Glimpsing The Light of a Nation Flashing Before Dawn

On the last Saturday of April. A commemoration takes place in honor of the Battle of Nu'uanu that happened in 1795. This was the last battle that occurred in the conquest of uniting the islands under one kingdom (Aside from the civil wars of Humehume for inheriting Kauai, and Kekuaokalani for keeping the Kapu system. Although Hawaii was already united during those rebellions. Besides Kamehameha returning from Oahu briefly to Hilo to put down an uprising be Namakeha) 

The battle of Nuuanu was fought between the forces of Kamehameha and Kalanikupule. At the time of this culmination of the era of warring chiefs. Relations between them were also culminating since the days of old. To a point where some chiefs involved in these battles involved had to make the decision to which side they would support. One such chief was Ka'iana, he fought along side Kalanikupule. Even though he was with Kamehameha all of the way up to the point where they sailed off from Molokai to battle Oahu. Ka'iana was said to have made his last stand as Kalanikupule's forces were routed in La'imi near Nuuanu Reservoir 2. Kalanikupule was lucky enough to evade capture for a little over a year. Until finally being found in the mountains of the Ewa district and then sacrificed to the war god of Kamehameha, Kuka'ilimoku. Contained at Waipio in Ha'ena Heiau.  All others were pursued to the bottle neck of the Pali. Although many say that the opposition to Kamehameha was pushed off the cliff in what some call Kaleleka'anae "the leaping mullet". A more accurate description explains that the commoners that were ahead of the battle and trying to separate themselves from the battle were caught in a human stampede at the narrow pass of the Nuuanu pali. The narrow and dangerous trail could only allow two people at a time at the most, in the commotion of the nearing battle. Many were forced off the cliff as everyone scurried to get to the Ko'olau side of the trail.  Kamehameha is not responsible for that loss of life. He did not even pursue the remnants of the battle to the pali. Instead he is said to have stopped at Kaniakapupu where he enacted the Malamahoe. Choosing to save the lives of his opposition instead of kill them all off. This is how descendants of Kalanikupule remain till this day. 

Of the forces of Kalanikupule, Koalaukani was to have escaped to Kauai. Kepo'oloku, Kalola Ihuka'ika'i, Ka'eleowaipi'o, their followers, and many others were taken prisoner. They had the hope of salvation if they had approached Ka'ahumanu because she was a live and walking Pu'uhonua.

I first learned about the ceremony to commemorate the Battle of Nu'uanu only last week by Kamana'o. Since the 200th anniversary date in 1995. There has been a group here on the last April of the month holding this important commemoration every year. Sam Ohu' Gon III was the host, if I can call him that.

I showed up around the start at 5:30am. Still dark out, I made a stupid decision to turn on the flash in my camera. It caused a quick commotion with the old timers and I was approached by a couple of women that asked me not to do so. After that I seemed to be rolling in on a bad vibe as another person came out and told me not to take any pictures. Although there were others around doing the same thing. I apologize to anyone I may have offended that has found this blog and is reading it right now. I will not apologize for sharing knowledge of this momentous event though. Although I would recommend anyone planning to attend the commemoration in the future to be very respectful and to park further away from the parking lot to allow the older aunties and uncles to park close and have a closer walk for them. Onlookers should also stay a comfortable distance from the actual event partakers. Be silent and mindful unless you are compelled to join in with some of the oli being sung or if you have a traditional ho'okupu offering along with a personal oli to present.

Here are my photos of this powerful commemoration. It was very awe inspiring to say the least. Everyone was so beautiful in their traditional outfits and their eloquent language. It made me proud to be who I am and gave me faith that our past and future has been through so much turmoil but at the relief of a goal of true enlightenment. 

"The battle of nuuanu was the last battle that took place to unify the islands giving Kamehameha reign of all the island..today we look at this as a time to heal to the families and continuing efforts to be as one...." -Kamana'o

Morning Petroglyph Part 3

On Friday morning I found myself with some spare time while riding to work in the morning. So I decided that instead of riding my normal route past Kaiser Hospital into Aiea. I went into Moanalua Valley and rode up to the spot where Pohaku Ka Luahine rests beside Moanalua Stream.

I have already covered this pohaku in an earlier post about Moanalua Valley's historical hike. There is an information board on the opposite side of the stream overlooking Pohaku Kaluahine. Explaining it's earlier known legends and touching briefly on it's similarity to those of the bird men of Rapa Nui. Most times, petroglyphs have no explanation or pattern that can be exactly deciphered to reveal an ancient truth to us modern day witnesses of them.  

There are some bird headed huminoid figures carved into this pohaku. On the Hawaii Tourism info board, they show two other pokahu. One found deeper in the valley that I have not yet seen. The other, a smaller pohaku that was found near the stream and presently located at the Bishop Museum.

 The smaller pohaku in Bishop Museum depicts two humanoid figures protruding outward from the stone's surface. Unlike most others found in the Hawaiian archipelago. All others being carved into the stone instead of coming outward. The Tourist information board justly relates the images to those found at Rapa Nui because of that similar style. Sites on Easter Island, one of the the furthest points of the Polynesian triangle. Reveal outward petroglyphs that are painstakingly carved from around the subject matter. As apposed to the image itself being carved into the surface.

Who were the bird men of Rapa Nui and why is this style of petroglyph in Moanalua Valley? You must delve deeper in time to form a hypothesis...

This past Thursday at Olelo Hawaii Class, Kumu Kaipo'i brought out a National Geographic book from his classroom book shelf. This book about planets has a section showing the dwarf planets Haumea and Makemake. Orbiting our solar system far off in the Kuiper Belt past Pluto, in vastness of space terms.

Haumea is familiar to Hawaiians. Makemake though, we have words in the Hawaiian language that could give you our meaning of it like, desire. He aha ka makemake, what do you desire?

Makemake was a god to the Tangata Manu at Rapa Nui. Their petroglyphs depict makemake as a humanoid figure for the most part. Rapa Nui's Makemake is very similar to Hawaii's, I'o. Rapa Nui's indigenous people sometimes claim that they come from "Hawaiki". As Hawaii relates they come from "Kahiki". If we look back at the stories passed down from Rapa Nui. The first settler of the island was a navigator by the name of Hotu Matua that landed his waka at Anakena in Rapa Nui. From Hiwa, the Marquesas Islands. The first wave of people to have come to Hawaii were to have come from the Marquesas too. 

Rapa Nui has a strong background with the culture of the banana. They still practice events which look similar to our Holua slide, but instead they used Banana tree stumps. There is also a written language that emerged from Rapa Nui, Rongorongo. Using an organic style hieroglyph, but still more similar to that of a petroglyph of Hawaii. It is said to have evolved from writing on Banana leaves. The only evidence of them are a small number of wooden artifacts scattered throughout private collections across the world originating at Rapa nui.

In ancient times, Hawai'i was said to have had a race of men called the Mū ʻai maiʻa, The Banana eating Mu. Mu can mean silent, gather, an executioner, a konane game (a konane board is also pecked into Pohaku Ka Luahine), animals like the big eye emporor fish, a small yellow bird, and a destructive wood eating insect.

The Mu were considered a secretive group that could have been the builders of the first fishponds and heiau. They are spoken of in legends as close as Nuuanu during the war with another menehune group named the Wa. They quarreled over possession of the Pohaku Umeume which is said to still reveal the hand prints of both parties as they struggled over it.  The menehune are also credited with building famous a fishpond in Kauai. A study was conducted with people from a certain area in Kauai that claimed descent from the Menehune and they were proven to actually be related to that line. So there, some of the Mu must have stayed in Hawaii to share the knowledge they brought from far away lands. 

On the opposite side of the coin. The Mu were sometimes chosen to be the ones that were sacrificed. The legends of drowning at Kewalo for sacrifice at Puowaina. May have been them being sacrificed. This takes eveything covered so far into account. You see, at the time of the navigators of this Banana eating group arriving in the lands of Rapa Nui, and even said to be at Aotearoa. Another group and practice of a different religion was arriving in Hawaii. Pa'ao and his religion of sacrifice and kapu. 

Could it be that the cultures worshiping I'o and Makemake were desendants of those that fled human sacrifice? This would finalize what would later be known as the Polynesian triangle. Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island.

For some light, "heavy" reading please refer to these debating theories of the connection of Supreme gods in Hawaiian culture with these two links [1], [2]

(the second one sounds like a good argument besides the part where he mentions, "Speaking of the Maori tribes “most priests of 'Io believed revealing this knowledge meant death!” (Perpetuated in Righteousness p.65) Why would turning people to a true worship have such a penalty, the fact is the Bible says the opposite about knowing the true God." 

Umm, as history has proved. People are killed all of the time in the name of religion. Especially when you tell a group that you know a the true god. which may not be the one they are worshiping...

I'm sure all of this is a pill too hard to swallow. My knowledge on this subject is elementary at best. But if you put all of these stories together. You could formulate a unifying theory of the Pacific for yourself...

I just figured I'd come here and collect my thoughts. Which have been bouncing around in my head for three weeks now...

The last time my brain was so harshly jumbled was when Kaipo'i mentioned the spider theory of Kaneho'owa'a. The spider in the sky with the moth and caterpillar guiding travels across the Pacific. Did I mention Rapa nui is the shape of a caterpillar...

If I ever get all of this all gathered in a little better explanation I will let you know. I'll try and keep to finding stones with stories for now! Aloha!

"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together"

I was lucky enough (actually I played hooky from work) to be able to attend two culturally inspiring events yesterday. The first was the HECO Grow Hawaiian Festival at the Bishop Museum. Admission was free for Hawaii residents and there were all kinds of booths highlighting endemic produce and traditional Hawaiian practitioners. 

I bought that cutie on the left....

...Print making...

...Some woven items, a few I wanted to by...

My dad would have loved this booth. It was ran by the good people at Hakipu'u Learning Center. 

They were allowing visitors to make their own nose flutes and pu's. A small group was gathered together practicing melodies and listening to stories of classic songs involving the nose flute. I decided to make a pu since I've always wanted one and I already have a couple of nose flutes under my dads care. The Pu was more commonly used in traditional Hawaiian life. As the Conch shell was more rare and hard to come by. It sounds almost the same and simply uses a dime shaped hole on one end and hollow opening on the other end.

On the other side of the tend was Mr. Umi. We googled him and he's a Lua master! He was with his assistant and they displaying some traditional Hawaiian tools and lua weapons. Aside from that, he had prepared materials for purchase and real time instruction to make them.  

I purchased the materials to make both of these items. A Niho multi-use cutting tool(I forgot the name of it) and a swordfish dagger or A'u Pauoa. This task took all day for me although Mr. Umi guessed it should have taken about an hour. I am a very bad sander even with the use of power tools. Mr. Umi kept hawking my work. He used the illustration that most traditional tasks use the movement of Hina or Ku, and was using the wrong one. After a long day of elbow grease I completed my Niho tool at the praise of Mr. Umi. I was able to get most of the work done on my A'u Pauoa but I will need to finish the sanding and polishing on my own time.

Oh look Kaleo Paik even stopped by with her daughter and grandchildren! 

I had to get help from Mr. Umi a couple of times for the stuff I wasn't confidant at like drilling the slot for the shark tooth.

...and here are the finished products...

I realized I was running out of time for the next event I had to rush off to. But not before paying a visit to the Hawaiian Hall to see some of my favorite artifacts! Hercules was the volunteer manning the entrance and we shared stories about our hand held items. He was admiring my sword like dagger and I asked him about his walking stick. He said it was actually a banyan vine. It was a late Kapuna's of his that willed it down to him after he passed...

Feels like those good old "Museum Monday" posts ey ;)

After that I jumped in the car and shot over to the pali at Kaniakapupu, Kamehameha III's Summer Palace. A fellow classmate of mine at Papa Olelo Hawaii, Kamana'o told me about it. He was hosting a gathering of seers mostly under the name of Universe Light Workers of Hawaii. They were a multicultural group of all sorts of ethnicities. Some of them mentioning such practices of Reiki and others told me of movements of the  Chi. Kamana'o himself is a practicing kahu healer.

I was curious to see what would come of this gathering at Kaniakapupu. Once I arrived I got settled in the midst of the group and simply observed and took in what was going on. I was suprised and excited to realize that the guide for the day was Dr. Baron Ching. He is a kahu healer and also a caretaker of Kaniakapupu withing the ili of Honuakaha.

Dr Baron Ching is full of knowledge concerning the entire Nuuanu Valley. He was overly enthusiastic to share legends of the area leading up to the time royalty was here in the valley. When gods came and left their marks on the land. Still to be seen today. Battles of the Mu and Wa peoples. Then the coming of the heiau designed by the gods for Ali'i said to have been descended from them...

Dr. Baron Ching and Kamana'o did opening chants to ask for a welcoming entry. Both at the beginning of the path leading there and then at the actual entrance to Kaniakapupu.

Other members of the group added to the chants and prayers of entry the site and left gifts at the monument stone on the ruin's porch.

Dr. Baron Ching has been doing clean ups and actually has been replanting endemic plants associated with the area. Like this young Awa, although some visitors have been taking them before they can grow...

I'm not gonna lie when I say that some of the people on this trip had some "unconventional" vibes with appreciating this special place...

Dr. Baron Ching brought the house structure to life as he explained how all of the contemporary rulers of the island may have been to this spot at a certain point in time. Starting with Kamehameha the Great when he came and stopped here during the battle with Kalanikupule, and ending with Liliuokalani during her childhood at the royal school here. Kamehameha was said to have evoked the Mamala Hoa here and spared some of Maui's forces after their defeat at the Pali. Kamehemeha III spent the most time here. Possibly contemplating the constitutions and the Mahele. After Kauikeaoule passed at the age of 43 in 1853. The house site became dilapidated and fell to misuse as all traditional hale will do. His old bedroom would have been in the north west corner where the group is standing in the image below.

This would have been his bedroom window. Over looking the detached kitchen...

Here is the precontact edge sharpening stone found inside the separate heiau structure. It was very exciting to see Dr. Baron Ching point it out. Just like he did on the youtube video that I learned about years ago. Like I always do now when taking my own guests here myself.

The three tier stone enclosure area just Pali side of the house is supposedly a Lono Heiau for healer Kahuna. Another theory is that the flat top section could have been a lua training center used to teach Kauikeaoule Hawaiian martial arts. Lastly it was used to entertain the party of 10,000 countrymen during the celebration of Restoration Day. The pit below was dug up during Bishop Museum's 98'-99' field study of the area. It was found to be filled with plaster, coral, and then coal. It is said to have been like a natural wine cellar dug into the earth for the party...

Dr. Baron Ching had us walk further up above the Kaniakapupu structures for a short time and pointed out a cinnamon tree and had us smell the leaves....  

Cinnamon

Sweet Potato

He mentioned how the whole area were ancient lo'i watered by ingenous dikes leading to Kaniakapupu from streams at the Pali. These Lo'i would be the highest elevation in the whole Pacific basin at a level of 1000ft.!

A bit more modern but still historic are Kalakaua's 1885 construction of an iron lined water line channeling water down the valley to about the area of Nuuanu Reservoir 2. Where Kalakaua had Honolulu's first hydroelectric power plant constructed to power Iolani Palace. 

Dr. Baron Ching shared closing a beautiful speech of his interpretation of aloha and being "rich" by being able to give as much of yourself as possible. Because that is how to live and without asking for reward. Kamana'o offered a prayer to heal the members there metaphysically and then transferred the healing to the aina itself. all in all it was a beautiful day with a whole bunch of people that opened my eyes and mind to some new aspects in life.

Dr. Baron Ching even gave me a ride home after and we had a nice conversation of other Wahi Pana in the area. Which I will soon be following up on. Aloha!