The night leans down on the Hawaiian islands, and the people dance their history.
Thousands of years of oral tradition are recorded in ancient chants, myths and legends,
songs of heroines and gods.
These are the rhythmic records of a people who for centuries had no written language.
Our ancestors were Polynesians.
They were master mariners who found their way to Hawaii by the stars and the feel of
the moving sea.
In great open sea voyages of two thousand miles or more, they came to this place across
the trackless tides.
We know there was a migration to these islands, perhaps from the Marquesas sometime between
300 and 500 A.D.
Some believe there may have been a later migration, from the vicinity of Tahiti between 1100
and 1300, when sea captains in Europe still feared the edge of Earth.
After more than a month of great hardship, the first group of adventurers sighted land.
To them, the island seemed like a man standing at the edge of the ocean, his arms spread
wide and well-toned.
The Polynesians had found a natural paradise, an empty stage upon which they would play
out the drama of their lives.
It was from this encounter with the natural world that their myths evolved, their gods,
their songs, their view of the world and of themselves.
These traditions became the heart of the Hawaiian culture that would reach from the ancient
past to touch the present.
Much of what those first wanderers saw and felt is still here for visitors to see and
feel today.
According to one legend, their first landfall was the Isle of Kauai.
So enchantingly beautiful is Kauai, with its green-robed cliffs and magnificent valleys
that it is called the Garden Isle.
Washed by the tears of clouds, this may have been God's original idea of what a tropic
isle should be.
From the heart of the island rises the cloud-catcher, Vaialeale, the abode of the gods.
Only a mile high with an average annual rainfall of 460 inches, Vaialeale is often the wettest
spot on earth, the birthplace of a thousand streams.
From Kauai, you are never far from the living crystal of flowing, falling or cresting water.
Below Vaialeale is Waimea Canyon.
Four miles wide in places, the canyon weaves eight miles through the western side of the
island, twisting and turning past haunted solitudes toward the sea.
In the course of a day, the sun creates a moving tapestry of light and shadow upon the
canyon walls.
When he visited here in 1866, Mark Twain called this place the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.
Hiding within these mountain reaches are valleys more beautiful than any artist could ever
capture.
Rich, verdant, and alive with brilliant splashes of vivid color, filled with vast bouquets
of fern and bougainvillea.
The Ileao plant is found nowhere in the world except here on Kauai.
Generally, the plant lives between 6 and 15 years, usually blooms only once, then dies.
Goats were brought here by British explorers.
Captain James Cook and later Captain George Vancouver used them as gifts for the island
chiefs.
With no natural predators, the goat population has multiplied over the years, and today poses
a threat to the canyon's ecology.
Along the rugged north shore, great lava cliffs tower over the restless sea.
The Nepali coast is a testament to the island's violent birth.
Here and there, jagged ramparts rise like stone pinnacles hurled from the center of
the island.
On the high slopes above Nepali grows the ohia lehua tree.
Its feathery red blossoms were sacred to Hawaiian chiefs, and they fashioned the flower into
leis as offerings to Pele, goddess of the volcano.
The art of weaving leis has survived in Kauai, in both story and in fact.
Erma Lee-Palmroy is a master of this Hawaiian art.
The creation of her leis begins with the gathering of the flowers.
The Hawaiians, they didn't overabuse the gathering of these kinds of materials.
They were very considerate about the environment.
And now when I go out and gather these things that I use in my leis, I try to be careful.
I try not to overuse what I'm gathering.
With the Hawaiians, making a lei was a spontaneous thing.
Whenever they went from one place to another place, if they were going to go to visit one
family in another area, they would walk along the beach, or perhaps through the forest,
and they would stop along the wayside and just pick up some of these things and make
a lei.
The lei is given in love, it's given at times of festivities, it's given at times of sorrow.
Leis are given to almost anyone.
When you step off the plane, one of the first things that a visitor receives is a lei.
And it's a lei of welcoming.
My favorite lei is the lei villi.
Villi means to wind and to secure your flowers onto a foundation.
The reason why I like this lei is because you can use almost any kind of material in
this lei.
You create it as you go along.
It's a beautiful lei, you wear this lei open-ended or closed.
Lei kui is to sew a lei with a needle and thread.
The Hawaiians did not have a steel needle like we use now, but they did have needles
made out of fish bones, especially, and made out of the midrib of the coconut leaf.
And this is their needle and thread.
My mother had a wonderful garden and she would make a lei for my father almost every day.
He would put it around his hat.
Every morning she did this for him, every day.
And this was given to him with love.
Love is often the reason people journey up the Wailua River on Kauai's eastern shore,
for the river leads to a legendary place where lovers often go.
The river winds through hallowed hills and burial grounds and all gray sentinels of stone.
At the upstream landing is Fern Grotto.
Ancient Hawaiians are said to have worshipped here in the full of the moon.
Today, Fern Grotto is a popular place for weddings.
There are different wedding-and-wedding customs going on outside the city.
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At the northernmost tip of Kauai is Kilauea Point, a wildlife refuge for frigate and other
seabirds. This sanctuary is critical, for it is the only secure nesting site in the inhabited
islands. Though many ocean-going birds will stay at sea for five years at a time, they
must nest on land. One of the most commonly seen of these birds is the red-footed booby.
As a chick, it wears a coat of white down. After about two months, the down is replaced
by smoke-gray feathers. Within three years, the plumage again turns white, the color it
will remain the rest of its life. The refuge is also the roost of an abundance of great
frigate birds. Their wingspan can measure seven and a half feet, greater than most men are
tall. Frigate birds are also called men of war because they attack other seabirds and
steal their food.
The koa ikea, or white-tailed tropic bird, is easily recognized by its graceful tail streamers.
Its feathers were prized by ancient Hawaiians who attached them to the tops of long ceremonial
poles. The koa ikea builds its nest high in the inaccessible cliffs of Kīlauea. High
upon Kīlauea Point, above the cliffs where the tropic birds nest, is an old lighthouse
built in 1913. Its turning eye was the first beacon seen by mariners sailing east from
Asia. It was also this light that many immigrants from the Orient saw when they came to work
the sugarcane fields that lay green upon the hillsides and in the valleys of Kaua'i.
For centuries, sugar grew wild in Hawaii. Then, about 1835, island entrepreneurs turned
to agriculture. Sugar plantations were established. There was money to be made in cane, but the
planters needed laborers to work the fields. After 1850, hundreds of thousands of laborers
from Japan, the Philippines, Portugal, and other lands came to work the cane. Many thousands
stayed and created a culture of unparalleled diversity.
Among the first of the contract laborers to come to Hawaii were the Chinese. Hong Min-hee's
family has lived on Kaua'i for more than a century. He started working in the cane fields
as a young man and eventually became a supervisor for a sugar plantation.
Most of the Chinese in Hawaii came from Canton, Guangdong Province. My grandpa came from Chung
Tan District about 1875, and he went to Pipikio Plantation. First the Chinese came in. The
Chinese were entrepreneur type. They fulfilled their contract. They went out and seek some
kind of business of their own. They want to be on their own, always trying to start some
sort of business. Then the industry looked for other types of labor. They brought in
some of the Portuguese and the Japanese, Filipinos, and Koreans. That's made for Hawaii
the melting pot.
Sugar has ruled Kaua'i's economy since 1835, but the oldest crop is taro. Most of Hawaii's
taro is grown in the Fertile Valley of Hanalei on Kaua'i's north shore.
According to legend, the taro plant was born from the body of a god, a fitting tale, as
taro was the most important food of the early Polynesian settlers who brought it to Hawaii
in their hand-hewn canoes. When cooked, pounded, and kneaded, the enlarged taro corn becomes
poi, the Hawaiian staff of life. After the plant is harvested, the leafy stem is saved
and replanted to grow the next crop. In this way, the plant is continually reborn.
Some families, like the Haraguchis, have farmed the Hanalei Valley for generations, using
simple plows and methods that have changed little over the centuries.
Farther along the coast are Kaua'i's fabled beaches. So beautiful and unspoiled, they
have found their way into dozens of Hollywood movies.
Farther still, sunset falls on Hanalei Bay, as it has since Kaua'i was formed, as a day
passed, or a thousand years. In the fading light, you can almost hear the song of the
ancient Polynesians who were the first to come this way.
This
tells the story of Pele, the goddess of fire, who once lived in another part of Polynesia.
But she was stirred by thoughts of faraway lands. One day, Pele left her family to begin
a journey to find a new home. Searching far across the seas, she came to the island of
Kaua'i. But Kaua'i was so wet that everywhere she tried to dig her fire pit, the water would
run out her fires. Pele continued on to the other islands, Oahu and Maui, Moloka'i and
Kaua'i. But each time she would dig with her magic stick, the flames would be extinguished.
And on she went, searching, searching. Then, one day, Pele's quest ended. Her journey
was over. She had found her new home on the island of Hawaii, inside the ever-seething
crater of the volcano Kilauea. And there she dwells to this day.
Hawaiian mythology abounds with legends about Pele's terrifying rages. When rebuffed or
destroyed, she would hurl her fire and molten stone from her lair beneath the earth, and
her enemies would be consumed. In this way, the islands were formed by the creative rage
of Pele. Today, scientists can accurately forecast when volcanoes will erupt. It can
even be said that scientists are able to predict Pele's changing moods. These predictions
provide warnings that can save lives. In 1983 and 84, more than a dozen evacuated homes were
destroyed by Kilauea's molten flows. In 1986, Pele's fury carved a path of destruction all
the way to the sea. A study of these eruptions reveals how the Hawaiian islands were formed.
The earth has an inner core and an outer core. Together, they are a little more than 4,000
miles in diameter. Surrounding the outer core is the earth's mantle, about 1,800 miles thick.
Most of it's at an extremely high temperature. Above the mantle is the crust, from 5 to 50
miles thick. Occasionally, molten materials from the mantle invade the crust. Pressure
builds in the magma beneath the surface. When the pressure becomes greater than the surface
strata can tolerate, gases, fire, and molten stone are hurled into the air, sometimes as
high as 2,000 feet. Then, through fissures and vents, rivers of lava cascade down the
mountain. In the case of the Hawaiian islands, this volcanic activity started to occur beneath
the floor some 38 to 43 million years ago. With each eruption, lava welled out from fissures
and the mountains grew higher and higher. Eventually, they emerged from the sea and created
islands. This process explains how an island is formed. But what about the island chain?
Scientists believe that the earth's surface is composed of a series of movable slabs called
tectonic plates. They average about 50 miles thick and float on the mantle. These plates
move very slowly. The Pacific plate moves about 4 inches a year. As the plate moves
over hot spots in the mantle, lava erupts through it, eventually creating a new island.
Since the plate is always moving, the process is repeated over and over. Hawaii is the
farthest east and the youngest of the Hawaiian islands. It is still growing. Since 1983,
Kilauea has been in nearly continuous eruption. And with each eruption, Hawaii grows slightly
larger. In 1960, lava flowing from Kilauea extended Hawaii some 1,500 feet closer to
California. Much of this expansion occurs when lava flows from land into the sea.
When it is first hurled to the surface, lava is smooth, ropey, and fluid. It is called
pahoehoe and can cause massive destruction. As the lava moves farther from its source,
it loses gases and heat. It often becomes jagged and rough. This form of lava is called
a'a'. After an eruption, all is desolation.
Yet in time, from this destruction comes new life. Because lava fields are rich in nutrients,
as long as moisture is available, new life begins to grow as soon as the lava has cooled.
Hawaii's black sand beaches are of volcanic origin. This beach was created within four
months as lava exploded into tiny fragments when it met the water. The waves washed the
fragments ashore and pounded them into sand. North of these ebony shores lies Hilo, the
largest city on the Big Island, a cane field town huddled around the crescent of Hilo Bay.
A major commercial area of Hilo is called kaiko'o, or rough seas. It is aptly named
because giant waves have come roaring into Hilo. Called tsunami, the waves are triggered
by undersea earthquakes. In 1960, one such giant wave, some 35 feet high, nearly destroyed
the town. Each morning in Hilo, at the Suisan Fish Market, fishermen auction off their catch
of the day, yellowfin tuna, aku, snapper, wahoho, mahi-mahi, and other treasures of
the sea. The market supplies many local restaurants and groceries. To the rhythmic chant of the
engineer, some 6,000 pounds of fish are sold during the fishing season. By mid-morning,
the catch of the day is ready to become that evening's blue plate special. The moist tropical
air around Hilo makes anthuriums and orchids flourish on flower farms. Each week, a million
blossoms are shipped to the Orient and to the U.S. mainland. Anthuriums are the most
popular of Hawaiian flowers because, when cut, they can live as long as three weeks.
The colors of the heart-shaped blossoms range from white to orange to deep red. Orchids
grow in almost endless variety. Since these remarkable plants have the unusual ability
to cross with other orchids of a completely different genera, there are some 25,000 species.
Heliconias belong to the banana family. The showy parts are really modified leaves. Inside
them are the actual flowers.
Sloping to the sea in the hills above Hilo are orchards of macadamia trees. The delicious
nuts are an island specialty. The first macadamia trees were brought to the Big Island from
Australia in 1881. The nuts, when covered with chocolate, make a candy of world renown.
North of Hilo, on the slopes of Mauna Kea, where the trade winds bring rain-filled clouds,
Here the tumbling waters of Akaka Falls plummet some 442 feet.
North of Akaka Falls, the rugged Hamakua coast is dotted with small towns bearing melodic
names, such as Napahoehoe, Honohina, and O'okala. These communities offer a timeless tableau
of rural life, people living much as their forebears did generations ago. But the remote
coastal reaches leading downward to the Waipio Valley are home to only a few people. This
is the Hawaii where time ticks slowly and passes with reluctance.
On the northern base of Mauna Kea are scenes that seem stolen from Texas, Arizona, or from
Wyoming. The origins of this cattle ranch go back to Captain Vancouver. He brought the
first cattle to the islands in 1793. Within 20 years, cattle roamed over northern Hawaii,
threatening crops and lives. In 1815, John Parker, a New England seaman, was hired to
round up the cattle. The reward for his efforts? Two acres of land, the modest beginning of
what is today the largest privately owned cattle ranch in America, 250,000 acres. Members
of the Parker family have owned the ranch for six generations. The grandfathers of many
of today's ranch hands learned their trade from Spanish-speaking Mexican cowboys brought
to Hawaii to teach their skills. The Hawaiian cowboys nicknamed themselves Paniolos after
the Espanyols. To this day, cowboys of the islands are called Paniolos. Life on this
ranch is much like life on a ranch on the U.S. mainland. There are more than 50,000 cattle
and some 600 horses to attend to. Work begins before dawn. At branding time, 500 calves
will have been marked by 8 a.m. The Espanyols who taught the Hawaiians to rope and brand
the wild cattle of the ranch are long gone, but they left something important. They left
their guitars. As the Hawaiians adapted the instrument for their own music, they developed
a system of tuning down or slackening the strings. One of the masters of slack key guitar
playing. Slack key enables the guitarist to play both the melody line and bass line on
the same instrument. It is very personal and distinctly Hawaiian, one of the best expressions
of the aloha spirit.
On the Kona, or western coast of Hawaii, ranch land gives way to the only place in the United
States where coffee is grown commercially. The first seeds for coffee trees were brought
to Kona by missionaries in 1828. Hawaii's soil and climate proved ideal, and coffee
soon became an important commercial crop. Today, coffee is grown on the other islands
as well, but the coffee of Kona ranks among the finest in the world. The port of Kailua
is the starting point for some of the world's most exciting deep sea fishing. The most
sensational catch is the Pacific Blue Marlin. It can weigh in at well over half a ton. It
was on the nearby beach at Kealakekua Bay that Captain Cook, the most famous explorer
of his time, landed in 1779 on a return voyage to Hawaii. The Englishmen had discovered the
isles the year before, naming them the Sandwich Islands in honor of the Earl of Sandwich.
These specks of land in the vast Pacific would be among the last significant discoveries
by western explorers. During the return visit, Captain Cook and a local chief had a tragic
disagreement over a missing longboat. A skirmish ensued, and a number of Hawaiians and English
sailors were killed. Among the dead was Captain Cook, the man who had opened the Hawaiian
Islands to European settlement. South of Kealakekua Bay, a tongue of land points towards Hawaiki,
the legendary motherland. Here is the largest of the places of refuge, a vital part of ancient
Hawaiian culture. The early Hawaiians governed themselves by a set of sacred rules called
a kapu. Women were forbidden to eat with men. The shadow of a commoner could not fall across
the house of a chief. The penalty for breaking a kapu was death. The only way to escape punishment
for such crimes was to flee and seek sanctuary in a place of refuge. Some fugitives had to
swim miles to escape their adventures. When the fugitives were inside the gates, the kahuna
or ruling priests would absolve them of their crimes. Nearby, but a culture away, is St.
Benedict's Catholic Church, a temple for the new religion brought by the missionaries.
Built by a Belgian priest in the late 19th century, the church continues its ministry
here today. The first missionaries to Hawaii arrived on the Kona Coast in 1820. They had
traveled thousands of miles by sea from Boston to convert the Hawaiians to their Protestant
beliefs. The missionaries brought a new religion and way of life, often alien to the islanders.
Lacking a common language with their hosts, the missionaries often painted images of the
new faith on church walls. In their zeal, the missionaries tried to eradicate many elements
of traditional Hawaiian culture. But today, churches recognize the importance of blending
the old and the new. Once a month, some churches celebrate Sunday Mass with traditional Hawaiian
music and the sacred hula.
Hula Hula
Hula Hula
Hula Hula
Hula Hula
These two sanctuaries, the Painted Church and the Place of Refuge, close together in
miles, yet so distant in spirit. Here is the blending of cultures that has shaped these
worlds. Two holy places, the new and the old. The
East and the East, from the first Polynesian navigator to the most recent sunset.
According to our legends, Lanai was once inhabited only by ghosts and evil spirits, and so for
many years, after the people settled other islands, Lanai remained deserted. Then Kaulu
Lao, nephew of the King of Maui, was sent to Lanai to drive the ghosts from the island.
At night, he hid from the evil spirits in caves, and during the day he hunted them down.
Soon, with the evil spirits gone, it was safe for the living to make their home on Lanai.
Lanai is still sparsely populated. What the island lacks in population, however, is more
than made up for by the number of pineapples. Fields of the fruit are everywhere. Pineapples
were brought to the islands from South America and the West Indies, and at least one variety
was reportedly growing in Hawaii as early as 1813. When James Dole, a descendant of
a missionary family, began to market pineapples to the U.S. mainland in 1903, few realized
that the cultivation of the fruit would become one of Hawaii's primary sources of income.
In 1922, Dole's Hawaiian Pineapple Company purchased the Lanai Ranch Company for a little
more than $1 million. This would seem to be a bargain, for the Lanai Ranch Company encompassed
the entire island of Lanai. Today, Little Lanai, only 18 miles long and 13 miles wide,
is the home of what may be the largest pineapple plantation in the world.
Pineapples grow slowly. A new crop needs almost two years from planting to harvest. The ripe
fruit must be picked by hand. Most of the crop is then shipped to Oahu for canning.
An early Spanish explorer named this new world fruit, piña, because of its resemblance
to the pinecone. Although pineapple is king on Lanai, another piña, the Norfolk Island
pine, has also become a trademark of the island. In the early 1900s, the New Zealand naturalist,
George C. Monroe, was manager of the old Lanai Ranch. As he rode horseback through the mountains,
he often sowed seed from his saddlebags, hoping to create windbreaks and to extend Lanai's
natural forests.
On the eastern shore of Lanai, lie Hulopoe Beach and Manalay Bay. The quiet waters of
Manalay Bay provide a calm anchorage for pleasure craft.
Hulopoe Beach is the most beautiful of the beaches on Lanai. Since few tourists visit
Lanai, it remains a favorite recreation spot for the local people.
From Lanai on a clear day, you can see many of the other Hawaiian islands. To the north
is the sleepy little island of Molokai.
Molokai remains one of the least spoiled of the islands. Through the centuries, the island
has always been a sanctuary, a haven for the training of Hawaiian kahuna, or wise ones.
The Poly Coast on the northern shore is as rugged a coastline as can be found anywhere
on earth.
The misty Halawa Valley on the eastern tip of Molokai is thought to have been the site
of one of Hawaii's earliest settlements, about 650 A.D.
The Fertile Valley once supported a thriving community of taro farmers, but in 1946, a
31-foot tidal wave swept into the mouth of the valley, leaving a salty residue that put
an end to agriculture.
On the southern shore is Kapua Iwa, one of the last remaining royal coconut groves. Planted
in the mid-19th century, the grove once contained a thousand trees and was reserved for the
king.
The grove is very stately and serene, but when the wind blows, it's risky to walk beneath
these trees.
Nearby, tiny St. Joseph's Church was built by the Belgian priest who became a living
legend in Hawaii, Father Damien. He came to Molokai to care for the island's lepers.
No one knows when the dreaded disease first came to the islands, but by the mid-1800s,
leprosy was an epidemic. The government decided to quarantine all lepers. The afflicted were
shipped to Kalaupapa, an isolated peninsula on Molokai's northern coast. Death was the
only escape.
Dwelling in caves or makeshift huts with no medical care and meager food, the patients
lived in unspeakable sorrow until the arrival of Father Damien in 1873. Not only did Father
Damien provide for the lepers' physical needs, he gave them hope.
Today, visitors are permitted at Kalaupapa. Although it can be reached by small plane,
the most memorable route is a two and a half mile mule ride down fortress-like cliffs that
once enforced the banishment.
Good morning, folks. I want to welcome you to the island of Molokai and to the Molokai
mule ride. My name is Iupo. I'll be one of the muleskinners going down with you today.
I'm going to tell you a little something about the trail and about the company and what to
expect down in the settlement. Kalaupapa is about two and a half miles wide and about
two and a quarter mile long. Population down there is about 130 people. Out of that 130,
there's 93 patients left in the settlement. The rest are state and federal workers and
hospital staff. That's the only people allowed to live in the settlement, no one else.
The most visited site at Kalaupapa is St. Philomino's Church, built by Father Damien.
It has become a lasting monument to his life, his work, and his sacrifice. For in 1889,
Father Damien died of the disease that had brought him to Kalaupapa, and he was buried
beside the church. Richard Marks is Kalaupapa's honorary sheriff and tour guide. He is also
the third generation of his family to suffer from leprosy and live in Kalaupapa.
Father Damien came here after he found out about the leprosy problem in Hawaii, because
he had a big parish on the big island of Hawaii, and over the years they were taking some of
his people away as lepers and bringing them here. And somebody asked him once,
what do you bother with lepers? And he had the perfect answer. Why did our Lord bother
with lepers? And to him, that was the only answer he ever needed.
Despite all the grim reminders of death, the story of Kalaupapa is more triumph than tragedy.
Today, leprosy can be controlled with multi-drug therapy, making quarantine unnecessary.
Few patients now remain in the colony.
Well, Kalaupapa is a dying community. No new patients have been brought in since 1969.
Our children are not allowed to live here. So we've got an aging population. There are
no more active cases here.
The visitor's program has increased public awareness of leprosy, now called Hansen's
disease, but Richard Marks would rather change attitudes than names.
I don't mind being called a leper, but a lot of our people get very angry when you use
the word leper. And they don't like the idea of leprosy. They come with the deal of
Hansen's disease. I, for one, don't think you change anything by changing the name.
And so I'm a holdout for the word leprosy.
Residents of the colony can remain until the end of their lives. Eventually, the peninsula
will become a national park, a poignant tribute to Father Damien and to the patients.
On Molokai, a large percentage of the residents are of Hawaiian ancestry, more than 3,000
in a population of 6,700. Today in East Molokai, there's a wedding, and preparations are
underway for a luau. A luau is the perfect occasion for the community to renew its ties.
Most people on Molokai know each other, and many are related. It takes an event such as
a birth or a wedding to bring them all together. One thousand guests are expected to show up
for this celebration. Luaus are staged daily for visitors to Hawaii, but it is rare to
experience a community luau. Cooking begins days in advance. The most traditional Hawaiian
dish is kalua pig. It's cooked in an imu, an earthen pit lined with kiawe wood.
Heated lava rocks are placed in the pit along with a whole pig. The pig steams slowly in
a moist oven. When it is dug up several hours later, it is a succulent delicacy. Cooking
in an imu is a family affair. Everyone's help is needed. No luau is complete without poi,
Hawaii's fluid bread. Traditionally, it is made by pounding cooked taro root, but modern
know-how has given Hawaii instant poi, just mixed with water. The eating of poi is a kind
of folk ballet, accompanied by strict etiquette. Dip the fingers to the first joint. Never
pull the hand roughly through poi. Rotate the fingers and wave gracefully to keep the
poi from falling off, and remember to smack the lips gently. Once the bridal couple and
their entourage arrive, there's a brief blessing of the food, then the feasting begins. Like
weddings everywhere, sharing food with family and friends is an important tradition, a way
of sharing the promise of a new life and of new beginnings. Molokai has always been a
tranquil haven of spectacular natural beauty, where family ties and old ways are cherished.
Today, it is a place where the visitor may experience the unspoiled dream of Hawaii.
Nine miles southeast of Molokai is Maui. The second largest of the Hawaiian islands, Maui
encompasses more than 728 square miles. Dominating the island is the now-dormant volcano Haleakala,
meaning the house of the sun. The Hawaiians believe that the Polynesian god Maui dwelled
in the sky. Maui was a trickster hero in Polynesia. When he came to these seas, he accomplished
three remarkable feats. His first was to fish up the islands from the ocean floor. On another
occasion, Maui was thirsty. He told a woman that if she would give him a drink from her
gourd, he would push up the sky for her. She complied, and he thrust the sky upward, where
it has remained to this day. But his greatest feat was accomplished from the rim of Haleakala.
Maui noticed that because the sun moved so quickly across the sky, his mother was having
trouble drying her strips of bark cloth. Men had too little time to harvest their crops,
so Maui wove a strong cord of coconut fiber. He then snared the sun and made it promise
to move more slowly across the sky, so there would be more daylight hours on Earth.
At sunrise, as you stand on the rim of Haleakala crater, staring down into its dark abyss,
it is not difficult to understand why the ancients believed that the gods dwelled here.
Each morning, when the seven and a half mile long crater fills with clouds, you feel you
are experiencing the dawn of creation.
As the morning progresses and sunlight dips into the crater, rivers of frozen lava and
ancient cinder cones emerge from the purple shadows.
After a visit to Haleakala, Mark Twain wrote that he felt like the last man, neglected
of the judgment, left pinnacled in mid-heaven, a forgotten relic of a vanished world.
On the heights of the volcano is a plant that grows nowhere else in the world except on
Maui and on the big island, Hawaii. The silver sword is a member of the sunflower family.
It blooms only once during its lifetime of between 4 and 25 years.
Then, having produced the seeds of a new generation, the silver sword dies.
Haleakala is also the home of the nene, the Hawaiian state bird. Because it lived for
centuries without natural predators, it is fearless. Its daring attitude led the birds
to the brink of extinction. But through conservation efforts, there are now more than 150 nene
living on the volcano.
Along the eastern skirts of Haleakala, a narrow road winds through green-cloaked cliffs and
groves of tropical trees.
A three-hour drive leads to the small settlement of Hana Town. Plustered around a perfect bay,
Hana has managed to retain much of its rural quality. Despite the town's growing popularity,
life here still reflects the grace and warmth of the local people.
A short distance south of Hana lies one of the most beautiful spots on Maui, the Pools
of Ohe'o. Those who explore this natural garden, sometimes referred to as the Seven Pools,
discover there are actually more than 30 pristine pools that cascade to the sea.
Each winter, as they have long before recorded time, the great humpback whales return to
their calving grounds in the seas of Maui. After a journey of 2,800 miles from Alaska,
they arrive in the crystalline waters off Maui's western coast, where they will remain
until May.
The 40-ton leviathans were once masters of the sea, but in time they would meet their
match, the whaling ships of Lahaina. In the early to mid-19th century, this former capital
of the Hawaiian Islands became an important anchorage for the Pacific whaling fleet. After
their long voyages, crews swarmed ashore in pursuit of rum, women, and other earthly pleasures.
When Protestant missionaries in Lahaina prevented women from swimming out to the whaling ships,
the angry sailors rioted and fired cannonballs on the town. So the chiefs of Maui built a
fort to protect Lahaina. Its ruins are still here today.
Built at the turn of the century, the Pioneer Inn is a Lahaina landmark. The original house
rules reflect its honky-tonk past. Only on Sunday can you sleep all day.
The discovery of oil in Pennsylvania in 1859 signaled the end of the great whaling era.
Whale oil yielded to petroleum. Lahaina had already given way to Honolulu as the kingdom's
new capital.
Just west of Lahaina are the verdant walls of the Iao Valley, a place of pilgrimage since
ancient times. The soaring 2,250-foot Iao Needle was created by rainwater as it eroded
the weaker stone away from the core of basalt. Beyond the needle, on the windward side of
the west Maui mountains, lie inviting beaches strung like pearls upon the shore.
Ho'okipa Beach is a haven for surfing. Nobody knows for sure when the Polynesians first
rowed the seas on their wavesliding boards, but it's an ancient sport, and Hawaiian chance
suggests that it was practiced as early as the 15th century. The first surfboards, crafted
from koa wood, weighed as much as 150 pounds, a formidable burden by today's standards,
but not for the 300-pound surfing champions of ancient Hawaii.
Wind surfing is a more recent development, the marriage of the sail and the surfboard.
As fine as the surf is on Maui, it is unsurpassed on the island of Oahu, places such as Banzai
Pipeline, Waimea Bay, live on in surfing legend.
Oahu is said to mean the gathering place in the Hawaiian language. Although this translation
is sometimes challenged, no more appropriate name could exist, especially for Hawaii's
oldest city, Honolulu. Spreading its skirts over 25 miles of Oahu's leeward shore and
inland to the Ko'olau mountain range, the city is a gracious host to visitors from around
the world. In downtown Honolulu, Iolani Palace, completed
in 1882, is the only official royal residence in America. It was the home of King Kalaakawa
and later of his sister Queen Lilio Kalani, the last reigning monarch in a long dynasty.
In 1893, a group of American and European businessmen, backed by American marines, abolished
the monarchy. Most of the palace furniture was sold at auction and the building fell
into disrepair for nearly a century. When it was opened to visitors in 1978, most of
the palace had been restored to its original splendor.
Every Friday at noon, the Royal Hawaiian Band performs in the old Korah Nation stand on
the palace grounds. The band was organized in 1836 and has performed regularly ever since.
Varieties may fade away, but the band plays on.
The Royal Hawaiian Band performs in the old Korah Nation stand on the palace grounds.
Across the street from the palace is the Kauaiaha'o Church, an enduring symbol of Hawaii's missionary
past. Malii Kalama, a lay minister of the church, is also an accomplished quilt maker.
Quilting is a legacy left by the missionaries. With scraps of fabric, they taught Hawaiian
women how to stitch quilts. The sewing sessions became social occasions. Soon, the skillful
Hawaiians were creating their own unique designs.
This happened that at twilight one evening, as the sun was setting, it threw a shadow
of a coconut tree on the sand. And there was a woman in the group that saw it and she felt
now that would make a very interesting coverlet. And so she began to cut out material that
was given to her by the missionary women. And she cut out the first pattern. From then
on, all of the women began to create in their own way, different designs, taking nature
into consideration. The leaves, the flowers, the fruit, and things of that sort. And that's
how it became quite popular in the islands.
Recently there has been a resurgence of interest in this beautiful art form, an art form inspired
by the natural world of the islands.
One of the most photographed natural wonders on Oahu is Diamond Head, a remnant of an extinct
volcano. British sailors named this headland for the stones they found that resembled diamonds.
Though the diamonds proved to be only calcite crystals, the name Diamond Head lives on today.
At Waikiki, nature has conspired to create the playground of the Pacific. At the foot
of Diamond Head lies a golden crescent of beach that was once a retreat for Hawaii's
kings. But Waikiki is more than one of the world's most famous beaches. At night, Waikiki
is an exuberant world of shops and galleries, neon and gardens and beast trips, a sophisticated
carousel of pleasures alive with music and people from all corners of the globe.
Off the eastern shore of Oahu are the waters of Hanauma Bay. It was formed when the sea
eroded the crater of an extinct volcano, creating a great tropical aquarium. Among the species
in this gallery of living art are the Millet Sea, Butterfly, Raccoon Butterfly and the
Whale. Most of the fish seem unafraid, even curious as they approach these blue-clad visitors.
North of Hanauma Bay can be found the masters of the winds that sweep the windward cliffs
of Makapu'u Point. There are train winds in Hawaii so powerful and consistent that flights
of more than 25 miles have been recorded. One daring soul remained aloft for thirty-four
hours. Honolulu is a city of many moods. Here at Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona Memorial
rises above the battleship, in which more than 1,000 men lost their lives at the start
Above Honolulu, in a former volcanic crater, is the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Also known as Punch Bowl, it is the resting place for more than 34,000 servicemen and
women who sacrificed their lives in America's wars. On Memorial Day, families come to honor
their loved ones. The Hawaiians call this crater Huawena. It means Hill of Sacrifice.
It was an appropriate name then, and it is certainly an appropriate name now. For this
Hill of Sacrifice has become an altar where we may forever keep alive the deepest and
most sacred hopes of mankind. It is a place where we come to renew our commitment to a
just and good environment for all of mankind. The name etched in the marble walls all give
testimony to the precious price that has been paid by Americans for more than 200 years
to secure the blessings we enjoy today in a land of freedom, a land of liberty, a land
of equality.
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's
de la Puert.
A puert, a puert,
a puert, a puert,
a puert, a puert,
Rejoice! Rejoice!
The mountains of the Ko'olau Range divide Honolulu and windward Oahu. Here, along the
cliffs of Nuuanupali, there are stories of fallen warriors from an earlier time. Legends
tell of night marches, spirits of a great army that once met defeat here. The victor
was Hawaii's greatest king, Kamehameha I. In 1795, Kamehameha forced some 800 warriors
of Oahu to the edge of the cliff, where they fell to their deaths on the rocks below.
The memory of Kamehameha is still revered by the people of Hawaii nearly 200 years later.
Today, legends about the great king are still told, old stories sung in a contemporary Hawaiian
style. Kamehameha was born in a small village on the big island of Hawaii. It was a stormy
night and there was a strange white star with a tale of white fire in the heavens to the
west. Priests prophesied that the child would grow up to defeat the established order, so
secret plans were made to have the infant killed. But like Moses, Kamehameha was hidden
in a basket covered with black cloth and his life was spared.
Like most legends, there is a great deal of truth in the song, for it is possible that
Kamehameha was born in 1759 and that the white star in the legend could have been Halley's
Comet, which was visible in Hawaii that year. Kamehameha was to unite the islands under
one rule and reign over a long period of peace. Each year in June, Honolulu holds a festival
to honor the great warrior king who brought unity and peace to the islands. Huge garlands
of tea leaves, plumeria, orchids and other flowers from all of the islands are draped
over the king's statue. More than 20,000 flowers are woven into these memorial lays.
King Kamehameha Day was first celebrated in 1872 and a parade has been held regularly
since 1916. The festival is a powerful example of how the past remains alive in contemporary
Hawaii. The monarchy is gone, but the people remember their royal heritage. Kamehameha
Day is more than a parade. It is the story of a remarkable people who dwell at the center
of the sea, a celebration of their art and song, legend and music. Here are the Hawaiians
themselves and their marvelous diversity. The heroes who have lived the legends of these
islands and the young who will live their future. Each of these islands is a separate
stone in a beautiful mosaic. Together they form something larger and finer still. Hawaii,
the realm of Pele.
Maui, place of the house of the sun.
Oahu, the gathering place.
The night of Pineapple Isle.
Moloka'i, the friendly isle.
Kauai, the garden isle.
When the first navigators left their homes in Polynesia, could they have imagined where
their voyage would lead? That the stars they followed across the trackless tides would
take them to Hawaii, to America's state of paradise.
Today the pristine waters that surround the Hawaiian islands continue to provide a haven
for the little humuhumunukunukuapua'a, Hawaii's official state fish, as well as a magnificent
variety of colorful, unusual, endemic and in some instances even endangered marine life.
Each of these creatures is unique and plays an integral part in nature's delicate balance
of this paradise below the surface of the sea. Swarming marine life backdroped by dramatic
underwater topography created by volcanic lava formations helped the Hawaiian islands
stand out as one of the most sought after dive destinations in the world. Tropical Hawaii's
crystal clear equatorial waters with an average temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit and visibility
of more than 100 feet create a sense of aquarium perfection, setting the ideal stage for observation,
exploration and adventure. Thousands of recreational divers are lured to our Hawaiian islands each
year, experiencing not only the intrinsic beauty of the sea, but sensing the intricate
fabric and balance of life by which one creature is linked with another.
living museum awaits you. From sun-warm shallows of protected shoreline areas easily
explored with only mask, snorkel and fins to deep blue ocean scuba depths, divers experience
a kaleidoscope of color and vibrant activity in the unique coral reefs or Kohola that ring
these islands. Coral reefs basic to the complex balance of underwater sea life provide the
foundation for all life forms in the reef waters of Hawaii. Every part of the reef has
its inhabitants. Shallow reef beds teeming with curious and almost tame-like sea creatures.
Most marine life found in tropical reefs are friendly and easily interact with man, swimming
and sharing their watery world without fear of divers. Some marine creatures however can
be dangerous when disturbed by intruders. For this reason diving with professional guides
ensures the safety of divers unfamiliar with Hawaiian reef waters as well as affording
the protection of Hawaii's fragile marine life. These divers are knowledgeable of their
surroundings and have patiently developed a rapport with their marine friends. The Moray
eel or Puhiau, though not considered aggressive, will defend itself. Biting with his razor-like
teeth is his only protection. The octopus or He'e is abundant in the shallow Hawaiian
reef waters and a common sight to divers in all depths. This harmless invertebrate when
threatened instinctively squirts large amounts of a black ink-like substance through the
water which acts as an effective smoke screen confusing its attacker while it attempts to
flee to safety. Another intriguing marine creature is the puffer fish or Akeke. Its
name reflects the unique defense tactic or strategy by which this harmless fish discourages
predators. Puffing up its body to several times its normal size makes the Akeke appear
larger and less desirable as an edible item to a hungry predator.
Interacting with Hawaii's marine life can be exciting and rewarding as an educational
experience. In many instances, however, certain sea life forms are easily disturbed, even
threatened by man, like the endangered Hawaiian green sea turtle, the Honu. We must realize
that though Hawaiian divers encounter many numbers of immature sea turtles, today the
entire population of this ancient species depends on less than 750 adult females. Now
in danger of extinction, these serene and stately creatures are protected by law from
harassment in any way. Though it is difficult to resist touching or riding these graceful
giants, in our new awareness we must be caring and respectful by enjoying these incredible
creatures from a distance. The offshore waters that surround the islands
contain a variety of exciting and unusual deep water boat dives. Though mostly known
for the spectacular natural terrain, Hawaiian waters also feature a fleet of ghostly wreckage
scattered across the reef floors of many of the islands. Planes, ships, subs, and other
derelict remains sent to their watery graves have created artificial reefs. With the propeller
still attached to the fuselage, this World War II relic remains intact. Intercepted by
fate, this corsair now rests on a sandy floor about a mile and a half off the coast of Oahu
in depths of over 100 feet.
Wild fish, or kumu, school in these deeper depths and swarm the wreck. Crustaceans, coral
and algae have formed on the surface of the plain, creating an artificial reef and a home
to a community of tropical fish.
Ocean wreck diving is abundant in Hawaii. The mahi, another World War II relic, was
originally a minesweeper for the Navy. This 165-foot, 600-ton vessel was later converted
to an oceanographic research ship used by the University of Hawaii. In 1982, the mahi
was determined unseaworthy, and with the encouragement of local dive professionals, it became the
state's first planned artificial reef when it was purposely sunk in the waters off the
west side of the island of Oahu. Today, this submerged historic vessel rests upright and
intact, providing divers the thrill of exploring the corridors and chambers of this haunting
relic.
Significant coral growth and multi-hued encrusting sponges have already begun to cover the mahi's
hull, decks and superstructure, transforming the vessel into a thriving underwater community.
The mahi is one of the most popular and accessible wreck dives in the state of Hawaii.
Hawaii's undersea world offers divers a unique underwater adventure. It is a world
teeming with a tremendous variety of fantastic marine life, of natural coral reefs, of historical
World War II wreck diving reefs, and of man-made artificial reefs. However, these waters are
mostly renowned for the natural dive locations created by ancient volcanic lava flows. Awesome
rock formations offer spectacular geological features found nowhere else in the world,
making underwater exploration here an exciting experience. The waters off the island of La
Nui boast one of the most unique watery scenes in the Hawaiian Islands. Pinnacles of coral-encrusted
rock loom seventy feet above the sandy floor, reaching toward openings just twenty feet
beneath the surface, appearing like cathedral church spires. Streams of sunlight filter
through the rocky ceiling, penetrating the deep blue darkness of huge grottos reminiscent
of cathedral windows, prompting the name for this dive location called Cathedrals, an incredible
work of nature. A series of archways, tubes, and interconnecting passageways open into
large dramatic underwater caves. Unique to Hawaii's underwater terrain are its many
well-defined ledges offering another dramatic topographical feature. One of the most popular
of these ledges, referred to as drop-offs, is found off Molokini Island. A steep wall
plummets to waters over two hundred feet deep and bustles with tame raccoon butterfly fish
or kīkā kapu and other abundant reef life, such as the kravel or ulua, which is a highly
prized food fish of Hawaiian islanders. A mile and a half off the north shore of Kaua'i,
which is the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands, divers will discover another tropical reef
sixty feet beneath the surface. In this rugged territory, it is common to encounter unusual
rock fish that resemble their crusty rock domain. Explore coral-covered ledges, rock
pinnacles and valleys over one hundred forty feet deep and you may catch a glimpse of unusual
fish such as these morwongs as they appear and disappear among the rocks and crevices.
Here divers will find an abundance of beautiful cup coral, unique in form and displaying a
brilliant range of colors. Here also divers can explore in gardens of the rare and sought
after black coral trees, known by Hawaiians as e kaha kumuana. But the black coral thrives
in the deeper protected areas of this superior dive location accessible only by boat. The
Hawaiian Islands are known for their outstanding beauty and natural wonders. Few people realize
that below the surface of the ocean, the scenic beauty and the archeological and ecological
importance of this Hawaiian paradise is enhanced and magnified. It is now known that coral
reefs or Kohola, like these vast marine parks, are important to our earth's life support.
These reefs are a microcosm of life on earth. Thousands of species living together all depend
on plants called plankton that live within the coral. Half of the oxygen breathed by
the animals of the earth passes through these gardens of the sea. Two thirds of our world
is covered with water and the fate of life on land and in the sea is bound by the well-being
of these underwater ecosystems. Protection and preservation of natural habitats, of unique
marine life and of distinctive geological features of Hawaiian waters has resulted in
the establishment of marine conservation parks. This underwater world becomes the classroom
in which we gain a greater understanding and knowledge of man's relationship to the sea.
ji in Hawaii are a tremendous food source to man. They swim along the surface of
deeper waters and can migrate over 200 miles a day. Aji often school with dolphin or lapalapa.
The dolphin most often encountered in Hawaiian waters is the spinner dolphin. These gregarious
creatures are usually spotted in large numbers frolicking along the ocean's surface. Here
in this unique film footage, we've captured this rare glimpse of spinners mating in their
natural habitat.
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Dolphins are the only marine animals that will leave their natural environment to observe
and interact with people. Man has only begun to understand the intelligence of these extraordinary
mammals. It would be impossible to confine in a research aquarium the largest of the
cetaceans or fish like mammals, the great whales called Kohola by the Hawaiians. We must
pursue the study of the largest creatures of the sea in their own territory as they
roam the vast ocean. Though actual population is extremely difficult to determine, it is
believed that prior to exploitation by the whaling industry in the early 1900s, the hump
back whales numbered close to 15,000. Today there are probably not more than 2,000 hump
backs in the entire Northern Pacific. Each winter several hundred of these gentle giants
migrate from their feeding grounds of the North Pacific polar waters to the warm equatorial
waters of the Hawaiian islands where they come to breed and calve their young. Their
graceful swimming maneuvers are accompanied by what scientists refer to as whale songs.
These songs rich in whale vocabulary are a long series of musical phrases repeated in
sequence over intervals of more than half an hour. By studying the reverberating songs
of these great whales, science developed the sonar technology to map the ocean floor. How
much more might we learn from these gentle giants of the sea who are nearly eradicated
by mankind's insensitivity and greed?
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Virtually unchanged for 15 million years, the Hawaiian monk seal called Ilio Holuikawa
in the Hawaiian language is now facing extinction. In the year 2000, these living fossils could
become only a memory unless their current population of a mere 500 is protected and
perpetuated. A major cause of the decline of the Hawaiian monk seal population is human
disturbance of its breeding grounds. Even with annual pupping of approximately 150 to
175 pups, the reproductive rate for this species is low when compared to other species of seals
and sea lions.
Today, their only predator is the shark, Mano. However, this Dasaw white-tipped shark, common
to Hawaiian waters, is no real threat to the monk seal or to man. Man is this sensitive
creature's worst enemy. The slightest interference can detrimentally alter monk seals' natural
behavior. Their only habitat, the isolated northwestern Hawaiian islands and atolls,
which stretch 1200 miles northwestward from the northernmost populated island of Niihau
to Kure Atoll, are now designated as critical habitat, a national wildlife refuge intended
to keep the ecosystems as free as possible from disturbance. It is yet unknown whether
our new awareness and conservation measures will save this helpless monk seal from extinction.
Legend tells us that the pig god Kamapua'a delighted in exploring the sea and finally
chose to live his life there as the Humuhumu Nukunuku Apua'a. The extraordinary marine
life and astounding beauty within the waters of ancient Hawaii endure today. As man follows
his nature to explore new frontiers, it is imperative that we move gently into this submerged
universe, so delicately balanced with our world above the surface. In our knowledge,
we must become caretakers of this mysterious world, knowing that extinction is a loss that
lasts forever. Aloha! I don't like shoes upon my feet. To be a
bee's is such a treat. To smile at everyone I meet. That's the whole wine it woops me.
I love to sing and hula for you. And give away and love you too. And with that goes
a horn yarn too. That's the whole wine it woops me. It's great to be in Hawaii and
to be a native too. But it's greater still to play around and carry on as I do. So right
out here in Hawaii where everything is heavenly. I dance as happy as can be. That's the whole
wine it woops me. It's great to be in Hawaii and to be a native too. But it's greater
still to play around and carry on as I do. So right out here in Hawaii where everything
is heavenly. That's the whole wine it woops me. That's the whole wine it woops me. That's
the whole wine it woops me.
That's the whole wine it woops me.
That's the whole wine.
That's the whole wine it woops me.