Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 10, 1 October 1986 — Ka Huakaʻi I Kukiʻo (The Trip to Kukiʻo) [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ka Huakaʻi I Kukiʻo (The Trip to Kukiʻo)

By Ruby McDonald Community Resource Specialist West Hawaii (Part II, concIuding installment)

This same old woman appeared before two girls roasting breadfruit and asked them for whom they were roasting the 'ulu? Kolomu'o, one of the girls, replied "For La'i". The other girl, Pahinahina replied, "For Pele". "Well, if that is so, the 'ulu is cooked," replied the old woman. "I don't think it's

cooked, it was just turned over", Pahinahina replied. But when they tasted it, it was cooked. The old woman instructed her to tell her parents, when they returned home, to put up a lepa on the end part of their house. This was done. That night, the people saw a fire on Hualalai at a plaee called Ka-Waha-o-Pele (The Mouth of Pele) and thought it was the fire of the bird catchers. Then the fire disappeared and burst forward again, lower down at a plaee called Ka-Iwi-o-Pele (The backbone of Pele) and they thought it was the campfire of the eanoe builders.

It continued, on and off, appearing and disappearing, until they realized that this was the work of Pele, and not manmade. The lava continued to the sea, covering the pond Pa'aiea, whieh lies today under the Keahole Airport in North Kona.

The cinder hill of Puhiapele (Pele's bon-fire) remains today, a stark reminder of the selfishness and of the generosity of ka po'e kahiko. Hannah also related the 1929 earthquakes experienced by her mother and kama'aina of Kona. It was a series of earthquakes that lasted for some weeks. A time when no one felt safe sleeping indoors, or

outdoors. But they persevered.

Makalawena Kipuka The range of plant species in this kipuka is fairly representative of dryland forest types. 'Elama (Diospyros), 'a'ali'i (Dodonaea), and wiliwili (Erythrina) are dominant and other species present include alahe'e (Canthium), halapepe (Pleomele) and 'iliahi. BeIow this area are the hills, bays and trails of northern Kekaha. The traditional and later ranch period trail from Hu'ehu'e to Kuki'o went behind Puhiapele, dividing at Po'opo'omino; one spur going to Uluweuweu Bay in Kuki'o, the other to Kahuwai Bay in Ka'upulehu.

The ma'uka/ma'kai trail, Hu'ehu'e to Kuki'o, is crossed by Ka'ahumanu Highway. The trail runs parallel to the prominent lava ehannel, dividing again about 400 yards from shore, the southern spur crossing the lava ehannel and continues on to Kakapa Bay in Kuki'o 2. Kuki'o 2 is state owned. According to population reconstruction made by Ross Cordy, the populahon of Kuki'o 2 was established first and was larger during the traditional period. There is a formally defined grave area at Kakapa, as opposed to the individual grave sites in Kuki'o 1.

Kikaua Point Kikaua Point has long been favored as a house site. The present Hu'ehu'e Ranch beach house is built upon

the site of Stillman's beach house. The Stillman family were the former owners of Kuki'o 1, indeed all of Hu'ehu'e Ranch, inherited from their great-grandfather, John Avery Maguire. These particular lands of Kuki'o 1 were inherited by John A. Maguire when his first wife, Luka Hopula'au, died in 1898.

In traditiona! times the well whieh serviced the needs of those living here had, and perhaps still has, in the words of Stearns and MacDonald, "the most potable water on the coast of Hualalai." The numerous wai 'opae (anehialine ponds with shrimp populations) have both native and alien

crustacean species, and are frequented by kukuluae'o (Himantopus himantopus). In addition, the various features representative of walled, terracedand platform sites, as well as natural, modified features, are well distributed throughout Kuki'o.

The anehialine ponds located here encompass a large area. During the time of ka po'e kahiko, eaeh area had its functional purpose, whieh has not been kept up during the transitional period till today. But the clear, eool waters offer a calming respite from the hot and humid climate. The kiawe (Prosopis pallida) was onee cultivated and tended for its excellent fuel, the nutritious beans, fodder for hogs and cattle and its shade. They were watched carefully, and trees with smaller thoms were planted, attesting to the availability of water whieh caused the smal)er thorns.

Other discussion included traditional and contemporary land tenure and use, the environmental framework of such activities then and now, and the need for eonservation practices relative to the dry land forest area, to protect and perhaps propagate the endangered plant life that co-exist with the fountain grass and other exotics introduced to Hawai'i by unsuspecting culprits. The day had started out clear, cloudless and quite early for those who eame from Hilo, Waimea and South Kona. It ended with the life-giving rains that cooled the

body and soul. The group !eft agreeing that Hannah had done an excellent presentation of her historical observations, peppered with ancedotes and personal experiences. Some of them had taken the tour at an earlier time with the Kona Historical Society, but felt compelled to eome again because of the interesting and knowledgeable information provided by Hannah Kihalani Springer.

One of the many anehialine ponds at Kuki'o.

Members end the tour with a refreshing dip in the oeean at Kuki'o Beach or just spend time strolling its beautiful stretch of white sand.