New Year's Day cruise to prominent sites on Oahu.

My wife and I decided to take a trip to the north shore on the first day of 2014 and I was able to sneak in a couple of visits to a few special places.

Our first stop was to finally find Samuel Kamakau's final resting place. My Olelo Hawaii class teacher, Kaipo'i is full such a wealth of knowledge. I remembered to get the directions from him at our last meeting. Wikipedia's location of his grave is somewhat flawed. It states that his grave is at Ma'ema'e Cemetery. It is not and is actually in Oahu Cemetery, although Ma'ema'e was the name of that entire area in the old days. Kamakau is buried with his wife and they share a tombstone between them. Kamakau was a great historian, possibly the most in depth in Hawaii, as far as Hawaiian history goes. His dates are sometimes scrutinized because he gave no method of how he came up with them and traditional storytelling by Hawaiians rarely used exact dates. Although different phases of the Hawaiian moon calender may have been remembered. Depending on the weather and fishing or planting results. Kamakau was sometimes opinionated in his hindsight of the past and the way the Hawaiians in power dealt with different problems of the nation. He did not hold back in stating what he thought about them either.

Kamakau stated that he witnessed with his own eyes, the scars on the survivor of the Battle of Kuki'iahu between Ka'eo and Kalanikupule. The woman named Kahulunuika'aumoku the daughter of the main Kahuna of Kauai, Ku'ohu. Was able to play dead as the rest of the corpses were pilled at Pa'aiau to be burned. She silently crawled into the waters of Pu'uloa and swam across to the district of Aiea, and then climbed to a hidden place in Halawa, and finally escaped to Kauai. It is said that she was guided by her aumakua, a pueo. 

After breakfast we took a side track off the freeway to visit the Oahunui stone in Waikakalaua gultch. I noticed that every branch that would have crossed over the stone and blocked sun or star light from it. Was broken off and hanging. Either someone slightly cut every branch around it and left them to rot, even though some were many feet above any stable ground. Or...

Lastly, but not least. Before I got to spend the rest of the day bodyboarding some fun waves at "Off the Walls." We stopped over at Pu'u O' Mahuka Heiau. This is the largest heiau on Oahu. Two large enclosures combine to about 520 feet long. The upper section is said to be the original, older structure and the lower one may have been added later and used to house the kahuna's that practiced here. A third, smaller enclosure at the very bottom is said to have been of even more recent construction. Although still ancient and was simply a reward after a kahuna won a wager with an ali'i, but not considered a part of the heiau by the surveyors. 

Kaopulupulu under Kahahana is the furthest remembered individual officiant Kahuna of this Heiau. He may have lived here just before his doomed journey at the command of Kahahana. Later the Kahuna of Kahekili II, and then Kalanikupule were based here. As well as Kamehameha I's Kahuna, Hewahewa. As were all the watered lands gifted to the Kahuna class since ancient times Waimea, Pupukea, Waiahole, and Hakipu'u. Before that the heiau may have been used by the kahunas of Kuali'i. Even further, ancient construction may be credited to that of the menehune. 

Some connect this heiau with the kidnapping and sacrifice of the captain and astronomer of the Daedalus in 1792. Along with Kupopolo Heiau on the opposite side of Waimea Valley. Kahekili II's pahupu' warriors tattooed just like Kahekili II, ambushed the foreigners in order to secure muskets and swords for the coming wars. They were stoned and then taken to be sacrificed further away in Mokuleia. Far from the avenging guns of the Daedelus, shelling Waimea. 

Another saying is that the fires of Pu' O' Mahuka warmed Kauai. Although that was far-fetched it does hint to the purpose of the heiau being sacrificial...

These images are taken starting from the north east corner and following a trail around the entire complex.

This large obscure stone sits outside of the heiau but I'm sure it must have had some kind of use. It has two small pits in it that collect rain water.

The two large sections of the heiau are divided by this short wall that seems to have the straightest and most even placement in the entire complex.

On both sides of the dividing wall are paved entrances to the higher section. This side has a kind of stairway leading upward a few steps.

Inside the lower section are smaller enclosures that may have been house sites for the kahuna here. Although most of it is over grown and hard to tell exactly what the structures look like with ought crawling around inside.

Here is the opposite entrance with flat stepping stones.

This upper wall is in very good condition and shows the expertise of the heiau builders.

We found this crazy shrine set up at the top of the heiau, and my wife recognized that the fake money is what the Chinese use for burning during funeral memorials. What the heck happened here on new years eve???

Ilima Hotel Lobby

My sister in law used to work at the Ilima Hotel years ago. She was still able to help accommodate a few friends of mine visiting the island during my wedding. I walked back with them to their room one night and found these four interesting paintings in the lobby. I brought up how each one had some deep meanings and my mainland friends made fun of it, leading to one of our own renditions of one of them.

The other day while riding around Waikiki I decided to revisit the hotel and share these. The artist is Ralph Kagehiro and they are each named with single words that evoke a deeper story to each... 

I think the images should be interpreted in the opposite order. But I took them left to right instead of observing them from the front door heading into the hotel. So this is how I'm going to share them.

The first two images are of Lohiau and two different women. Lohiau was Pele's lover when she passed through Kauai. After setting up her home at Maui or Hawaii island. She asked her sister Hi'iaka to fetch him for her but not to fall in love with him. Hi'iaka makes an epic journey back across the archipelago disspelling all sorts of mythical creatures and villans. Including large mo'o, ruling chiefs, an even beautiful women that want to challenge her. All fall to the power of Hi'iaka. The journey takes so long that Pele becomes suspicious and destroys Hi'iaka's beloved forest. When they finally return, depending on the story teller. Hi'iaka and Lohiau realize they are in love and they sail off into eternity. The top image is Lohiau with Hi'iaka and the one below is him with Pele. As well as my good friends from San Francisco doing their own version.... 

If I could I'd buy this one and hang it in my house to stare at all day. I love the legend of Kane and Kanaloa. Two brothers. Kane of fresh water and Kanaloa of the ocean. Kane and Kanaloa travel the island and Kanaloa being the trickster, keeps getting Kane to produce water for them to drink and make awa with. Kane produces it over and over again across the land. Even in totally dry places. Or spewing out of a stone. They even come across a beautiful woman named Waiakeakua in Manoa and they both almost rush to overwhelm her. Just before she escapes into water herself.

Finally, or actually "the beginning." As it it titled. This image struck me at my second visit and is the reason why I thought it was special is this, in Olelo Hawaii Class with Kaipo'i. We just learned and are still mastering a creation legend. It starts with a fisherman that is enlightened by observing a spider and it's net. He learns netting and cordage and in turn. He can fish and create a better seagoing vehicle. Mankind takes advantage of this and migrates across the world. This happens somewhere near the equator and the Hawaiian word for the equator according to Kamehameha's very own navigator/star gazer actually means the path of the spider...

Kukaniloko During The Winter Solstice

This past Saturday marked the winter solstice. There were some assumptions going around that there would be a significant alignment of the sun at Kukaniloko, on one of the stones. I woke up early and raced the sunrise in the morning, expecting a gathering already there. I got there and no one else was there. I was hyping it up on my social media accounts. So my good friend Kawika rolled in on his new cyclocross bike at around the same time.

The morning dew was everywhere and it made the visit even more amazing. Even though we were off schedule of any Hawaiian gathering besides Kawika, my wife, and I.

Even the moon was still out and about.

A baby loulu plant must have been added by the care takers recently. Along with a few other varieties of local fauna.

Here is one of the bowl shaped water collectors doing it's thing. Suggested to be used for star watching during ancient lessons of navigation...

Here is the pohaku that represents the island of Oahu.

A closer look at the center of the Oahu pohaku reveals etchings that may have had a deeper significance. Possibly marking Kukaniloko as the piko of the island...

The view northwest from the Oahu stone looking at the Waianae range in the foreground, that the humps on the stone coincide with. 

The piko 

The Birthing Stone.

Puu Palaoa...

The egde on this pohaku reminds me of Haiku Valley's north ridge...

The rest of the morning consisted of me trying to find things on other pohaku that I may not have noticed on my earlier visits.

The head of the canoe...

After checking out Kawika's new bike. We both said aloha and went back to our daily duties. He went back to his newborn daughter Sadie Mahealani Samson. I went to watch cyclocross at CORP Park and then went to work...

After work I decided to head back to Kukaniloko and see if the sunset had any significance instead.

When I arrived I was surprised to see Kawika on his bike again. He just beat me into the driveway leading into Kukaniloko. Tom Lenchanko was just leaving with his lawnmower. I got to introduce myself to him and shake his hand. He's possibly the the forerunner and most knowledgeable person to know about the purpose of Kukaniloko and the ancient district of Lihue on Oahu. I was also surprised (not really) to see my Kumu at Olelo Hawaii class on Thursday, Kaipo'i. With his friends, all very knowledgeable sharing stories. Kawika was already eavesdropping, as he got in on bike faster than I could walk in. I was lucky enough to catch a few things...

Kaipo'i's friend mentioned that there are notches nicked off of some of the stones there by "us"( I love how he said us, like the ancient and present day are one and the same. Especially here in the piko of everything). It may have marked different alignments of the sun. This notch on the image above is on the puu palaoa pohaku. When the sun is just at the equator, it's shadow should lines up with the piko petroglyph in the center. On the summer solstice the sun should rise at a certain point on the Koolau range and then pass between the two large pohaku at the modern entrance to Kukaniloko (in the first image of this post), pass through this pohaku and then continue across the island to a point on the Waianae range...

Kaipo'i on the left and his crew.

here is another notch that was chipped off and could mark an alignment...

Kaipo'i sharing the creation theory of the spider, that enumerates itself within the Hawaiian language. As well as many other island societies near the equator and within Polynesia. A spider that sparked the idea of ocean life with it's web and then far voyages chasing it's path across the stars. If the whale took us north and south. Then the spider took us across the equator. east and west. Maybe someday I will be eloquent enough to share it with others as well...

The following images are of the moment of the sunset on the winter solstice. The sun's rays illuminate a one dimensional image of a woman on the northern side of Kolekole pass in the right side of the images. She is laying down facing the sky. The first peak to the right of the sunset is her hair bun, as Jo-Lin exclaimed. Fashioned like that of the one Liliha was wearing in a painting with her and Boki. The next closely gathered peaks are her face. Then the mountain slopes down her neck and rises just slightly to form her Palaoa Lei Niho and then further down, her breasts. Finally the mountain view rises to form her pregnant opu...

Looking east toward our exit after the sunset. I was fortunate enough to reacquaint myself with Jo-Lin Lenchanko. I had met her earlier this year during the Onipa'a event at Iolani Palace. If you wish to help with the Wahiawa Civic Club and Kukaniloko, shoot her an email on their page. Or simply go and visit this iconic place any day of the year. Share what you have learned and dispel the false ideas of others that come here respectfully....