Nu'uanu Hike with Ken Suzuki of the Hawai`i Nature Center
snaps by rabbett
3/17/01 |
Our visit to Kaniakapupu, King Kamehmeha lll's Summer Palace in the rain.
Nu'uanu got almost 2 inches of rain today and we were soaked by most of it.
On the way up the trail we came up to the grounds just in time to observe and
be a part of an ancient ceremony celebrated by three Hawaiian gentlemen
on theirway up to Kaniakapupu for a day of celebrating the King's birthday.
An Oli (chant) was offered before entry, asking for permission to enter
this special place that Hawaiians consider as Holy and Sacred Grounds.
The woodlands around Kaniakapupu are bordered by stone walls and three
ancient stone Heiaus (pre-Christian places of worship, temples).
Standing in the rain and mist I could sense that this place is indeed
very special, and worthy of the most diligent protection.
*MORE - Apparently the name Kaniakapupu means "Sound of the Land Snails" and a short article at Starbulletin.com here by Burl Burlingame (scroll down the page quite a ways) describes it's current condition mentioning that the "site was abandoned, eucalyptus and bamboo planted by the CCC overwhelmed the area. Kaniakapupu was "rediscovered" in the 1950s and a historical marker plaque installed.
In the 1980s, the site became a ward of the state Historic Preservation Department and declared a historic preserve, although technically it's on state forestry land."
Mahalo to Phil Borger for pointing me to this article.
