Ulupō Heiau, a special place where energy is captured from the stars

Let’s talk about a special place on the island of Oahu that you can feel close to the mana (spiritual power) of the gods, chiefs and people of ancient Hawaii. Ulupō Heiau is the second largest heiau on the island of Oahu (the largest is Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau overlooking Waimea Valley on the North Shore) and is said to have been built by the menehune (little people) in the 1400s. “Ulupō” means “Night Inspiration” in the Hawaiian language and is said to
be a special place where energy is captured from the stars. This sacred temple is located in Kailua. The function of Ulupō Heiau changed over time. It probably began as an agricultural heiau or heiau mapele (temple for ceremonies to insure fertility of the crops). But over time, according to history and its shape, it was made into a heiau luakini (temple dedicated to the success of war). If so, then the heiau luakini was considered a restricted area that was only for those of high hierarchy. Today, this heiau is a sacred site for all Hawaiian people.


Ulupō Heiau is listed on the National and Hawai'i Registers of Historic Places. The State Parks continue to preserve the heiau and heighten public awareness of the cultural history of Kawai Nui. History indicates that Kawai Nui Marsh and Ka'elepulu Pond were ocean bays and that the first Polynesians came to the shores of Kawai Nui Lagoon and built heiau, fishponds and taro terraces.


View of Kawai Nui Marsh


Top of heiau






Kailua was the place of political power for the district of Ko'olaupoko in the 1750’s. The ali'i of O'ahu favored this area for its abundance of fish and good canoe landings. As notes taken from our ancient text show, the houses of the ali'i (chiefs), their families and their attendants surrounded Kailua Bay. Behind the sand beach was the large, fertile expanse of Kawai Nui which had been converted to a fishpond surrounded by an agricultural field system. Kawai Nui was a large, 400 acre fishpond with an abundance of mullet, awa, and o'opu. Ka'elepulu and Nu'upia fishponds were nearby.

Farmers grew kalo (taro) in the irrigated lo'i along the fishponds. Dryland kalo, banana, sweet potato and sugarcane were grown around the marsh area. The fishermen harvested fish from the fishponds and the ocean. The kahuna (priests) performed their religious rites around Kawai Nui at Ulupō Heiau on the east and the Pahukini Heiau and Holomakani Heiau on the west.

Ulupō Heiau measures 140 by 80 feet with walls up to 30 feet in height. The legendary association of the heiau with menehune suggests the antiquity of this site. The construction of this massive temple required a large work force as well as a large amount of rocks. It has been noted that one source of these stones was Kualoa, more than ten miles away.

Several O'ahu chiefs lived at Kailua and probably participated in ceremonies at Ulupō Heiau. Maui chief Kahekili came to O'ahu in the 1780s and lived in Kailua after defeating O'ahu high chief Kahahana for control of the island. Kamehameha I worked at Kawai Nui Fishpond and is said to have eaten the edible mud (lepo ai ia) of Kawai Nui when there was a shortage of kalo. But by 1795 when Kamehameha I conquered O'ahu, it is believed that Ulupō Heiau was already abandoned.

The Chinese planted rice around the edge of Kawai Nui Marsh in the 1800s. The kalo fields were converted to rice fields. A cattle pen was said to have been built on top of the heiau in the 1920s. The cattle changed the shape of the heiau due to heavy usage. The last people to have used the heiau are the Japanese. There is evidence of their pig pens and homes dating from 1949 to 1974, not too long ago.

You will feel a wonderful sense of energy when you visit Ulupō Heiau. There is a beautiful view of the mountains and the Kawai Nui Marsh. Many trees grow there, kukui, noni, macadamia, hala, palm, ulu (breadfruit) and banana to name a few. Taro and ti leaf are also grown. The marsh is a habitat for Hawaii’s endangered waterbirds. I ask that you be respectful of this sacred area. Stay on the trails for the rocks may be loose. Please also be respectful of the offerings that are left there. Ulupō Heiau…definitely a place that you must visit to understand the value of the Native Hawaiian culture.

Ape, related to kalo


Macadamia Nut






Ti leaf, heiau in background


Kukui Nut






Sugar cane

Ulu, Breadfruit







Hala


Ginger










Banana


Kalo (taro)






Banyan


Palm









Hula Mound

Terraces, remnants of home





Honolulu Festival

Maguro-Ya Restaurant in Kaimuki, for fresh fish teishoku

The folks in Hawaii love to eat raw fish, especially tuna. The most common ways of eating it is sashimi and poke style. For those of you who would like to read more about “poke,” please refer to the “Let’s Talk Story” section of the Honolulu Festival website. “Ahi” is yellowfin tuna, commonly used in Hawaii for poke and sashimi.

I would like to introduce a Japanese restaurant in Kaimuki, right on Waialae Avenue, called Maguro-Ya. “Maguro” is a Japanese term for “bluefin tuna.” “Ya” means “shop.” This restaurant is famous for serving the freshest fish, seafood and sushi. They have specials each week featuring the freshest catch. There is also a very nice sushi counter where the master sushi chefs serve their very best. And for those that can’t eat fish, there are a few meat dishes.

As we all know maguro has been a staple in Japan for many years. With the popularity of sushi spreading worldwide, maguro has become difficult to find. The bluefin tuna has been severely overfished. It has become a delicacy especially the fatty belly part called toro. In Hawaii it is a common fact that the price of maguro goes sky high for New Years. This is also the trend in Japan. Did you know that back in the samurai days of Japan that maguro was a fish that was considered unclean, therefore not eaten? Maguro has come a long way. It is one of the most popular fish in Japan and also all over the world.

There are so many items on the Maguro-Ya menu to choose from, very mind boggling. Their fish teishoku menu includes salmon, butterfish, aji, sanma, saba, hamachi, karei and moi. Some are seasonal. You can also request it to be grilled, cooked in a shoyu sauce or deep fried. What is great about these teishoku is that they come as a complete meal including rice, miso shiru, salad, pickles and kobachi (small dish of something tasty, usually a veggie). I decided to eat their well-known Magurozukushi Teishoku. It’s very popular because the maguro is served in every which way possible-sashimi style, yakimono (grilled) and agemono (deep fried). I am assuming that the term “zukushi” comes from the word “tsukusu” which means to “exhaust or serve.” For example, if you tsukusu a person, it means to “dedicate yourself completely to the person.” I realize that I went off on a tangent but that is the nice part of writing a blog, that I can write about anything I think about, including a Japanese language lesson.

Please look at the pictures of the Magurozukushi Teishoku at Maguro-Ya. The pictures look appetizing. The taste was even better, so delicious. It’s a good teishoku to start with on your first visit. And once you think you’ve gotten enough of the maguro, your maguro fix, then I insist that you be bold and try the other delicacies on their menu. The deep fried moi which was a special the day that I went looked so good. I hope to try something like that on my next visit. Oishii!

Appetizer includes edamame, tamagoyaki (egg dish) and maguro on mini skewers.









Sashimi. Deep fried maguro with shredded cabbage and potato salad (use mustard and tonkatsu sauce for condiments). Pickles. Kobachi (mountain yams). Lettuce and tomato salad. Miso shiru. Rice.









Grilled maguro with grated daikon.










Honolulu Festival

Kayak Paddling, a terrific ocean sport in Hawaii

Today I would like to talk about a wonderful ocean sport that I recently picked up…kayak paddling . My husband moved over from the mainland in 1990. He became an avid paddler while living at the Moana. Can’t beat the convenience of getting up early each morning, stepping out on Waikiki Beach and paddling for an hour before work. It’s healthy because you lose weight and build muscles. It’s refreshing out in the water, feeling the waves and the breeze. And it’s just beautiful, gazing at Diamond Head, the other boats and the blue sky!


We had talked about it for many years. We finally started paddling on a regular basis last month. It’s addicting. Of course now that we live in Makiki, it’s not that easy. We have to load the kayak on our car, make sure it’s tied down just right, go to Magic Island, unload, carry the kayak to the waters…you get the picture. But I have thoroughly gotten into the whole thing. I figure that even the setting up with all the lifting is a good work out. And I make sure that I have plenty of sun block on, a long sleeve shirt, a huge brimmed hat and sunglasses. Not a pretty sight, but who cares. I cannot believe that it took me this long to start enjoying Hawaii’s ocean.

Lucky to have a good teacher who is very much into safety. Safety First! We got a float that looks like the ones used by the lifeguards on “Baywatch.” It is strapped to my ankle so that I can use it in case I fall out. A leash connects my husband to the kayak. The paddles are also strapped to the kayak with different leashes. Yes, safety is most important. My husband learned from his mistakes and is making sure that they are not repeated. He even made me practice climbing into the kayak just in case I do fall out. Balance is the key so that you won’t tip your partner and the kayak.











We have the Ocean Kayak Malibu II, 12 feet in length and 34 inches in width. Did you know that nearly one of every three kayaks sold today is a sit-on-top (SOT)? It is basically a paddleboard equipped with a seat. The brand that we have is one of the most popular compact lightweight tandem sit-on-tops in the world. It can be paddled solo or tandem, good for two adults plus a child or pet. We took our dog Mulan for a spin in the marina at Hawaii Kai where the water is calm. She seemed to be enjoying it although she wouldn’t leave my husband’s lap which made it a bit difficult for him to paddle. I’ll let you know how Mu enjoys Waikiki’s waves when we attempt that in the future.











So let’s talk about the SOT kayaks. They have similar hull shapes as their traditional counterparts but instead of sitting in the kayak, you sit in a molded-in depression on top. Some are made of fiberglass but most are made from durable plastic like ours.

The SOT is easier to use than the sit-inside and is less expensive. Most of the SOTs are built for multi-purposes such as for fishing, surfing, touring and scuba diving. They are recreational and built with beginning paddlers like me in mind. It is very comfortable because your legs are not confined. It is also easy to rescue yourself because you are on an open deck therefore aren’t trapped in any part of the kayak.

I like the tandem kayak that we have because I feel safer paddling with my experienced teacher. He sits in the front and I follow his movements and try to paddle in synch. I like being in the back so I can cheat a little and rest when I get tired and my husband won’t notice. Actually he’ll notice right away, but still, he won’t be able to see me resting right away!

So what is the origin of the kayak? It was first used by the native Ainu (indigenous people of Japan), Aleut and Eskimo hunters in the sub-arctic regions of northeastern Asia, North America and Greenland. Historically and to this day, paddlers use double bladed paddles. Kayaks are referred in some parts of the world as canoes.

The term “kayak” seems to have come from the Inuit, a group of indigenous people who inhabited the Arctic regions of Canada, Greenland and Alaska. Their language is considered an Eskimo-Aleut language. The natives hunted sea animals from a single person, covered seal-skin boat called “ qajaq”. The Europeans copied their design and the name. Wooden kayaks and fabric kayaks on wooden frames were first made. The fiberglass ones were introduced in the 1950s and then the rotomolded plastic kayaks in 1973.

Kayaks sure have come a long way. And boy, am I glad that we have them today! Remember…Safety First! Check out Go Bananas Watersports in Honolulu on Kapahulu Avenue. They have kayaks, paddles, stand up paddle boards, racks for cars and trucks, camping gear and accessories for ocean sports. You will find everything you need there, including a wealth of knowledge about ocean sports. Ocean sports in Hawaii, it’s the best!































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Go Bananas Watersports

Haili's Backyard Luau at Ward

Don’t you just love creativity? Thinking outside of the box? Exploring all possibilities and coming up with solutions has always motivated me. I thought it was important to write about Haili’s Hawaiian Foods after hearing about their interim solution to continue their business after their lease at Ward Farmer’s Market expired. Definitely creative!



Haili’s Hawaiian Foods was established in 1950 and was located at the Farmer’s Market on Auahi Street for the longest time. They specialized in all sorts of Hawaiian dishes-plate lunch, poke, pipikaula, dried fish and much more. I believe it was in the beginning of this year that they vacated their place. It was a very sad occurrence but it seemed like so many of the old mom and pop stores all around Hawaii were going through the same situation. I think it makes us local folks appreciate the old establishments much more and try to be loyal to them. Well, this story has a very happy ending. It turns out that the Haili family had an idea. They were able to come up with a lunchwagon concept right across from where they used to have their store. The new concept is called Haili’s Backyard Luau. There’s a very attractive lunchwagon, an area where the staff can grill their pulehu steak and a group of picnic tables for the customers to sit and eat. And this is all located right across from the Ward Stadium 16 Theaters!











Haili’s has added a variety of new items to their menu such as wraps, pulehu steak, Hawaiian-style hot dog, rice bowls, salads and a signature dessert. I guess their target audience is not only the local folks who love traditional Hawaiian food but also the younger generation, those who are more health conscious and our visitors.

As for me, gotta have my traditional Hawaiian food fix once in a while so I decided to go with the combination Hawaiian plate…ono and of good value at $10. You have a choice of eating at one of the tables and watch people as they walk by this busy area (actually they’re probably watching you) or request your meal to go. Come on down to Haili’s Backyard Luau!












Honolulu Festival

Haili's Backyard Luau

He'eia Fishpond, a part of ancient Hawaii

He'eia Fishpond is one of the few fishponds that remain as an active fishpond in O'ahu. It has been said that this ancient Hawaiian fishpond in the shoreline of Kane'ohe Bay was built for their ali'i over 600 years ago. In Hawaiian history, fishponds were the major source of protein and played an important role in the spiritual and cultural lives of the Hawaiian people. Those that helped create these fishponds benefited from the crops of fish and seaweed that were produced. The ancient Hawaiians only took what they needed and were able to sustain from the land.

The ancient fishponds of Hawai'i were one of the most significant and successful aqua-cultural achievements in history. Fishponds were originally created by the residents of their ahupua'a as stocking ponds to raise fish and provide easy access to fish during the winter months when deep sea fishing was dangerous or when it was “kapu” (forbidden) to fish, for example, when they were spawning. So although the law forbade the Hawaiians to fish in the sea at such times they were able to fish in the fishponds because fishponds were considered an extended part of the land according to Hawaiian history.

He'eia Fishpond is a seashore pond that was made by building a wall of stone and coral. This wall ranges in width from 10-14 feet and stretches 1.3 miles in length. What makes it truly unique is that the wall completely encircles the entire 88-acre pond. Its depth is 2-5 feet, based on the tide. The water is brackish, a combination of the water from He'eia Stream (fresh water) and Kaneohe Bay (salt water). The fish that are raised there include moi, 'awa and crabs. Limu (seaweed) also grows plentifully.

Between 1987 and 1999, Mary Brooks, with a strong background in western aqua-cultural techniques, was able to blend both Western and Hawaiian techniques enabling the fish pond to yield 70,000 pounds of moi ( a special fish raised for the Hawaiian Royalty) annually and 1,000 pounds of ogo (seaweed) weekly.

So how does this fishpond work? First of all, there is the kuapa (wall). The purpose of the kuapa was to divide the sea or stream from the water inside the fishpond. Then there is the makaha which is the grate or grill placed in the opening of the rock wall. This was constructed in ancient times with sticks and beams but may now be constructed by wire mesh. This makaha allows both water and pua (baby fish) to enter the fishpond while keeping the undesirable fish out. There are six makaha at He'eia Fishpond that control the water and bring oxygen to the fish.

With the makaha in place, a solid gate is used to control the water level in the fishpond without releasing any fish. The pond can be drained and cleaned during low tide. The opening of this gate also traps the fish for harvesting. When you think about the logic behind the Hawaiian fishpond, it’s quite simple and yet so profound. The Native Hawaiians were pioneers of the conservation and sustenance of our ecosystem.











He'eia Fishpond is owned by Kamehameha Schools and is maintained by a private non-profit organization known as Paepae o He'eia. Their mission is to implement values and concepts from the model of a traditional fishpond to provide physical, intellectual and spiritual sustenance for the community. The organization uses the strengths of He'eia Fishpond to combine ancestral knowledge with western ways.

This organization of young Hawaiians has much to do to maintain the fishpond. They are busy catching pua (baby fish) outside of the fishpond to increase fish productivity. They must remove predator fish such as barracuda and papio. They are constantly repairing the walls. Removal of mangrove from the wall and pond is also important. It grows into the roots and loosens the rock and coral. Its root system is also bad for the fishpond environment because the land that is created by the growth of the mangrove prevents the wind from circulating, preventing the oxygen from being created. And we all know that the fish need oxygen to live. Optimizing the growth of algae is also part of the organization’s program, making sure that the algae get enough sunlight by lowering the level of the water. And then there is the harvesting. You can purchase moi and limu during the seasons that they are abundant.

There is much to learn at the He'eia Fishpond in Kaneohe. Please visit to understand its relevance to Hawaiian living, conservation and Hawai'i’s delicate ecosystem. Paepae O He'eia is always looking for volunteers and support throughout the year. Aloha.

Honolulu Festival

Paepae O He'eia