Sunday, July 26, 2009

Mauna Kahalawai

Aloha mai e nā hoa pepeiao! Today’s Morning Mana'o takes us to a wahi pana, a storied place here on Maui. We travel ma uka to the mountain range known traditionally as Mauna Kahālāwai, The West Maui Mountains. The older of Maui’s two volcanoes, Mauna Kahālāwai is the backdrop of the district known as Nā Wai 'Ehā, the four famous waters of Maui. It is a composition of dark basalts formed from pähoehoe lava eruptions and it stretches 18 miles long and 15 miles wide. Kahālāwai dates back some 1.3 million years. Literally, Kahālāwai translates as “the meeting of the waters”. There are many peaks and ridges within Kahālāwai, but, its highest peak, Pu'u Kukui stands 5,788 ft. and is located in the upper regions of the mountain on the Western end. It literally means, hill of light or enlightenment and is used in poetry as a metaphor symbolizing a beacon of light illuminating Kahālāwai. As we know, Pu'u Kukui is the second wettest spot in the world, second only to Mount Wai'ale'ale on the island of Kaua'i. From Kahālāwai comes Ka Wai Ola, the life giving waters of Kāne, the source of water that supports Central, South and West Maui. Mauna Kahālāwai is a glorious and beautiful mountain range with diverse topography ranging from lush, green landscapes to drier, red toned terrain, but it is not only esthetically pleasing, it is kūpuna, considered to be an ancestor of our race. Stop for a moment and take some time today to enjoy the splendor of Mauna Kahālāwai. Aloha nō, a hui hou. CLICK HERE to download and listen to the Morning Mana'o Podcast.
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2 comments:

  1. kateJuly 27, 2009 at 7:10 AM

    My grandmother was full-blooded native Hawaiian.
    She passed away when I was quite young.
    I loved to be with her and hear her stories of 'home'.
    As a child, I though they would never end.
    As with all things, they did.

    Through your writings,
    I continue to learn about our culture,
    our connection with the land and all things,
    the intricate language
    and the ways of our past/present/future.

    These are the stories I have been missing for so many years.

    Mahalo for sharing.

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  2. UnknownDecember 13, 2009 at 10:32 PM

    Mahalo for your post. You can also tune in to the podcast to hear the audio versions of Morning Mana'o at http://www.morningmanao.mypodcast.com. I am honored to be able to share.

    Luana

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