Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 2020 — WAIMEA VALLEY REOPENS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WAIMEA VALLEY REOPENS

By Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi Richard Pezzulo's favorite plaee in Waimea Valley is 45-foot Waimea Falls. He strolls or drives a golf cart in the valley at least onee a day, always pausing to admire it. "In my opinion, it's the most tranquil and spiritual spot in the valley," said Pezzulo, executive director of Hi'ipaka LLC, the OHA subsidiary that owns

and manages the l,B75-acre ahupua'a (see sidebar). "It's a great plaee to relax, reflect and offer a prayer when no one else is there." As early as 1092 AD, Waimea Valley was the home of kahuna nui, high priests who were experts in a variety of fields, including healing, farming, fishing and spiritual guidance. Pezzulo oversees efforts that fulfill Waimea Valley's mission: "Preserve and perpetuate the human, cultural and natural resources of Waimea for generations through education and stewardship." Protected there are 78 archaeologieal sites, including fishponds, shrines,

agricultural terraces and religious and house sites. Also of note are 150 acres of gardens where more than 5,000 kinds of plants, trees and shrubs from around the world flourish. At its pre-pandemic peak, Waimea Valley was welcoming as many as 1 ,800 visitors daily. When it closed on March 20 in eomplianee with Governor David Ige's "stay-at-home, work-from-home"

mandate, the valley was given, according to Pezzulo, "an opportunity to breathe and rest." It reopened quietly on June 5, the benefits of an 11-week break clearly evident. "Waimea Valley has tremendous healing powers and, during the closure, it focused on healing itself," Pezzulo said. "The gardens are blooming, the pool beneath the waterfall is clear and with only about 300 visitors here per day now, it's easy to feel the mana (spirit) of

the valley." Even though all of its programs, activities and special events are not currently available, there's still plenty to see and do, such as the guided hour-long History Walk on Thursdays through Sundays at 1 p.m. Among the highlights is a stone shrine dedicated to Ku'ula, the fishing god. Long ago, fishermen prayed for success and safety there before depai'ting, and, when they returned, they presented their first, best or largest catch to Ku'ula to express their gratitude. Another interesting stop is the Kauhale Kahiko, an example of an

Richard Pezzulo, executive director of Hi'ipaka LLC, the nonprofil OHA subsidiary that owns and manages Waimea Valley.

ancient living site. Traditional techniques and materials (wood, coconut fiber cordage and loulu palm thatch) were used to build seven structures: Hale Ola (House of Healing), Hālau Wa'a (Canoe House), Hale Kuku (Kapa-Making House), Hale Noa (Family Sleeping House), Hale Kāhumu (Cooking House), Hale Mua (Men's Eating House) and Hale 'Āina (Women's Eating House). The Botanical Walk is led by Botanieal Collections Specialist David Orr, who has worked at Waimea Valley for 31 years. At 12:30 p.m. on Thursdays and on the third Sunday of eaeh month, he introduces participants to a variety of greenery, including native Hawaiian plants that were used for food, shelter, clothing, tools, weapons, recreation, medicine and more. "David's tour is supposed to be 45 minutes, but it's usually longer because people linger, wanting to learn more," Pezzulo said. "He picks plants all along the way, letting them touch, smell and taste them if they're edible. He's a walking encyclopedia about botany, and he loves to share his knowledge." In addition, you ean swim in the pool beneath Waimea Falls; enjoy a pienie in the shade of towering monkeypod trees; play Hawaiian games such as kōnane, ulu maika and moa pahe'e; and try to spot the valley's 20 species of feathered residents, using the full-color bird guide distributed at the ticket booth for reference. Demonstrations of kapa making, lei making, hula implements and 'ohe hano ihu will resume this month. "Waimea Valley is a beautiful living museum, a rare glimpse of authentic Hawai'i," Pezzulo said. "You ean hear birds chirping, smell the fragrance of flowers and walk in the footsteps of the Hawaiians of old. Whether you've been here before or are our guest for the flrst time, your visit will be full of new insights and wonderful discoveries." ■ Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi has written 12 books and countless newspaper, magazine and website articles about Hawai'i's history, culture, food and lifestyle.

The Kauhale Kahiko is one of the stops on the History Walk. Shown here are three of the seven structures in that complex; Hōlau Wa'a (Canoe House), Hale Ola (House of Healing) and Hale Noa (Family Sleeping House).

The Ku'ula Shrine is also a stop on the History Walk. Here, fishermen offered prayers to Ku'ula, the fishing god, for successful trips.

Shaded by towering monkeypod trees, the Upper Meadow is a popular plaee for picnics.