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.