Waikiki Means

ALOHA 
& Welcome Back To Waikiki!

Your Table is Waiting. . . 

"In the cherry blossom's shade

  there's no such thing

     as a stranger." 

Kobayashi Issa

'Wai' means 'fresh water' in the Hawaiian tongue.

  'Kai' is seawater, or the sea.

So why is this ocean beach

 named after leaping fresh water?

Waikiki was part of an extensive ahupua`a, 
or ancient land division,

 that stretched from the  Ko`olau mountains 

rising up behind Palolo and Manoa Valleys,

 all the way down to the sea.

 On those high peaks, the god Kane was said to fall as rain,

 feeding waterfalls and the meandering streams

 that emerged at the Waikiki shore.   

Waikiki was named after these “spouting waters”.

photo courtesy of Nick Noble Photography here

' Uwe ka lani, ola ka honua. '

Hawaiian Wisdom

(When the heavens weep, the earth lives.

When it rains the earth revives.)

The Hawaiians called the places where the water entered the sea:

 the "Healing Waters Of Kawehewehe."  

The Ali`i (or chiefs) had homes here down to monarchy days,

 gracious homes famous for hospitality.

   

First the Hawaiians,

and then visitors from all over the world

 came to bathe and to heal in this special place.

 

" If there is magic on this planet,

 it is contained in water. "

Loren Eiseley

Remember: There are NO tourists in Waikiki,

just visitors, guests,

FRIENDS!

Thank YOU for being a friend!

            Warmly, cloudia