Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 1, 1 January 1988 — MGF Publishes New Self-Guided Booklet [ARTICLE]

MGF Publishes New Self-Guided Booklet

Moanalua Gardens Foundation has developed a new self-guided tour of Kamananui Valley, along with an accompanying booklet titled, A Walk Into The Past, written by Maura 0'Connor and illustrated by Lu Wilson. The booklet guides the walkerfromguide-post 1 to 13, describing the native biota and the cultural traditions in an informative and entertaining style. The 2.5 mile walk takes about three hours (including time set aside for luneh) and promises to be a unique e xperience for those who, because of time restrictions or personal preference, choose to go it alone rather than on the Quided tours with vallev internreters.

Walkers leam that the hau blossom, yellow in the morning, deepens to orange at day's end, and that at the 9th post where 'ohi'a lehua grows, the 'Amakihi bird with its high-pitched "tweet" may also befoundextracting nourishment from lehua blossom nectar.

Kamananui Valley is the repository of many of Moanalua's traditions whieh were recited by Namakahelu, ancient chantress and early valley resident, to Gertrude Damon who recorded it all into her notebooks. The ancient valley did not entirely escape change but still fetains enough native biota to recreate for hikers the traditions connected to that physical landscape. Gaze at the rift in the heavens, and you leam that its name is Kamawaelualani, and that it is the husband of Kahikilaulani and that Kahikilaulani is the tabuprincess who eame from afar and sailed up the stream into the valley to present her future husband a puolo of ti eontaining an 'ohi'a and a large black honeycreeper — the 'o'o.

The booklet may be obtained at the Foundation office, 1352 Pineapple Plaee for a donation of $2, or if ordered by mail, $2.50. Mail orders should be sent to the office, together with name andaddressofpersonordering. Walkers who wish to take the self-guided tour should eall the Damon Estate superintendent at 8331944 who will direct them to the valley entrance where the security guard will let them in. The self-guided tour may be taken any day of the week but must be eompleted by 6 p.m.