Museum Mondays! (...on Tuesday)

 

I'll try to continue a weekly Bishop Museum post on Mondays since they're usually all closed for some reason across the country. I won't get too in depth into these posts because of course, I want you to go to the museum yourself!

 

This one ties into a previous post about the Aiea district. It was found at a heiau in a rice field in Aiea. Since Keaiwa Heiau up in the heights was not located in a rice field, I am inclined to think this Ki'i may have been associated with the formations behind Aiea Intermediate...

 

(#3)

 



The Pearl City Stone

This one might be a little far fetched but I'll proceed anyway. I took a ride up to Newtown in Waimalu today to look for evidence of a story I came across recently.

The story is documented in the Hawaiian Ethnological Notebook and the informant was Makahonu Naumau in May 22, 1940.

The story goes that there was a certain "Female" stone some of the locals thought was "supernatural" located at the present day Mormon church. After some talk went around about it, the church decided to have it moved away, closer to the roadside. They asked a man that lived nearby named Waiwaiole to move it. He took awhile to get around to the task but finally did with the help of another unnamed man. The rock refused to move until Waiwaiole talked to it and said it was no longer welcome in the church yard. That it was better to be at the roadside. Then it seamed like it was easier to move. Some time passed and the road was set to be widened. In doing so the stone was blasted into pieces. The story continues that Waiwaiole became sick and died. The man that helped him acquired a strange disease that made him look bloated and dark. Waiwaiole's home somehow burned down leaving his widow to rebuild it at the time of the stories documenting.

The following are stones located in the Mormon church's yard. They look like they share some similarities and they may have been one large stone once but who knows...

Aiea

 

Aiea my home turf, as I believed since I was a young boy. I'm actually from the Ahupuaa of Waimalu although almost everyone might consider Aiea as the district between the stadium, all the way west to the power plant. Some people told me I lived in Pearl City. Anyhow, Aiea is a pretty small district compared to the rest that share Pearl harbor on their Makai boundaries. Besides Keaiwa Heiau up in Aiea heights which I've been to whole bunch of times for all types of activities, and Aiea's fishpond in Honomanu Bay fronting Rainbow Park. There aren't much more historic places left for me to research and then try to visit. Here are a few I have recently discovered nonetheless...

 

Aiea's stream once led in part to a few springs in this area of lower Aiea near the shopping center and toward the old library. Here at the post office are two royal palms. These trees are almost nine stories and evoke a commanding sense of history in the present setting. A neighbor living next door had shown me his tree that he said was only about sixteen years old and dwarfed by these giants. They are said to have marked one of King Kalakaua's favorite bathing springs. All of the springs are now filled in but that same neighbor said he knows of one that still exists in a drainage ditch near the library. I've heard stories of certain alumni from Aiea High School taking a tunnel in the canal that lead all the way to the swimming pool at the recreation center!

This is Pohaku O Ki'i, also on the ground of the post office. It originally stood aside the road near the Morman church and was moved here at the advice of Kumu John Ka'imikaua prior to the states widening of Moanalua Rd. I'm not sure if it was the Ahupua'a marker of Aiea and Kalauau. It has a story about a forbidden love between royalty and a commoner.

 




The following photo's are of some rock formations with signs of stacking located behind Aiea Intermediate School. Through stories I've found, I believe they have a connection to Cheif Kaeo from Kauai. There was a battle fought between Kaeo and the Oahu forces led by Kalanikupule with the cannon help of Captian Brown and ships "The Jackal" and "Prince Lee Boo." Kaeo, realizing the battle was lost attempted to flee with his wives and a few remaining soldiers. Ended up being spotted by his feather cloak and was killed along with all of his retainers. Another story goes that his wife was erected by an owl and she alone escaped. The dates for these battles that led to this are November 16 to December 12, 1794 and this area was still mentioned about and visited on the old paths from Honolulu and Ewa.

Moanalua Valley

As you can tell, I'm very excited to finally start sharing my personal discoveries! So lets make it a double post day!

 

The ahupua'a of Moanalua has always been linked to Oahu's royalty. After the other islands came to rule this one, like Maui and then Kamehameha from Hawaii island.  Royalty still managed to hold on to Moanalua for themselves. Until it was finally willed to the Damon Family from the descendants of that era. Hula was practiced in this valley all the way up to modern times. Like during the Prince Lot Festival in Moanalua Gardens. One of my favorite places to relax under a tree.

 

 

 

The main valley has a pretty educational and scenic path through history. At one of the stream crossings, off to the right of the path. You'll find Pohaku Kaluahine covered in some interesting petroglyphs. Some men with birds heads or Ali'i headdresses depending on how you look at it. Here it is beside the stream in the center of the image.

 

The whole valley trail is marked with these educational factoids for the interested hiker. I once road my bike up this valley's path in it's entirety with my Strava Account on and KOM'd it (cyclist talk).

Some figures on the pohaku

 

A well defined carving of a humanoid figure

 



An oven from one of the Damon children's homes.

 

The staircase of the home of one of the Damon's deep in the valley. Must have been a nice place in its day. Mahalo for looking! Take Ala Aolani St. to the back of Moanalua Valley Park and enter the trail! Try it on a bike and enjoy the river crossing route instead of taking the high road over them!

Kalaeloa Heritage Park

Welcome history buff,

I am a resident of Waimalu in the moku of Ewa with a fascination of history, and being a Hawaiian it's gotta be Hawaiian history for now! I'm no expert in the field and don't even wish to make a statement about beliefs or motives. I just want to share something that might appeal to you and hopefully things from the past will not be lost and covered by the fast present day life style! I do go on these "discovery rides" on my bike most of the time! So expect to also see some bike posts as well! Mahalo for looking! Let's get started!

A while ago via internet, I came across some information about some structures in Kalaeloa that seemed to look a little different then the normal lava rock stacking at most traditional ancient Hawaiian sites. I contacted Shad Kane, the care taker of Kalaeloa Heritage Park to set up a tour if possible and he replied that I could come that same day. A very down to earth guy and He's also the Chair of the Ewa moku on the Committee on the Preservation of Historic Sites and Cultural Properties in the OCHCC. When we arrived he greeted us at a gate on the side of the road and took us around the area they have already cleared. He was even sporting a fresh cut on his forehead from a branch that knocked him in the head while doing so!

A coral walkway leading from Makai to Mauka. The upright stones seem to be markers to keep travelers on the path and away from sink holes.

 

Some ancient Ti tree that Shad says was already there growing when this place was rediscovered. It grows to its maximum and then breaks off, then another branch continues again. Who knows exactly how long this has been going. Since Ti trees don't seed and plant themselves, we are inclined to think that this was purposely planted here for use

A watering hole which was the key to living in this otherwise arid part of the island. Shad told me this one may have dried up while still inhabited because it now contained burials in it.

This is a nameless heiau that may have served the spiritual needs of the inhabitants at the time. The actual Heiau is underground. Shad says once inside you can stand up straight and it even leads to another opening  a few steps outside of the enclosure

A closer look into the underground Heiau. This one here also contains burials.

 

 

What appears to be a living structure complete with a flat comfy looking place to sit.

 

Shad did great in explaining things and theories they have already formulated from observing the use of land. He suggests that the structures seem to look more Tahitian from the way they stacked the coral stones and said the marked path may have lead all of the way to Westlock! Making it one of the older sites in the area!As that area was one of the first inhabited. From the time I was there they looked like they had a long way to go as far as clearing the site, documentation, and preservation. Go give him a call and maybe even volunteer to help out! Mahalo for looking! Take a look at my instagram @pohukaina_cave for some places I've already been and have yet to go in depth on here!