Morning Petroglyph

Some days of the week I start work a little later in the day. On one particular morning while getting coffee and gas. I decided to take a cruise to some of my favorite spots in lower Nuuanu Valley "fast kine".

For the last few months I've been trying to figure out exactly where Kaheiki Heiau was once located. Stories say that it was next to Nuuanu stream at the foot of the mountain ridge that leads down from what is now known as Pacific Heights. Kaheiki was the location where Kahekili II's Maui forces came into the stronghold of Kahahana's Oahu kingdom, and destroyed it. Oahu never regained rule of it's own island even after a couple of botched rebellions by a group of faithful warriors of the Oahu kingdom. Although time has been the avenger as foretold by the last Kahuna Nui of Oahu, Kaopulupulu. Kahekili II's rule was taken by Kamehameha in the same valley against his son Kalanikupule, and later Kamehameha's lineage would eventually be taken over by foreign powers. That story can be told over and over in different lengths and opinions...

Another story of this area near Nuuanu Stream Bridge is that of Kamehaikana. In some versions she is Haumea dwelling in Kalihi with her husband Wakea. She is represented by the Ulu and her husband is the slimy dew that forms on the kukui nut. Anyhow, these two legendary beings reside together within the Kona district under the Koolau and she leaves to collect seaweed on the shore. Her husband stays in the mountains but chooses rest in a banana field owned by a chief, mentioned as Kumuhonua or sometimes Leleho'omao. Her husband is captured and forcefully tied to an ulu tree and set to be burned for trespassing. She returns and begs his captures to let her give him one last embrace. She instead grasps him and uses some miraculous power as they both disappear into the ulu tree! The warriors of the chief are commanded to cut it open to find the escapees. But whenever a cut piece of wood from the tree flew and touched them they would drop dead. Finally the chief requested the aid of a kahuna that helped prepare the tree to be cut down safely. Kamehaikana/Haumea was not found nonetheless. A branch from that tree was carved into an image that represented her. The image was taken to Maui and later came under Kamehameha. It was said to help him win land and power. Was this also because it came from an area where Kahekili II first won Oahu?

Yet another story is that of a pohaku that was in the way of one of the first roads to be constructed through Nuuanu Valley. After Boki made peace with the missionarys and Queen Kaahumanu. He went and proceeded to construct a road into Nuuanu. Near to the stream crossing he came upon a large pohaku that he intended on moving. A nearby local warned him that anyone who disturbed that stone was somehow effected with something in their life that would cause them to leave Hawaii and never return. It is unclear what Boki did after that. But he did end up leaving the island in a failed attempt to collect Koa wood from another island south of the Hawaii archipelago. His ship is said to have accidentally exploded on the journey, what ever happened it was never seen again...

After my easy walk off the main road at the Nuuanu stream. I went to Nuuanu Cemetery to revisit the petroglyphs on the Nuuanu/Judd trail that leads to Kapena Falls.

After that I walked back down and over the stone wall behind Nuuanu Cemetery to take a better pic of the other set of petroglyphs off of Nuuanu Stream.

Then I drove into the Royal Mausoleum. The Kalakaua cript was open because there was a visiting class from Kamehameha School gathering in some knowledge.

I wonder how I can possibly get a hold of a retired flag from the Royal Mausoleum. This land within the property is all that remains of the Nation of Hawaii. They don't need to honor the American flag here and the the State flag fly's alone here... 

After my Nuuanu visit, I got to work an hour early and spontaneously decided to continue on my petroglyph visitations. I borrowed the Specialized Turbo from the Bike Shop Aiea and went on the bike path to blast off to Waipahu above the stream near the Plantation Village. I ended up finding the best way to get to the Waikele Stream petroglyphs instead of climbing up the cliff...

Pohaku Pili rests securely on the cliff side overlooking the Waianae range, Waikele Stream, and Waikakalaua Gulch...  

After the Battle of Nuuanu. Kahahana hid in the mountains with his wife, and Alapai. His wife finally came out to ask her brother for aid near here in Waikele. Her brother turned in Kahahana and Alapai to Kalaniopuu and they were killed...