Images of Old Hawaiʻi

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Waikīkī – Kauhale O Hoʻokipa

We are happy to announce that Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA,) serving as the sponsor for the Waikīkī – Kauhale O Hoʻokipa Scenic Byway, has retained Hoʻokuleana LLC to assist in the application, designation and planning processes for the Byway through the Hawaiʻi Scenic Byway Program.

The Hawaiʻi Scenic Byways Program is designed to complement the National Scenic Byways Program, a nationwide effort to identify, promote, manage and invest in roadways that are the most significant in their region with regard to these scenic, historic, recreational, cultural, archeological and natural qualities.

The purpose of the Hawai`i Scenic Byways Program is to formally designate Hawaiʻi Scenic Byways and to establish and implement Corridor Management Plans (CMPs) for our corridors.

The Hawaii Scenic Byways Program identifies and recognizes:
• roads that “tell a story” that is special;
• roads with outstanding scenic, cultural, recreational, archaeological, natural and historic qualities; and
• roads that will benefit from a coordinated strategy for tourism and economic development

First, the name – it is not only descriptive of the meaning and feeling of Waikīkī as we know it today, it is also a metaphor of Waikīkī in traditional (ancient Hawaiian) times, at multiple levels.

In ancient times, a ‘kauhale’ was a cluster of structures [a living compound.]  The traditional Hawaiian home was the kauhale (Lit., plural house;) this was a group of structures forming the homestead – with each building serving a specific purpose.

Literally, ‘Waikīkī – Kauhale O Hoʻokipa’ translates to ‘Waikīkī – Home of Hospitality.’  But, this context of “Home” can expand and also represent the community of Waikīkī.

Starting with Māʻilikūkahi, who ruled in the 1400-1500s (at about the same time Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic,) Waikīkī became the Royal Center for Oʻahu’s ruling Aliʻi.  It remained as such, through Kamehameha I.

The Royal Centers were areas selected by the Ali‘i for their residences and Ali‘i often moved between several residences throughout the year.  The Royal Centers were selected for their abundance of resources (water, fishing, fertile land, etc) and recreation opportunities, with good surfing and canoe-landing sites being favored.

The Scenic Byways program serves to identify “Intrinsic Qualities” along the corridor; these include Scenic, Natural, Historic, Cultural, Archaeological and Recreational.

These intrinsic qualities break into two clusters:
“Land” (Scenic, Natural and Recreational,) and
“People” (Historic, Cultural and Archaeological)

Sites and Stories of Waikīkī, as illustrated through its Intrinsic Qualities, help tell the stories of the Land (‘Āina) and its People from the earliest beginnings of Hawai‘i to today.  Waikīkī – Kauhale O Hoʻokipa will be incorporating several core story themes:
• Royal Residences
• Visitor Industry
• Military
• Natural/Geologic
• Socio-Economic-Political
• Side Trips

Although many of the sites and structures of Waikīkī from the ancient times are long gone, many of these pre-contact Hawaiian places, environment, people, history and culture still convey the sense of earlier importance through continued use of original place names for areas, streets, surf sites, symbols, etc and other references to these people, places and times.  Though gone, they are not forgotten and continue to express the ways of the past.

Through the telling of stories of Waikīkī (and a goal of the establishment of a Scenic Byway (and dream of NaHHA founder, George Kanahele,)) we help to restore Hawaiianness to Waikīkī in a positive, productive and respectful way.

The sense of place of Waikīkī lies within these stories, under the overarching contexts of “Aloha” and “Hoʻokipa” (Hospitality.)

“Waikīkī’s significance is as a place of history, not destination.” (George Kanahele)  Restoring some of Waikīkī’s historical and cultural integrity through Waikīkī – Kauhale O Hoʻokipa Scenic Byway will help to illustrate “I ka wā mamua, ka wā mahope” (The future is in the past.)

This is our third Scenic Byway opportunity.  We also assisted the Kona Sponsor of “Royal Footsteps Along the Kona Coast” with their Corridor Management Plan (the first approved in the State,) as well as helping the Kōloa Sponsor of Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway with their permits and CMP.

In addition to each of those receiving Historic Preservation Commendations from Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation, the Kona project also received the Environment/Preservation Award from the American Planning Association-Hawaiʻi Chapter and the Pualu Award for Culture & History from the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce.

For more information on this project, you can click the following link for a background summary of Waikīkī,  the Scenic Byway Program and the many stories that are told along its roadways.

Click here for more information on the Waikīkī – Kauhale O Hoʻokipa

The image shows our theme image, theme statement and mission/vision – ultimately, we see this Scenic Byway helping to “Restore Hawaiianness to Waikīkī.”

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© 2013 Hoʻokuleana LLC

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Hanami – Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival

Hanami (Japanese, literally, hana = flower and mi = look … “flower viewing”) is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers; “flower” in this case almost always means cherry blossoms.

In Japan, the flowering cherry tree, or “Sakura,” is an exalted flowering plant.

On the continent, the plantings of cherry blossom trees originated in 1912, as a gift of friendship to the People of the United States from the People of Japan.

Over three-thousand cherry blossom trees were planted along the Tidal Basin of the reclaimed Potomac waterfront in Washington, DC.  Today, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is a DC spring celebration.

Cherry blossom trees are very temperamental. They grow in cold climates and require a lot of sunshine, space, rain and breeze. The flowers bloom when a cold spell is followed by a warm spell.

Waimea on the Big Island meets the criteria and today marks the 20th Annual Waimea Cherry Blossom Heritage Festival – with a bunch of activities and programs, focusing on the “Viewing of the Flowers in Springtime.”

The cherry trees in Waimea are in rows fronting Church Row Park. The first trees (there were initially only three) were planted in 1953 in honor of Fred Makino. These trees are the Formosan cherry trees from Taiwan, which produce flowers but no fruit.

In 1912, Fred Makino founded and edited the Japanese language newspaper Hawaii Hochi, which flourished through the Great Depression, two World Wars, dock strikes and political changes.  After Makino’s death in 1953, his wife decided to plant cherry trees in his memory.

From these, Parker Ranch gardener Isami Ishihara later propagated more trees.  Ishihara then approached Pachin Onodera of the Waimea Lions Club to suggest the trees be used to promote community beautification.

In 1972, led by President Frank Fuchino, the Waimea Lions Club started what was to become a cherry tree park at the County-owned Church Row by planting 20-trees donated by Ishihara.

In 1975, 50-more trees were added in a tree planting commemorating the visit of Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako to Hawaiʻi and to honor the first Japanese immigrants who settled in Waimea.

For two decades, Waimea’s free community festival has showcased the 60-year-old cherry trees planted at Waimea’s historic Church Row Park.  The event also celebrates this community’s rich Japanese cultural heritage and traditions at venues throughout town.

Look for pink banners identifying sites — from the Parker Ranch Historic Homes on Māmalahoa to the Hawaiian Homestead Farmer’s Market.

Everyone is invited to spend the day enjoying a lineup of Japanese and multi-cultural performing arts, plus hands-on demonstrations of bonsai, origami, traditional tea ceremony, mochi pounding and a host of colorful craft fairs and delicious foods.

Festivities begin at 9 am in the parking lot behind Parker Ranch Center with special guests, honorees and performances, including bon dancing.

Highlights this year will be an anniversary exhibit honoring some of the festival’s first performers and commemorating its founders – most notably the memory of the late Anne Field-Gomes, whose volunteerism benefited many Waimea organizations and events, including the festival.

Anne Field-Gomes died October 23, 2012 at the age of 84. She brought the AARP’s Tax Aid program to Waimea, served on the Waimea Community Association Board, and was treasurer for the Friends of Thelma Parker Library and the South Kohala Traffic Safety Committee. She was a member of the Waimea Outdoor Circle, St. James’ Church and Imiola Congregational Church and the Waimea Pupule Papale Red Hat Club.

The image is this year’s event poster.  In addition, I have added other related images in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook and Google+ pages.

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© 2013 Hoʻokuleana LLC

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kapi‘olani Park

Kapi‘olani Park was dedicated and named by King Kalākaua to honor his wife, Queen Kapi‘olani.  It was the first public park in the Hawaiian Islands.

The park was dedicated as “a place of innocent refreshment for all who wish to leave the dust of the town street.”

Scotsman Archibald Cleghorn, Governor of Oʻahu and father of Princess Kaʻiulani, was tasked to come up with the design for the park.

Characterized from the beginning as “swamp land in a desert,” Kapiʻolani Park became a park specifically because it wasn’t considered suitable for anything else, and because of its peculiar climate – it’s one of the few places on Oahu where rain almost never falls.

An important part of the initial park was its oval horse race track.  King Kalākaua reportedly liked gambling on horse racing and in 1872 he helped form The Hawaiian Jockey Club (this organized the sport according to the rules that governed races elsewhere.)

In the wet winter of 1876, horseracing enthusiasts from Honolulu asked King Kalākaua to find a dry course for their popular races. King Kalākaua chose an unoccupied dry plain at the foot of Diamond Head.

On June 11, 1877, Kapiʻolani Park was dedicated.

Nearby wetlands and stream provided a diversity of scenery and activity.  Picnicking took place on the banks of streams; trails and bridges over the waterway added to the restful ambiance.

Back in the late-1800s and early-1900s, a lagoon in Kapiʻolani Park contained many islands and islets. The largest was called Makee’s Island (named after James Makee, a Scottish whaling ship captain and the Kapiʻolani Park Association’s first president.)

Makee’s Island started near the corner of Waikīkī Road and Makee Road. (Later, Waikīkī Road was renamed Kalākaua Avenue and a portion of Makee Road joined Kapahulu Road to become Kapahulu Avenue.)

The island, shaped like a long rectangle, was over 700-feet long and 100-feet wide. On it was the first Kapiʻolani Park bandstand, a wooden gazebo-like structure.

The Royal Hawaiian Band performed there on Sunday afternoons and occasionally had night concerts.

At that time, Waikīkī was a popular retreat for the royal families, merchants of Honolulu and visitors.  They were attracted by the long white sand beach, the protective reef and the proximity to Honolulu.  Then, there were relatively few visitor accommodations.

Initially, people would convert their homes and rent rooms.  Finally, in 1893, the first famous Waikīkī hotel opened, “Sans Souci.”  It became one of the first beach resorts (that end of Waikīkī is still called “Sans Souci Beach” – makai of Kapiʻolani Park.)

At the turn of the century, more hotels began to spring up in Waikīkī – starting with the Moana Hotel in 1901, the Royal Hawaiian in 1927 and others.

In the early years, the park’s primary attractions were an exotic bird collection and horse racing, especially the running of the Rosita Cup, held annually on King Kamehameha Day.

Peacocks, trees and palms were added to the park, with plantings obtained from Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Roads and trolley lines were extended to include “Waikīkī Road at Makee” (Kalākaua and Kapahulu Avenues.)

Then the zoo component started to expand.  During 1914 to 1916, more animals were exhibited at Kapiʻolani Park. The first animals included a monkey, a honey bear and some lion cubs. In 1916, Daisy, a friendly African elephant, arrived in Honolulu.

In 1947, the Honolulu Zoo master plan was approved to occupy the triangle of Kapiʻolani Park lying between Kapahulu Avenue, Monsarrat Avenue and Paki Street.

Nestled near the Zoo is the Waikīkī Shell, a venue for outdoor concerts and large gatherings (it was home to the now retired Kodak Hula Show.)

Likewise, sports activities also expanded.  Polo was introduced and baseball was played, in addition to tennis courts, field laid out for soccer and rugby and a continuous path for walkers and joggers.

This area now includes Kapiʻolani Park, Waikīkī Zoo, Waikīkī Shell, Waikīkī War Memorial Natatorium and Waikīkī Aquarium.

The image shows Kapiʻolani Park in about 1900.  The carriages are lined along the race track and a polo game is going on in the center.  I have also added other images and maps on Kapiʻolani Park in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/peter.t.young.hawaii

© 2012 Hoʻokuleana LLC

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Commercial Sugar in Hawai‘i

The early Polynesian settlers to Hawaiʻi brought sugar cane with them and demonstrated that it could be grown successfully.

Since it was a crop that produced a choice food product that could be shipped to distant markets, its culture on a field and commercial scale was started as early as 1800 and it continued to grow.

In 1802, sugar was first made in the islands on the island of Lānaʻi  by a native of China.  He came here in one of the vessels trading for sandalwood, and brought a stone mill and boilers, and after grinding off one small crop and making it into sugar, went back the next year with his fixtures, to China.

The first commercially-viable sugar plantation, Ladd and Co., was started at Kōloa on Kaua‘i.  On July 29, 1835 (187 years ago, today,) Ladd & Company obtained a 50-year lease on nearly 1,000-acres of land and established a plantation and mill site in Kōloa.

It was to change the face of Kaua‘i (and Hawai‘i) forever, launching an entire economy, lifestyle and practice of monocropping that lasted for over a century.  A tribute to this venture is found at the Kōloa Sugar Memorial in Old Kōloa Town.

Sugar gradually replaced sandalwood and whaling in the mid-19th century and became the principal industry in the islands until it was surpassed by the visitor industry in 1960.

Early sugar planters shared many challenges: trade barriers, shortages of water and labor, and the lack of markets for their sugar.

Hawaiians were hired to work on the plantation.  This had far-reaching effect on the social and economic make-up of the local society.

This introduced the concept of independence for the Hawaiians.  Workers were paid directly and no longer had to pay a tax to the chiefs.

Workers were initially paid with coins.  Getting enough coins to pay the workers was difficult in the 1830s.  In response, Kōloa Plantation initiated the use of scrip as payment to workers; these were redeemable for purchases at the plantation’s store.

However, due to counterfeiting, in 1839, scrip was printed from engraved plates, with intricate waved and networked lines.  This more formal Kōloa Plantation scrip became the first paper money in Hawaiʻi.  Not only was this scrip accepted at the Ladd & Company store, it became widely accepted by other merchants on the island.

Sugar was the dominant economic force in Hawaiʻi for over a century, other plantations soon followed Kōloa.  By 1883, more than 50 plantations were producing sugar on five islands.

Kōloa Plantation set other standards that endured throughout the islands for over 100-years.  In addition to the plantation-owned general store, housing was provided for workers.

Barrack-type buildings or individual homes had space for workers to plant a garden.  The company dairy sold milk to plantation workers.  Medical services were provided.

Hawai‘i’s economy turned toward sugar in the decades between 1860 and 1880; these twenty years were pivotal in building the plantation system.  A century after Captain James Cook’s arrival in Hawaiʻi, sugar plantations started to dominate the landscape.

What encouraged the development of plantations in Hawaiʻi?

For one, the discovery of gold and rush of settlement of California opened lucrative avenues of trade in the Pacific.  Likewise, the Civil War virtually shut down Louisiana sugar production during the 1860s, enabling Hawai‘i to compete in a California market that paid elevated prices for sugar.

In addition, the Treaty of Reciprocity – 1875 between the United States and the Kingdom of Hawai‘i eliminated the major trade barrier to Hawai‘i’s closest and major market.  Through the treaty, the US obtained Pearl Harbor and Hawai‘i’s sugar planters received duty-free entry into U.S. markets for their sugar.

At the industry’s peak in the 1930s, Hawaii’s sugar plantations employed more than 50,000 workers and produced more than 1-million tons of sugar a year; over 254,500-acres were planted in sugar.  That plummeted to 492,000 tons in 1995.

With statehood in 1959 and the almost simultaneous introduction of passenger jet airplanes, the tourist industry began to grow rapidly.

A majority of the plantations closed in the 1990s.

As sugar declined, tourism took its place – and far surpassed it.  Like many other societies, Hawaii underwent a profound transformation from an agrarian to a service economy.

The image is Kōloa Sugar Mill in the 1880s; in addition, I have included some other old Sugar Mills related images in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook page.

http://www.facebook.com/peter.t.young.hawaii

The Sugar theme, Mill and other Kaua‘i South Shore sites are included as Points of Interest in the Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway.  We are assisting Mālama Kōloa in the preparation of its Corridor Management Plan.  Recently, the project was awarded a Historic Preservation Commendation from Historic Hawai‘i Foundation.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council (WRPFMC – WESPAC)

Where do I begin?

How about starting with what Fisheries Councils are set up to do … let’s look at the federal law.

WESPAC is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

The Regional Council system was designed to allow regional, participatory governance by knowledgeable people with a stake in fishery management.

The eight Regional Councils develop management plans for marine fisheries in waters seaward of state waters of their individual regions.

Plans and specific management measures (such as fishing seasons, quotas and closed areas) are developed. These plans and measures are implemented by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

The Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council (WESPAC) is composed of 16-members members and is the policy-making organization for the management of fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ – generally 3- to 200-miles offshore) of member US interests.

Management includes areas around the State of Hawai‘i, Territory of American Samoa, Territory of Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and US Pacific island possessions, an area of nearly 1.5 million square miles.

The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act is the guiding document for fisheries management actions. In it are “National Standards.”

The first National Standard states that any fishery management plan, its rules, and conservation and management measures shall prevent overfishing.

I am very concerned about purported “management” of our marine resources – particularly, the stated goal of “sustainable fishery management plans” that have proven to be insufficient to sustain the fisheries.

Over the recent years, here’s what’s happening with some of the managed species under the management plans of WESPAC:
• Big Eye Tuna – NOAA Fisheries announced in June 2004 that overfishing was occurring – it continues
• Yellowfin Tuna – The 2006 assessment results indicated overfishing is occurring – it continues
• NWHI lobster fishery – NOAA Fisheries declared an emergency closure in 2000
• North Pacific albacore – the stock is considered fully exploited
• Southwest Pacific Swordfish – Since 1997, catch rates and mean size have been declining
• Striped Marlin in the Southwest Pacific – levels of fishing mortality may exceed the maximum sustainable yield
• Bottomfish – In May 2005, NOAA Fisheries determined that over-fishing is occurring in the Main Hawaiian Islands – it continues
• Black Coral – Due to the reduction in large colonies the minimum size of harvested colonies was raised
• Swordfish – NOAA periodically halted longline in 2006 and 2011 because of too many endangered sea turtle interactions

(Overfishing means the rate at which a species is being harvested is greater than it can sustain itself.)

Again, the law says, “Conservation and management measures shall prevent overfishing while achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum yield from each fishery for the United States fishing industry.”

Obviously, this hasn’t been working and we need to do things differently.

The decline in marine resources has an enormous impact on local, subsistence and recreational fishermen, and coastal fishing communities statewide.

I was honored to serve as a member of WESPAC – initially, as a representative for the State of Hawai‘i, then, a term as an at-large member on the Council.

However, I was mostly frustrated while serving – too often, it looked like decisions were made for the benefit of short-term fish harvesting, rather than long-term fisheries sustainability.

I hope in the future WESPAC more-fully addresses its obligations and opportunities to prevent overfishing and protect the resources for future generations.

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© 2016 Hoʻokuleana LLC