Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Canoeing Nāpali in 1845

“The full moon was flooding with its light the grand mountains, the valley and the bay. Not a sound broke the stillness save the gentle splashing of the waves as they broke on the beach. … The sun was just rising when we reached the point where the great Palis or precipices begin. These precipices are one of the grandest wonders of the Islands, but the danger of examining them on the passage deters many persons from visiting them.”

“There are those who will travel by land sixty miles around rather than sail these fifteen by canoe, and I was warned not to try. But with me curiosity was stronger than caution. I must confess that when we passed the last landing, and were fairly entering on the dangerous part, I felt a little timid, for if any accident should happen, there was no help for us. The rocks rose perpendicularly from the water without any landing place, and if upset, the only hope would be the chance of being picked up by some passing canoe.” Click the link to read more of the account of canoeing the Nā Pali coast, August 19, 1845.)

by Peter T Young 3 Comments

Kiholo Fishpond

Kiholo, besides being a place name, was also the name of Kamehameha’s fishpond. Kiholo, besides being the name of Kamehameha’s large fishpond, was also “[a] large hook, formerly made of wood, used to catch the shark and other large fish”. Kamehameha is said to have ordered the rebuilding of Kiholo pond while he was at Kawaihae, preparing his fleet to attack O‘ahu.

The fishpond that once served Kiholo was significant in size. “This village (Kiholo) exhibits another monument of the genius of Tamehameha.” But lava later took the Kiholo fishpond. The 1850s saw several outbreaks of lava from Mauna Loa: in August 1851; in February 1852, when it came within a few hundred yards of Hilo; in August 1855, when it flowed for 16 months; and in January 1859, when it started up again.

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Sword of Kaluiki

The time frame is about the 1300s – “(A) Japanese vessel that had been dismantled by a typhoon, driven toward the North American coast until it encountered the northwest trade-winds, and then helplessly blown southward to the coast of Maui. … The name of the captain was Kaluiki-a-Manu; the four others were called Neleike, Malaea, Haakoa and Hika – all names of Hawaiian construction. Two of them – Neleike and Malaea – were women, the former being the sister of the captain.”

“The comfort of the strangers was made the especial care of Wakalana, and they soon became not only reconciled but apparently content with their situation. But the kindness of the chief, however commendable, was not altogether unselfish. … The object of the rescued Japanese which attracted most attention was the sword accidentally preserved by the captain. No such terrible knife had ever before been seen or dreamed of by the natives.” (All from Kalākaua, click the link to read the full post, for the rest of the story.)

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Along Ali‘i Drive

Seven miles of roadway and over seven centuries of native Hawaiian traditions – it was here, along Ali‘i Drive, where chiefs of the highest rank walked. King Kamehameha I was the first to unify the entire Hawai‘i archipelago under a single rule – he established his Royal Center here; and, here he excelled at surfing at Hōlualoa Bay.

Here was the coming of the first Christian missionaries who arrived in Kailua Bay in 1820 and began the transformation of Hawai‘i through rapid religious conversion and literacy. Historic sites cover much of the Kailua to Keauhou section of the Kona Coast.

by Peter T Young 2 Comments

Margaret Aiu’s Hula Studio

She was born Margaret Maiki Souza on May 28, 1925 in Honolulu, the daughter of Peter Charles Souza and Cecilia Pai‘ohe Gilman Souza. Hānai (adopted) to her maternal grandaunt Cecilia Rose Mahoe and John William Kealoha, she grew up in Palolo Valley (she considered them her grandparents.) She turned to hula at about the age of 14 or 15. “Hula of the day of the kings was just a memory to some of the old timers. The old hula lived only in the talent of a few masters. Fortunately, these were training a small number in spite of the odds against their every putting their learning to good use.” She was trained in a full range of the ancient and traditional hula. In 1943, at the age of 18, she graduated (‘uniki) as an ‘olapa (dancer.)

A devout Christian, her Tutu helped her reconcile the Christian and Hawaiian beliefs and practices and was able to find peace with ancient practices and her own Christianity. She later married Boniface Aiu. She formed Margaret Aiu’s Hula Studio. Her students learned Hawaiian genealogies, culture, mannerisms, legends, poetry and the ‘beauties of our own Hawai‘i.’ In 1952, she received permission from her teachers to change the name of her dance studio to Hālau Hula O Maiki. (However a sign painter reversed some of the wording to read ‘Hula Hālau O Maiki.’) She later married Haywood Kahauanu Lake, a noted singer, arranger and song-writer, with whom she performed.