Images of Old Hawaiʻi

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Mānā, Kauaʻi

Mānā is a coastal plain with an ancient sea cliff at its inner edge, which extends from Waimea in the south to Barking Sands in the north on the western shores of Kauaʻi.

This region has been identified as a leina-a-ka-uhane (paths-for-leaping-by-the-spirit). These were almost always on bluffs looking westward over the ocean, from which the spirits of the dead were believed to plunge in order to enter the spiritual realm.

Throughout prehistory, large areas of the Mānā Plain were covered by the great Mānā swamp, allowing the ancients to canoe as far south as Waimea.

Up until the mid-1880s, the great Mānā swamp, east of the plain, covered large areas of the lowlands.  Approximately 1,700-acres of permanent, semi-permanent and seasonal wetlands were present on the Mānā Plain.

It is believed that these wet conditions encouraged the independent invention of aquaculture on Kauaʻi and the construction of stone and earthen ponds for growing staples such as taro, yam and sweet potatoes.

Historically, native Hawaiians constructed four different types of fishponds – freshwater taro ponds, other freshwater ponds, brackish water ponds and seawater ponds.

Aquaculture was employed to supplement their other fishing activities, and permanent fishponds guaranteed a stable food supply for populations in lean times.  Tended ponds provided fish without requiring fishing expertise, and harvesting the pond, unlike fishing at sea, was not weather dependent.

Evidence suggests that Hawaiian fishponds were constructed as early as AD 1000, if not earlier, and continued to be built until the 1820s.

After the arrival of Europeans to the island, aquaculture transitioned to agriculture through the eventual draining of the swamp and the cultivation of sugar cane and rice.

The first successful sugar plantation to export from the islands was established at Kōloa in 1835, and by the 1930s, nearly all of the Mānā swamp had been filled to produce this crop.

Up until the mid-1880s, the great Mānā swamp covered large areas of the lowlands.  One of the first European settlers, Valdemar Knudsen, drained a portion of the Mānā swamp be excavating a ditch through to the ocean at Waiele.  The first sugarcane was planted in Kekaha in 1878.

Hans Peter (HP) Faye was a Norwegian immigrant (arriving in 1880) who started a small plantation at Mānā and eventually helped form Kekaha Sugar, incorporated 1898, and became its first manager.

It was his vision that created the Kekaha and Kokeʻe Ditch Systems and the intricate drainage canals that drain the large swamps of Mānā.

To keep the groundwater table below the root zone of the sugar cane, thousands of feet of canals were excavated to drain excess water from the soil.  The water is then pumped into canals such as the Nohili Ditch for release into the ocean.

The drainage system, with two pumps at the Kawaiele and Nohili pumping stations, was constantly running to lower the groundwater table, which made possible for sugarcane cultivation.

Rice was planted in the drained swamplands from the mid-1860s to 1922.  By the 1930s, nearly all of the Mānā swamp had been filled in and planted in sugarcane.

The need to keep the area drained continues today.  These pumping stations must continue running to keep the groundwater table from rising too high, which could result in root rots and hence low crop yields. During storm season, with five inches of rain in one day would result in flooding.

Nearby wetlands form the Kawaiele Sand Mine Sanctuary (a State Waterbird Refuge for Hawaii’s four endangered waterbird species – Hawaiian duck, coot, stilt and moorhen;) this was created during a sand removal program.

When I was at DLNR, we authorized the sale of sand licenses to allow contractors to remove sand for construction projects (golf courses, concrete mix and beach replenishment) within the waterbird sanctuary that, in turn, created a beneficial mixed terrain and expanded the waterbird habitat.

The map is a portion of a 1910 USGS quadrant map noting Mānā and the inland wetlands.  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

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Ka Haku O Hawaiʻi

The marriage of Alexander Liholiho and Emma was one of mutual love.  They had common interests in literature, music, opera, religion and theater.  According to Emma, “Our happiest hours were spent reading aloud to each other.”

On May 20, 1858, the king and queen were blessed with the birth of a son, Albert Edward Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa a Kamehameha.

He was named Albert Edward, after the husband of Queen Victoria of England, and Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa, after his hānai grandfather Kamehameha III.

However, the Hawaiian people called young Albert “Ka Haku O Hawaiʻi,” “The Lord of Hawaiʻi.”

His mother and father affectionately called him “Baby.”

He was an honorary member of the Fire Engine Company Number Four and was given his own red Company Number Four uniform.

In 1860, Robert Crichton Wyllie, hosted his friends King Kamehameha IV, Queen Emma and their two-year-old son, Prince Albert at his plantation estate for several weeks.

In honor of the child, Wyllie, founder of the plantation, named his estate the “Barony de Princeville,” the City of the Prince (Princeville on Kauaʻi.)

Alexander Liholiho and Emma had hoped to have Albert christened by a bishop of the Church of England.

The prince became ill.  As Albert became sick, and the bishop’s arrival was delayed; he was baptized on August 23, 1862 by Ephraim W. Clark, the American minister of Kawaiahaʻo Church.

Queen Victoria of England had previously sent a silver christening vessel used at his christening.  The British Queen and her husband, Prince Albert, were the godparents of the young prince.

On the 27th of August, 1862, Prince Albert, the four-year-old son of Alexander Liholiho and Emma died, “leaving his father and mother heartbroken and the native community in desolation”. (Daws)  

The actual cause of death is not known.

Initially thought to have been “brain fever,” now called meningitis, today, some believe the prince may have died from appendicitis.  Whatever the cause, the young prince suffered for ten days and the doctors could not help him.

The King then ordered the construction of the Royal Mausoleum, Mauna ʻAla, in Nuʻuanu Valley to house his son’s body, since Pohukaina had become too full.

After Prince Albert, no child was born to an reigning Hawaiian monarch.  “The last of the line of Kamehameha the Great is at rest with his fathers.”  (Hawaiian Gazette, March 17, 1903)

“The king and queen had the sympathy of all parties in their bereavement; but Kamehameha IV completely lost his interest in public life, living in the utmost possible retirement until his death.”  (Liliʻuokalani)

The king became a recluse, suffering from asthma and depression. He died on St. Andrew’s Day, November 30, 1863, two months’ short of his 30th birthday.

Following her son’s death and before her husband’s death, Emma was referred to as “Kaleleokalani”, or “flight of the heavenly one”.

After her husband also died, it was changed into the plural form as “Kaleleonālani”, or the “flight of the heavenly ones”.

Mauna ‘Ala (fragrant mountain) was completed in January 1864 and a State funeral was held for Kamehameha IV on February 3, 1864.

Mauna ‘Ala is the resting place for many of Hawai‘i’s royalty.  On October 19, 1865, the Royal Mausoleum chapel was completed.

Emma ran unsuccessfully for the throne in 1874, losing to David Kalākaua. In 1883, Emma suffered the first of several small strokes and died two years later on April 25, 1885 at the age of 49.

The image shows Prince Albert at age four.  In addition, I have added related images in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook and Google+ pages.

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Keolewa Heiau

Keolewa Heiau is situated along the Hā‘upu ridge line on the peak of Hāʻupu on Kauaʻi.

According to chants, Keolewa can only be seen as a bird in the sky (above the clouds).   “Me he manu la Keolewa i ka laʻi,” “Like a bird is Keolewa in the calm.”

Hā‘upu in the Hawaiian language means a sudden recollection; the mountain is known for its ability to jolt a memory, or alternatively, open a view to the future.

The phrase Hā‘upu mauna kilohana i ka la‘i (Hā‘upu, a mountain outstanding in the calm) honors the mountain itself, and is also a description for someone who achieves outstanding things.

The small heiau atop Mt. Hā‘upu is dedicated to Laka, the goddess of the forest and patron of hula, whose kinolau (embodied form) lives in the wild and sacred plants of the upland forest that are used by hula practitioners.

Both the heiau and the wooded area at Hā‘upu’s summit are known by the place name Keolewa, which appears in a variety of prayers, chants and oral traditions.

Beckwith calls her “the goddess of love.” The name laka means “gentle, docile, attracted to, fond of,” and there are old chants asking Laka to attract not only love, but wealth.

Of very different origin, she was nevertheless incorporated into the Pele religion. Due to her associations with the forest she represents the element of plants.

“Laka is the child of Kapo (Pele’s sister,) ‘not in the ordinary sense but rather as a breath or emanation.”’ The two as ‘one in spirit though their names are two.’”

“Laka and Kapo therefore must be thought of as different forms of the reproductive energy, possible Kapo in its passive, Laka in its active form, and their mother Haumea as the great source of female fertility.”  (Beckwith)

Hā‘upu Ridge is also revered as a dividing line between and meeting place where the powerful fire-goddess Pele made passionate love with the demi-god Kamapua‘a.

The Kōloa region south of the ridge was controlled by Pele; its dry and rocky landscape reflects her harsh, impatient and dominant personality.

The lusher Līhu‘e side of the ridge was home to the pig god Kamapua‘a, who is associated with “taro, fertility and the creation of fertile springs necessary to sustain life,” and who is known to excel as a lover.

According to tradition, “Pele and Kamapua‘a are believed to have been involved in a tumultuous love affair with each other in the vicinity of Hā‘upu and the topography of the area is believed to have been shaped by the fury of their love-making.”

“Hā‘upu Ridge is the dividing line between the two areas controlled by Pele and Kamapua‘a and Hawaiian religious practitioners believe these gods continue to dwell there.”

“In times of drought, the fertile and lush domain of Kamapua‘a is said to be inhabited by Pele, whereas in times of heavy rains the dry and arid domain of Pele is said to be inhabited by Kamapua‘a.   It is at these times that their love affairs are believed to continue.” (NPS – OHA)

The image shows the summit of the Hā‘upu Mountains, site of Keolewa Heiau.

© 2013 Hoʻokuleana LLC

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Kauai Path

Some waaay cool stuff has been going on in Kaua‘i that other communities could follow.  Various communities across the island are working together to define and build multi-use paths in their regions.

Kauai Path, Inc, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit advocacy organization, serves as a central coordinator and is working with Kaua‘i residents to preserve, protect and extend access via non-motorized multi-use paths for communities on Kaua‘i.

A board of directors leads Kauai Path, and several interest groups participate in various committees that report to the board.  These committees manage such aspects as the Path Ambassadors and Friends of the Path programs, fund raising, volunteer activities, outreach and planning.

A multi-use path or trail is typically separated from the roadway for use by bicyclists, pedestrians, skaters, runners, dog walkers, and others using non-motorized modes of transportation.  Most contemporary multi-use trails are designed in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and so are handicap accessible, except as noted.

The proposed path networks are not envisioned as the widening of our existing roadways.  Rather, they are seen as separate greenways or “linear parks,” isolated from roadways to the greatest extent possible, where people can safely ride to work, walk to school, push baby carriages and exercise with friends through tranquil settings.

The benefits to communities of a multi-use path system are many:

  • Reduction of Automobiles & Emissions
  • Increased Social Engagements
  • Health, Recreation & Fitness
  • Reduced Dependence on Fossil Fuels
  • Quality of Life
  • Safe Routes to School
  • Tsunami Evacuation
  • Smart Growth-Integrated Land Use & Transportation Solutions

For visioning purposes, Kauai Path divides the island into four major segments, North Shore, East Side, South Shore and West Side.  These respective communities have been working together on their respective needs, designs, and locations for their community paths.

The North Shore community recently released a North Shore Path Alternatives Report. (http://nspath.kauaistyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/NSPAR_final.pdf)

The East Side calls their path system “Ke Ala Hele Makalae” (“The Path that Goes by the Coast”) and has completed phases that generally follow the coast and eventually will link Nawiliwili to Anahola.

As of early 2012, there is approximately seven completed miles of  Ke Ala Hele Makalae. One section meanders through and connects Lydgate Beach Park to Wailua Beach Park, and the rest links Kapa‘a to Ahihi Point. Construction to connect those two sections, and to extend the path into the Kawaihau Road residential area, is currently under way.

On the South Shore, the community’s primary project is implementation of the comprehensive Kōloa Poʻipū Area Circulation Plan ( http://www.charlier.org/index.php?id=19,180,0,0,1,0 ).

That plan includes bicycle and pedestrian improvements to Hapa Trail, a two-mile long roadway that directly links Kōloa town to the Poʻipū Beach area.  It was basically abandoned when Poʻipū Road was developed in the 1950s.

Associated with this, Holo Holo Kōloa Scenic Byway was recently named a State Scenic Byway and is in the process of developing a Corridor Management Plan.  That plan will identify and address additional multi-modal alternatives in the area.

We are working with the Kōloa /Poʻipū communities in preparing the Corridor Management Plan for the Scenic Byway.

Earlier this year, the West Side Path Alternatives Report was distributed to the community.  That plan identifies several potential alternative routes within and connecting the communities of Waimea and Kekaha. (http://www.kauaipath.org/files/content/WS_Path_Alternatives.pdf)

These programs are part of Mayor Carvalho’s Holo Holo 2020 vision whose goals may be achieved by creating these alternative transportation modes for all communities on Kaua‘i.

Complementing this is the County’s Kaua‘i Multimodal Land Transportation Plan.  This project is in the process of developing a comprehensive plan (coordinated with the Hawai‘i DOT Land Transportation Plan) for public transit, bicycling, pedestrians and vehicular traffic on County roads.

There is a lot we can learn from the Kaua‘i community from this important project.  More images are added to a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook page.

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

© 2012 Hoʻokuleana LLC

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Captain James Cook – Arrival in Waimea, Kauaʻi

We always recall that Captain James Cook died at Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island, but often overlook that the first reported contact by the white man in the islands occurred in Waimea, Kaua‘i.

Hawaiian lives changed with sudden and lasting impact when in 1778, Cook and his crew arrived.  Western contact changed the course of history for Hawai‘i.

Cook named the archipelago the Sandwich Islands in honor of his patron, the First Lord of the Admiralty, the Earl of Sandwich.

Cook’s crew first sighted the Hawaiian Islands in the dawn hours of January 18, 1778.  His two ships, the HMS Resolution and the HMS Discovery, were kept at bay by the weather until the next day when they approached Kaua‘i’s southeast coast.

On the afternoon of January 19, native Hawaiians in canoes paddled out to meet Cook’s ships, and so began Hawai‘i’s contact with Westerners.  The first Hawaiians to greet Cook were from the Kōloa south shore.

The Hawaiians traded fish and sweet potatoes for pieces of iron and brass that were lowered down from Cook’s ships to the Hawaiians’ canoes.

Cook continued to sail along the coast searching for a suitable anchorage.  His two ships remained offshore, but a few Hawaiians were allowed to come on board on the morning of January 20, before Cook continued on in search of a safe harbor.

On the afternoon of January 20, 1778, Cook anchored his ships near the mouth of the Waimea River on Kaua‘i’s southwestern shore.

As they stepped ashore for the first time, Cook and his men were greeted by hundreds of Hawaiians who offered gifts of pua‘a (pigs), and mai‘a (bananas) and kapa (tapa) barkcloth.

Cook went ashore at Waimea three times the next day, walking inland to where he saw Hawaiian hale (houses), heiau (places of worship) and agricultural sites.

At the time, the region was thriving with many thatched homes as well as lo‘i kalo (taro patches) and various other food crops such as niu (coconuts) and ‘ulu (breadfruit).

After trading for provisions, gathering water and readying for sail, Cook left the island and continued his search of the “Northwest Passage,” an elusive (because it was non-existent) route from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.

On January 17, 1779, Cook returned to the Hawaiian Islands, sailing into Kealakekua Bay on the island of Hawai‘i. Less than one month later, on February 14, 1779, Cook and several of his men were killed in an encounter with the Hawaiians on the shoreline of Kealakekua Bay.

The image of Discovery & Resolution along Kauaʻi’s South Shore drawn by William Ellis – 1778 (it is believed to be the first image by a Westerner of Hawaiʻi.)

In addition, I have added other images related to Cook and Waimea, Kauaʻi (these images are some of the earliest images of Hawaiʻi, depicting some of the people and places at the moment of contact.) in a folder of like name in the Photos section on my Facebook page.

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