A Ted Trimmer Red Sunset.
"Rules are not neccessarily sacred, principles are." President Franklin D Roosevelt
what are these eggs? I dunno, but aren't they pretty?
"The family seems to have two predominant functions: to provide warmth and love in time of need and to drive each other insane." Donald G. Smith
A spotted box fish swam beside me as I walked along the dock.
"Children are messengers to us from a world we once deeply knew." Alice Miller
The Hawaiians had names for every little feature and area of the `Aina, the precious land. Today we give directions by roads and buildings: human made creations. But the people of old had intimate familiarity with all of nature and took pleasure in naming it; In singing and dancing about it. Nowhere is this more apt than here in Waikiki, the "Spouting Waters" where three mountain streams: Palolo, Manoa, and I forget the other one, all give themselves to the sea, creating a unique micro-climate the ancients considered to be powerfully healing.
Diamond Head remains from their landscape to ours. And at her green skirts of Kapiolani Park is a distinct area of Waikiki Beach that we call "Queen's Surf." The people of old called it Kalehuawehe, "The Open Lehua Blossom."
High Chiefs from every Ahupua`a, or district, came to Waikiki in season to enjoy it's special ambiance. Taro was brought to them from nearby uplands, Fish and favorite sea-vegetables were always fresh at hand in the sea and also in the ingenious fishponds that graced our neighborhood back then.
One thing that even they might NOT do was to surf at Kalehuawehe, for it was Kapu, or taboo, for any but the high chiefess daughter of O`ahu's highest Ali`i of that classic time: Kakuhihewa. And so it remained her private joy until one morning. . .
A handsome young chief, pure Ali`i from the right side of Manoa Valley, stepped forward to offer her a perfect lei of lehua blossoms. Enraptured by that ultimate moment of their perfect youth and beauty on that perfect day, she accepted the lei which was as lovely as his manly smile. The unbroken custom of Aloha, of flawless reciprocation, put her in his debt. So wordlessly they joined hands and entered the surf together. From that day the Kapu was broken at Kalehuawehe. . . The place we call Queen's Surf. . .
And so the passing generations immemorial of Ali`i have left their Mana, and sometimes their bones, their sacred Iwi, here. Closer to our own times, King Kalakaua, the Merrie Monarch, spent happy hours beside the grand park named for his Queen Kapiolani. Then a Queen, his sister Liliuokalani, had her beach home here: the lovely Pualeilani , Heavenly Flower Lei, which she in turn left to Prince Jonah Kuhio, Hawaii's first (nonvoting) representative to the U.S. Congress; our "Citizen Prince." (And Prince Cupid to the ladies ;-) It was his own retreat until his passing in 1922. . .
Today, the Waikiki Aquarium is queen of this part of the beach. The deceptively small building houses myriad wonders as well as genuine scientists working to repair the oceans. So the healing quality of Waikiki remains. Only now it extends to the oceans themselves. Come feel it for yourself. Come to Queen's Surf. And that little thing about Kamehemeha landing his army here to begin the conquest of O`ahu, I mean the UNITING of the islands? It was a one time thing, man! This is a beach of peace - all back to normal. A happy normal indeed. . . when you're walking in Waikiki . . . .
Diamond Head remains from their landscape to ours. And at her green skirts of Kapiolani Park is a distinct area of Waikiki Beach that we call "Queen's Surf." The people of old called it Kalehuawehe, "The Open Lehua Blossom."
High Chiefs from every Ahupua`a, or district, came to Waikiki in season to enjoy it's special ambiance. Taro was brought to them from nearby uplands, Fish and favorite sea-vegetables were always fresh at hand in the sea and also in the ingenious fishponds that graced our neighborhood back then.
One thing that even they might NOT do was to surf at Kalehuawehe, for it was Kapu, or taboo, for any but the high chiefess daughter of O`ahu's highest Ali`i of that classic time: Kakuhihewa. And so it remained her private joy until one morning. . .
A handsome young chief, pure Ali`i from the right side of Manoa Valley, stepped forward to offer her a perfect lei of lehua blossoms. Enraptured by that ultimate moment of their perfect youth and beauty on that perfect day, she accepted the lei which was as lovely as his manly smile. The unbroken custom of Aloha, of flawless reciprocation, put her in his debt. So wordlessly they joined hands and entered the surf together. From that day the Kapu was broken at Kalehuawehe. . . The place we call Queen's Surf. . .
And so the passing generations immemorial of Ali`i have left their Mana, and sometimes their bones, their sacred Iwi, here. Closer to our own times, King Kalakaua, the Merrie Monarch, spent happy hours beside the grand park named for his Queen Kapiolani. Then a Queen, his sister Liliuokalani, had her beach home here: the lovely Pualeilani , Heavenly Flower Lei, which she in turn left to Prince Jonah Kuhio, Hawaii's first (nonvoting) representative to the U.S. Congress; our "Citizen Prince." (And Prince Cupid to the ladies ;-) It was his own retreat until his passing in 1922. . .
Today, the Waikiki Aquarium is queen of this part of the beach. The deceptively small building houses myriad wonders as well as genuine scientists working to repair the oceans. So the healing quality of Waikiki remains. Only now it extends to the oceans themselves. Come feel it for yourself. Come to Queen's Surf. And that little thing about Kamehemeha landing his army here to begin the conquest of O`ahu, I mean the UNITING of the islands? It was a one time thing, man! This is a beach of peace - all back to normal. A happy normal indeed. . . when you're walking in Waikiki . . . .
A L O H A Cloudia
13 comments:
great beach story today - that red trimmer sunset is also amazing!
Giving directions by natural landmarks is so much nicer! Another lovely post m'dear xx
I loved that myth as well as the tour! Directions were once poetry! To think of it that way is really beautiful.
Just thinking of my older uncle's directions--"When you get into the hollow, turn left and the sycamore, keep on until you get to the creek, then turn North and keep on to the big rock...." Requires knowing where you are in the first place to get anywhere else!
So much beauty in this culture that I hope will never be lost! Thank you Cloudia for all the smiles and insights!
I really enjoy a good aquarium. We have a pretty good one here, but I bet there would be some true exotics in yours.
Hi, Cloudia, I'm trying to get caught up with my reading. I am away from home but will soon post about your book. It is hard to get real writing time right now, but otherwise, we are doing well.
The Beach of Peace. That would make a great title.
Med Kiwi: Thanks!
Ake: You ROCK!
Sandy: "Direcions were once poetry." I Love your expressions.
Deborah: Thank YOU for the same!
Charles: You could rustle the sea horses, podner.
Junosmom: We are all sending you love and prayers. Just care for your family and come back to our web party when you can. we love you!
Travis: Great Idea! This should be my MTM post, eh?
Aloha & Gratitude, Everyone!!
Keep walking, Cloudia, and keep sharing. It makes my day.
The spotted box fish. What a wonderful image.
Aside from snorkling with the sea turtles, My greatest memory of Maui, is the water spouts. They are a truly amazing phenomenon.
Aloha, friend.
Lovely post Cloudia. So very interesting I get lost in each post you right. Great photos also. I never did get to the aquarium on our last trip but was at Sea Life Park and missed President Obama's visit by minutes apparently. We wondered why all the police cars were around :)
Cloudia,
I have no idea how I missed this post when if first went up.
Great storytelling.
And I laugh when I read your post, and SandyCarlson's comment in conjunction.
It reminds me of getting directions from older folks when cycling around Ireland on the back roads, many years ago. ...A bit tricky to follow if you did not already know at least half the landmarks, including the ones that used to be there, but the memory of them were still being used as guideposts...
And I love SandyCarlson's expression too.
Tschüss,
Chris
I liked the historical tidbits today, Cloudia.
I'd love to be there right now. It is 20 deg F here. Trying to catch up with my reading and writing. I will post about your book soon, but won't predict when, for the last time I did, the power went out!
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