Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 9, 1 September 1986 — Ka Huakaʻi I Kukiʻo (The Trip to Kukiʻo) [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ka Huakaʻi I Kukiʻo (The Trip to Kukiʻo)

By Ruby McDonaId Community Resource Specialist West Hawaii (Part I of two installments)

About 36 members and friends of the Daughters of Hawai'i embarked on a comprehensive historical tour July 14 of "ka 'aina kaulana 'o Kekaha", eonducted by Hannah Kihalani Springer. KEKAHAbarren, desolate; often spoken of as KEKAHA-WAI-'OLE, the desolate

land without water. (KONA LEGENDS, Eliza D. Maguire). Indeed, in the rain shadow of all three major mountains and with a few developed surface drainage systems, water was and still is a resource of premium value to the kama'aina. "Aia 'o Kekaha ma waena o Kealakehe a me 'Anaeho 'omalu".

This land is dearly loved by na kama'aina and the malihini who eome to know the region. The deep waters were and are reknowned for 'ahi. Closer to shore the onee abundant 'opelu, the kole-maka-'ona'ona holes and papa he'e bring a gleam of delight to the eyes of knowing coastal fisherfolk. The mid elevations supported gardens and plantation agriculture to the south of Hu'ehu'e and to the north of Hu'ehu'e the dry land forest yielded a variety of valued hardwoods including kauila (Colubrina oppositifolia), uhiuhi (Mezoneuron kavaiense), and 'iliahi (Santalum). As the functional value of these woods has declined, their scientific and aesthetic value has been on the ineline. The pleasingclimate and sunset views are attractive to kama'aina and malihini alike, as evidenced by the burgeoning subdivisions in the recnon.

The group gathered in the land division of Kaulana. These lands have been for generations the upland "gateway" to the lowlands and beach areas of northern Kekaha with the old government road from Kekaha 'uka to Kihob, thence to Puako and points further on meandering below the gathering point. During the Mahele and later as a result of the 1895 Homestead Act, numerous Hawaiian homesteads were established in Kaulana, Pu'ukala, Hamanamana, Kalaoa, 'O'oma, Kohanaiki, and so on. These homesteads represent an approximation of traditional population distribution in the uplands.

During the ranching era the large landowners consolidated many of the smaller kuleana/homesteads under their ownership. This was facilitated by native unfamiliarity with the Euro-merican land tenure system and by the out-migration of natives to various port towns and urban centers. Acts of trespassing and poaching resulted in the locking of gates across traditional aecessways, further compounding the alienahon of some kama'aina from traditional resources.

The group stopped at an area whieh Hannah related, was pointed out to her as a child, as the site of an "old Hawaiian village", conforming to the approximate loeation of the village of Manuahi described by Eliza Davis Low Maguire's collection and translation of regional tales, Kona Legends. Manuahi is associated with a large 'ulu (breadfruit, Artocarpusincisus) grove known from some sources (S.M. Kamakau, Ruling Chiefs) as, or of, Kameaha'ikana. Kameaha'ikana was maintained into the Kamehameha period until its inundation by the 1801 Puhiapele flow.

An interesting anecdote related by Hannah gave us "ehieken skin". Walking the trails of Kekaha by day ean prove to be very "ko'eha'eha" (uncomfortably hot), so one day, she and a friend decided to walk from makai, Kuki'o to mauka Hu'ehu'e by using "available light", as suggested by kama'aina of the area. Leaving the beach of Kuki'o just before sunset, they traversed the old trail heading mau'ka. As her friend tended to take longer strides and was normally a faster walker than she, Hannah usually ended up in back. While passing through the general area of Manuahi, at about 11 p.m. or so,

Hannah felt, more than saw, movement on both sides of the trail. Attesting such to cattle movements, she eontinued on, only to find that she was walking ahead of her eompanion. More rustling sounds caused her to peer into the starlit wooded area investigating the source of all the commotion. An eene feeling, accompanied by 'okakala (creepy sensation, goose bumps) overcame her and all thoughts of tiredness departed, post haste. Some time later, Hannah had a ehanee to "talk story" with a kama'aina of the hO' HoWoii ,isiu ,ic 1lC i IU

area and was told that the area she had passed through was known by them as Kaukaweli (full of fear), and they had experienced similar episodes there. On to Puhiapele . . . A cinder and spatter eone, source for the last confirmed eruption of 1801. This eone rises about 300 feet above the surrounding landscape; the flow issued from it entered the sea along a flow front about four miles wide. It was this flow whieh

covered the pond of Paaiea (Pa-enclosure, 'aiea, Nothocestrum tree), the source of the accounts of the "inland water-way" whieh eased journeys by eanoe along the coast between Mahai'ula and Kalaoa. According to Kona Legends, Eliza D. Maguire, "This fishpond of Paaiea was three miles long, and a mile and a half wide." "It belonged to a certain chief and was well guarded". Another interesting anecdote shared by Hannah who

related the story of "The Lady with the Ko'oko'olau Lei". One day an old- woman appeared at the beach wearing a ko'oko'olau lei. She asked for some fish or palu, as the canoes had just eome in with a bountiful catch of aku. She was told to ask the konohiki, as they were not permitted to give anything away. The konohiki, Kepaalani, told her that no fish or palu was available. She then asked for some 'opae (shrimp), and was

told that all of it belonged to the Chief. 1 he old woman left to go ma'uka. On her way she eame upon Kapulau's house and was invited to share their meal. When she had finished, she gave instructions to her host to put up a lepa (tapa cloth on the end of a stick; flag) back of their house and on the fence, and cautioned them of great doings to eome; maybe that night. (To be concluded next issue.)

Hannah Kihalani Springer with back to camera and gesturing with hand relates legend of the lady with the ko'oko'olau lei during one phase of the tour.

This is all that remains of the old Hawaiian village of Manuahi.

Puhiapele, a cinder and spatter eone whose last confirmed eruption was in 1801.