Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 8, 1 August 2002 — Ko'olaupoko [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ko'olaupoko

By Claire Hughes, Dr.PH., R.D. Department of Heahh 0'ahu's windward side is steeped in histo~ ry and genealogy. Lava from the ancient Ko"olau volcano gave form to the geo~ graphical land divisions of Ko'olauloa and Ko'olaupoko. The younger of Ocahu's two major volcanoes, Ko colau, also spread its lava westward to meet the lava flows from the WaNanae vol~ eano. Together they formed 0'ahu's central plains. The high peaks of Ko'olau caught abun~ dant rain. Over many hundreds of years, great valleys, waterfalls and streams were created on either side of the volcano. VIajestic, high~peaked mountains with many waterfalls characterize the windward coast. Its verdant and fertile valleys have long supported large crops of kalo, "uala, maih. and coconut, as well as wauke and hala. Combined with these land crops, the harvests from shoreline fish farm~ ing in walled fish ponds made this the most pro~ ductive and populated area on O'ahu. Ancient mocolelo speak of a home of Wākea, the sky~father, and Haumea, sometimes called Papa, the earth~mother. It was there that the prog~ enitors of the taro plant, Hāloa-naka, and of the Hawaiian race, the younger son Hāloa, were

born. The cosmic battles between Kumuhonua (Earth foundation) and Wākea and Haumea also took plaee on this side of the island. The shrine of Lono, 0'ahu'smostsasred, was located on the wind~ ward side. It is the site of Kamapua'a's birth, his heroic deeds and misdeeds. This was where Kualici, one of 0'ahu's great high chiefs, was trained as a warrior and ruler. Kahahana the first electedchief to rule O'ahu, was alsoraisedonthe windward side. The long sweeping Kāne'ohe Bay and its many fish ponds dominated the Ko'olaupoko district in ancient Hawai'i. Only five of the 30 pre~VIāhele fish ponds survived through the mid~1900s. Modernization and pollution of the bay waters have eliminated fish-farming as a way of life. However, a few lo'i and some other farming have sunuved the building of new highways, housing sub-divis ions and commercialization ofthe wind~ ward towns. The area was well known also for its open oeean fishing. Fishing for mullet, octopus and akule was good and hukilau were frequent. In ancient and old Hawai"i, when the fish were run~ ning, farmem would often leave the cultVating of taro, sweet potato, banana, and breadfruit, and the feeding of livestock, to join relatVes and neighbors along the shore intheir fishing opera~ tions. Eaeh man would receive a share of the

catch proportionate to his contribution of time and equipment. At this time they often exchanged fish and limu for taro and sweet potatoes. After Kamehameha conquered Ocahu, he took the entire Kāne'ohe ahupua'a as his own, whieh was later inherited by his sons Liholiho and Kauikeaouli. Kamehameha III, Kauikeaouli, sold Kualoa, formerly known as Palikū, to Gerrit P. Judd in 1850, whose descendants still operate Kualoa Ranch today. The ancient histoiy of the region from Waikāne throughKaluanui ispreserved inchants, genealogies and mo'olelo of creation. Pele's sister Hi'iaka eame this way as she traveled to Kaua'i to accompany Lohi'au to Hawai'i for Pele. As her eanoe passed Waikāne (originally "Waiakāne," water of Kāne), she explained to her eompanion, Wahine'6maco, that Kāne first dug for water there, at a plaee called Poliuli. In the water off Hakipu'u, Hiciaka slew her first adversary, VIokoli'i, the giantreptile, thattried toterrify her and prevent her from entering the bay. Today we see the stumpy tail of this evil creature protruding from the waters of the bay as VIokolici Island. Hi'iaka saluted her unele Kānehoalani who had watched her encounter from the shore. As they sailed past Kualoa, Hiciaka, told Wahine'oma'o that this was the sacred land of Hāloa. ■

The mystery and lore of windward O'ahu

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