pukui/Elbert "Hawaiian Dictionary". I have seen it labeled in some texts as "The Point of the Bone Fish"; however, if you read about Pohukaina Cave and Kanehoalani ridge above, possibly "The Point of the Departed Chief" would be accurate also?

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Hawea Heiau



Hawea heiau is located at the foot of Kaluanui Ridge (Mariners ridge) in the ahupuaʻa o Maunalua.

Remnants of the ancient site are where the coconut grove is located (see pictures above). This grove is near marshy land. Water holes in this area once provided fresh water when it rained to people living or passing through the area. Also, in ancient times there was a spring in this area called Waiakaʻaia which provided fresh water (History of Hawaii Kai & Maunalua - pg 34).

According to Levi Chamberland, a missionary who traveled through the Maunalua area in the early 1800ʻs, there was a village near where the Hawaii Kai Recreation Center is located now. This village according to him was called Keawaʻawa.

He counted nearly 100 huts in this area in which my guess would be that they were a combination of hale pili (thatched huts) and pāpaʻi lawaiʻa (fishermens huts). The inhabitants were mostly kānaka lawaiʻa (fishing people).

Monday, August 18, 2008

Nā Manu Kamaʻāina



Just a couple of pictures shot today while returning from a job on the Koʻolau side of Oʻahu. I stopped to shop in Kailua at a place near the Hamakua wetlands. Saw an ʻAlae ʻUla (Common Moorhen - bottom) and an ʻAukuʻu (Black-Crowned Night-Heron - top) at close range. The Hamakua wetlands are a good place to view wetland type birds native to Hawaii.

The ʻAukuʻu is often seen in Maunalua in the canals behind Kuapa pond. I have not seen the ʻAlae ʻUla in Maunalua though. Often the Aeʻo (Hawaiian Stilt) is seen in Maunalua around the pond areas and also in Kamiloiki Park.

The Hamakua wetlands are very much like what the wetlands of Maunalua and Kūapa pond looked like before Hawaii Kai was developed (below).

If you have not already noticed, the Kōlea (Golden Plover) has returned within the last couple of weeks. Also, the ʻŪlili (Wandering Tattler) should be returning also at this time. You can often see ʻŪlili around Kuliʻouʻou Beach Park (on the beach) and around the Paiko Lagoon area.



Monday, August 11, 2008

ʻOama Season



No work scheduled for today (or actually had work but never did any). Went fishing instead...
So it is for me! I take little mini-vacations when I can since I usually don't take long ones.

Went ʻoama fishing at my favorite ʻoama fishing spot at Waiʻalae Beach (above). After catching about a couple dozen went home for a break. Than went to spot near Makapuʻu late in the day to see if there were any pāpio to be had. ʻAʻohe! Used about have my bait. Took the rest home. Will fry um tomorrow for snack. Hopefully, will have time to catch more ʻoama in a few days and try again for pāpio somewhere else.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Pu'u o Hulu





If you listen to Hawaiian songs you often will hear place names mentioned in the mele.

The Waiʻanae coast has many majestic and beautiful ridges extending from the Waiʻanae mountain range towards the sea. Take note of the beauty of these ridges next time you drive or visit the Waiʻanae coast.

One of these ridges is called "Puʻu o Hulu" (pictures above & below). This is the ridge near the sea that separates Nānākuli and Māʻili.

This ridge is mentioned in the well known paniolo mele called "Kaula ʻIli". This song consists of two versus with the lyrics of the second verse being more often heard. The second verse starts with " "Hoʻomākaukau kou kaula ʻili".

The third line in the lesser heard first verse goes "Eia aʻe ʻo Puʻuohulu" which says "Puʻuohulu hill draws near".

Take note of the beauty of this hill next time driving Farrington highway between Nānākuli & Māʻili and the "hill is drawing near".

Friday, August 8, 2008

New Web Sites

Congradulations to Mālama Maunalua, Maunalua Fish Pond Heritage Center & Hui Maunalua in the launching of there new web-sites (shown below) which are now up and running. Please be sure to check them out!

These organizations are surely among those at the forefront of bringing the community of Maunalua and adjacent ahupuaʻa together in preserving the past and in working towards the future for the betterment of our community and local environment.

Mālama Maunalua: www.malamamaunalua.org
Maunalua Fish Pond Heritage Center: www.maunaluafishpondheritage.com
Hui Maunalua: www.maunalua.net

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Keahupua o Maunalua

"Keahupua o Maunalua" is the original name for Kuapā Pond in the ahupuaʻa o Maunalua.

In old Hawaii, the Keahupua o Maunalua was "kapu" for most makaʻāinana (commoners) to enter or take fish from. The penalty for violating this kapu would be death. Kuapā pond in its original state (which of course has been transformed into what is called Koko marina more recently) was a fine example of Hawaiian engineering and construction.

Approximately where Kalanianaʻole highway is located now and extending along the makai side of Maunalua is where the makai side pond wall stood. The top of the wall was very narrow (only a few feet) as compared to the amount of fill land that separates the ocean and marina today.

The wall extended from the east edge of Kuliouʻou to mauka of Kawaihoa (Portlock) and was fitted with several mākāhā (sluice gates) to regulate the fresh and salt water flow into and out of the pond. This original pond wall probably stood for hundreds of years before it was demolished around 1960 when the development of what is now called by many Hawaii Kai started.

Keahupua o Maunalua at 523 acres was the largest or one of the largest fish ponds in Hawaii.