Manoa

Manoa Valley is full of historical Hawaiian sites and covering the whole valley will take repeated visits. From what I have gathered so far, Manoa was a land for both commoners and chiefs. Divided from west, Manoa Alii and east, Manoa Kanaka. By a small rocky knoll at the head of the valley. One could draw a straight line to Pu'u Manoa in the back of the valley from that knoll. It makes sense, since the flow of Manoa stream starts on the western side and works it's way east. I'll always have that romanticized painting of the valley by Enoch Wood Perry Jr. in my mind.

Many legends also have evolved out of this area and it's old times and inhabitants. About the gods that dwelt in this valley. Connecting themselves with certain places in story.

I'm hardly a qualified historian and far from knowing any facts about the geology of the island, but amongst recorded volcanic events in this island's history. The "Sugar Loaf Flow" is said to be of the most recent. A small flow set loose sometime after the Koolau Caldera collapsed and fell into the ocean. During the event known as the Nuuanu Landslide. It, being the long hill on the east side of the valley also known as St. Louis Heights. Surprisingly, occurring around the time of the Black Point eruption of Diamond Head and all other Leeward eruptions.

Moiliili was once submerged by the ocean and has limestone pockets that have created large underground crevasses. Stories go that residents in Moiliili could overturn large rocks on their property to catch mullet by hook and line. Far inland and away from the shore. In 1935 the Star Bulletin published a detailed map showing the cave system in relation to the streets above. Loko Maui being under University Ave. near the freeway; Kaioliu Pond at Moiliili Park.  Willow's Restaurant fountain was originally fed by the water in an underground cave. Possibly Kumulae Spring. When another property nearby cemented it's foundation. The channels that led water there were cut off. Mr. Hausten, in which Thompson St. was later renamed after, found many artifacts on his property. Suggesting that many people were using the spring as a water source in history.

I watched an episode on the History Channel in which Don Wildman guided by a local, entered into the cave system. It didn't take long for me to analyze the footage and surmise where the drainage tunnel that leads to it is located. A few images can be found online of brave investigators spelunking into the karst.

This is as far as I got but someday I might suit up for the undertaking...

 

At Kamanele Park is a small rocky knoll which I suspect is the Manoa dividing hill between commoners and Alii lands in the old days. A story goes that the Ali'i waste was actually buried on the commoners side.

Kamehameha had a dog he received from the ship The Eleanor. Named Poki or Boki. That dwelled in Manoa. Possibly at this hill.



 

Jumping all of the way to the back of Manoa Valley is Manoa Falls. Waiakeakua, where the gods Kane and Kanaloa pursued an akua wahine named Kamehaikana. It was the water of ali'i and anyone else gathering water here would have to be ready for any sign to immediately  prostrate themselves.