Ko'olaupoko

I played hooky again last week Saturday! The Ko'olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club hosted a "Legends Of Ko'olau" tour along Kaneohe Bay aboard glass bottom boat.

The check in desk for the tour had this enlarged map of the Ko'olaupoko district. With names of the actual archaeological sites. Maps like these can be seen in the "Sites of Oahu" book, but they are only numbered and one must match up the description of the numbered site in the chapters text for each district. Some with no further description to match the number. Before I explain further, let me just say this was the most informative part of this whole tour and I will be using their map to help locate and visit other sites in the future.

At about 10am we left Heeia Pier. A woman from the civic club began with an opening ole that was said to have helped welcome and open our minds to the tour. Another gentleman  took the mic and gave us a quick intro of the tour. Finally Mahealani Cypher took over the mic and hosted most of the tour. We were invited out to the deck of the boat for the remainder of the tour.

I noticed how small the mobile speaker they were using for the tour was. So I rushed to be closer Mahealani and not miss out on any of her stories.

She was a little flustered and seemed to be blasting through everything very quickly without mentioning fine details of her mo'olelo. As she mentioned to me that she had forgot her notes below deck, and there were too much people in the way to get them back. Right off the bat I recognized some of her stories as they are told in the "Sites of Oahu" book. She did put her own personal spin in them and it was a very wonderful thing to be looking directly at the places within the story as she told them.

One of the first landmarks was Pu'u Ma'eli'eli, a shoreline ridge rising above the boundary of He'eia and Kahaluu.  Hina-aka-malama (there were many related women named Hina during that period) was attempting to escape to the moon as her husband grabbed her leg while she ascended. Her leg broke off becoming the hill and she arrived at the moon maimed. She is connected in lineage to Kahai the famous explorer from Hawaii. That journeyed to Kahiki and possibly further than any ancient traveler from Hawaii in ancient times. Kahai is credited with travelling to the maelstroms of Norway! On his return he was the one to bring back Lepo-ai the edible mud and deposited it into Kawainui Marsh. Kahai was said to have dwelt in Hakipu'u for a time but is to have been laid to rest in Iao Valley, Maui.

Kahaluu with its swirling rains and the surrounding lands are abundant in water resources. Extensive terracing could be found in mostly all of the valleys in Ko'olaupoko. Just off shore from Kahaluu was the small island named Ahu O' Laka I couldn't get a clear picture of it from the boat deck but it looked like a perfect circle off reef and sand lying just under the surface of the water. It was a shrine in memorial of the burial of a ancient cheif of the district, Laka. Dredging covered the small island in sand and now it only breaks the surface at extreme low tides. This is one of the places where locals visit on weekends and holidays and hang out on the "sandbar"

Waihe'e was known for its lauhala weavers and till today there are vast lauhala groves in the valley. As well as the stone adze.

Waihee is named after the black ink of a large squid that was killed on shore as it attacked a mute traveler bound for Kahiki to find a wife that could heal him, Keakaoku. Mahealani had a pretty recent story that I'm sure I'm gonna say incorrectly but here we go. Someone told her that their grandfather told them a story about seeing a large He'e in modern times. The large squid came out of Molii Fishpond and crept over its walls toward Moolii Island (Chinaman's Hat) and climbed up the hill completely covering it!

Ka'alaea has a hill within named Pu'u Kahea with red dirt. This red dirt matched with the sea created red sea salt, alaea. 

On the shore there was a storied place with "stone canoes". When the ancient travelers from Kahiki landed here on Oahu. They came to stay and left a kapu on their canoe that sit on the shore to never be disturbed.

 They turned to stone and could be seen on shore. In the modern era the construction for Kamehameha Highway is said to have taken those stones for the road. This was where Pulama Road meets the sea. The story goes that everyone involved in taking the stones all died within one year...

In Waiahole there is a love story of a man that leaves Oahu to for Molokai leaving his lover here. She misses him so much and her hearkening is taken upon the blossoms of the Hau tree floating into the sea. They reach her lover in Molokai and he remembers to return to Oahu.

Waikane is mentioned in the ancient chants of the Kumulipo naming Waiolola and Waiololi. Hiiaka's journey across the islands also mentions the same... 

Mahealani mentioned the beloved Pu'u Ohulehule peak sitting pyramid like behind Kahana and Kualoa. Although she and the civic club had no mo'olelo of it. They know it was significant the Hawaiian people but have no stories that have been passed down. She requested that hopefully one day stories of this mountain peak will be revealed somehow...

Kualoa and Hakipuu in the distance. What is there that I could say that would not require a dozen entries on this blog. Hakipuu is one of the lads given to the kahuna class at the end of Kamapua'a's ordeal with Olopana. Kaopulupulu was said to have lived there while relations between him and Kahahana were still in unison. 

I will gather more info in Kualoa and return with more applied knowledge for you as this sacred place deserves it's own chapter at the least. I will also try to visit wahi pana in each ahupuaa for a closer look at each place.

I really wish I caught the gentleman's name that took over with stores once in a while.

He had more "old school" stories about growing up in the area beside the ocean. They would have hukilau style group fishing out on the reef. But the women would be nervous about sharks, because a lot of water pounding and slapping were needed to gather the fish. But also attracted sharks. With all of the commotion sometimes the fish would run away...

Another legend that I recall was about three siblings that lived on separate places in ancient Kaneohe.

Kohoe, a farmer that grew sweet potato in the hills of Haiku. Pahu, a fisherman that lived on a small hill near the bay, and Lo'e their sistar that lived on "Coconut Island".  Lo'e would keep relations close by being the one to trade a basket of fish from Pahu for a basket of cooked sweet potato from Kahoe. Pahu would see Kahoe's fire on the mountain when he was cooking his harvest and sometimes get lazy and trade his bait fish for a full basket of sweet potato. Lo'e realizing that this was about to cause a separation of their good relations. Taught Kahoe to cook his harvest but cover the fire with ti leafs. That way only the steam of the fire would rise and seem to be a mist or cloud of the Ko'olau. Pahu couldn't tell every time his brother was cooking and so he didn't ask for too much food in an uneven trade ever since.

The highest mountain peak in Kaneohe on the Ko'olau is named Keakiakahoe, the fire of Kahoe. Coconut Island is actually named Moku o Lo'e, island of Lo'e...

Just as the tour came to an end, Mahealani busted out the "big guns". I guess there were some colleges of her that requested to hear more mo'olelo about some wahi pana. One of the most sacred places on the island is that of Mokapu peninsula. The creation of the first man was supposedly here and then the first woman was made from his shadow. Only royalty lived in that area and many burials remain there although many have been disturbed. Some members below deck were actually related to those that are buried here, although they passed on the mic when they were offered it. I have to give The Ko'olaupoko Civic Club a lot of respect for what they have been able to keep sacred in their district. I read about how native Hawaiians were allowed to return to Mokapu after the military took control of it for the Kaneohe Marine Base. Near the shore at Pyramid Rock on the Heeia ahupuaa side of Mokapu, they rediscovered two important pohaku that were disturbed and lost in the early days of occupation. These were the Ku and Hiwa stones that now lay near the shore. There is a high precipice that is named Kahekili's Leap. There are others named so on other islands as Kahekili II was a thrill seeker and cliff diver that I must say much of the youth nowadays still enjoy as if his spirit lives on through them. 

Another strange factoid that must be somehow figured out through sharing and collaborating of storytelling is that name, Mokapu. As there are sacred islands at each corner of Polynesia named the same thing. Easter Island(Rapa Nui) and New Zealand(Aotearoa) has a Motapu (pronounced Mokapu in Hawaiian) within their mo'olelo of old...

The last mind blower was when Mahealani mentioned Naonealaa at the request of someone on the boat. I have been researching that sacred wahi pana for months now. The Koolaupoko Civic Club is actually planning on placing a visitor information sign highlighting Naonealaa at the place where it was supposed to be located at.

I was there a few months ago trying to tie the place together physically to Hawea Heiau, as they might be in story. I had a unfinished section on this subject just idle in the editing stage until I combined it with this one right now for you to finally read. Although I still have not figured it out completely.

Mahealani blew my mind when she said that La'a was summoned from far lands in Kahiki to replace Olopana after he fell to Kamapua'a. Her story goes that Olopana was situated at Kawa'ewa'e Heiau  and that is where the commoners came to make their disputes about the goings on near their homes to the ali'i. Kamapua'a was basically a chicken thief when he started out, some say he was the rejected child of Olopana and that Olopana named him Hog Child. He stole from and disrupted many households on Oahu. The people were getting fed up and came to Olopana for help. It wasn't until Kamapua'a personally stole from Olopana. That the Ali'i finally decided to capture Kamapuaa with a net so that he couldn't escape by shapeshifting. Kamapuaa would end up being the victor and then would move to other islands in the pacific building his legendary status. Thus La'a of Kahiki was summoned to be the head of the Maweke line of rulers on Oahu because of his close relationship with the original settlers of the Moikeha family.

Ha'ikamalama, a man that lived at Hanauma was the first to hear the coming of La'a's Waka canoe coming from the ocean. He heard the little drum and the big drum on the ocean. (Possibly the drum Hawea as La'a is credited with bringing it to Hawaii where it would finally be set up for announcing births at Kukaniloko, also set up at Kualoa although there are other names of drums at that place as well). Ha'ikamalama copied the beat of the drums by pounding on his chest with his fingers. He sailed to Makapu'u and spotted the wa'a of La'a. Figuring that they were headed to land in the bay of Kaneohe. He took to land and travelled to Kaneohe to met them at the shore at wai hau palu. Before they landed he welcomed and beat the rhythm he heard them making out in sea and chanted to Kupa. La'a and the crew was astonished that he knew their song and even their names already from their song at sea. La'a threw out some sand from Kahiki where they touched ground. Naonealaa, the sand of La'a.

Another important event at the same exact spot was the meeting and truce of Peleioholani and Alapai. Both armies met on January 1737, ending a war that could have enveloped all of the islands in blood. Peleioholani the son of Kuali'i, the Ali'i Nui of Oahu and its conquered lands of Kauai and Molokai. Alapai of the Mahi famliy, the Ali'i Aimoku of Hawaii Island before Kalanimoku and Kamehameha. The later had his war canoes landed from Mokapu all the way to Naonealaa. When they met Peleioholani was advised by his counselor Naili, that when they met and kissed and hugged. That he let Alapai place his arms below his as they embrace. "Lest he gain the victory over you" -Kamakau. 

Peace rang out through the lands if not just for a time at this moment in the warring era of these islands.

La'a was said to have set up his home here where he landed. Just a hundred feet from the high water mark and about 50 feet elevation. He would have placed his dedicated heiau here too if not at the advise of his kahuna about the kapu that would surround the area and not coordinate with the kapu of his home and kapu ai eating rights of his women

McAllister placed the house site at the home of David Trask. I couldnt' find anything on that property. Kaneohe Beach Park does have a small rise with peculiar level changes on the mauka side of the park. I went another level and approached a house on the other side of the street to ask if they knew anything about at least where the Trask home was. McAllister also mentions a couple of stone and coral circles that were found on the property. That house across the street had a formation of coral stones on the side of the house. Although the gentleman there directed me toward the opposite side of the park. The Habilitat property was on that side. It's where people can go for aid in recovering from drug addictions. I had a very hard time trying to physically ask someone about the place the last two times I've attempted. I finally wised up and got their contact info. I left a message with the receptionist one day and a man by the name of Jeff Nash called me back. Jeff is the project manager and explained to me that due to the sensitive environment of the people there they couldn't just let anyone show up unannounced. I straight up thought it was mafia before I looked up the place. I was afraid when I left one day because they wrote down all of my personal information even though all I did was turn my car around in the parking lot that day.

He told me the historic the facts he knew about the Habilitat property. After the war department sold it off. Lyman Bigelow, a civil engineer bought the property and willed it to his daughter, who's family evetually sold it to Habilitat. No knowledge of the Traks Property.

Jeff was a very enthusiastic guy over the phone. I explained to him what I do on my free time and told him the last tow mo'olelo I shared to you on here. He had some of his own too. Once they decided to cut down a large banyan tree in the middle of the property because it's roots were raising the sidewalk next to it. Some local people came over in the following days and told them they shouldn't because it was, "the queen's tree". Habilitat decided to keep the tree. I wonder if that was the Koolaupoko Civic Club that ? 

Another story he had was that an expert in teaching the ho'o ponopono way of living there to help the people there. He told Jeff in a very meaningful way, that where they were was a very special place. Jeff put two and two together as if what we were talking about finally came together and he was very excited. He even asked me to come over one day and share some stories with the people there. I hope I can build my knowledge and storytelling ability enough to take him up on that offer one day.