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When the rain fell on Niihau, where were you? From the greater Puuwai area, when you face inland Puu Kaeo appears to be the largest mountain on Niihau. According to Tava & Keale (1989), Puu Kaeo was named for the brother of Kahekili, Kaeokulani, who came to live on Niihau for a time. A famous cloud that brings rain from that direction is the Naulu, "Kau ke ao Naulu, ola ka aina" (Tava & Keale, 1989) the Naulu cloud brings life (rain) to the land. During my grandparents time that is when they would go to plant on the kula between Puu Kaeo and Puuwai (Akana, 2012).

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Puuwai…must be winter its really green=)

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Puuwai kau mai iluna, hoohenoia mai e ka Naulu

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Puuwai kau mai iluna, hoohenoia mai e ka Naulu

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The village of Puuwai is the area with the cluster of homes, however there are names that further define locations within the general area. According to Tava & Keale (1989) Kauanaulu was the old name of Puuwai. Originally, families lived all over the island but overtime have gathered in the Puuwai area, where Iubile and the school house stands today (Faria, 2023). The homes stretch from Paliuli to the gate at Pukaiki (continue on to the left and you arrive at Pukaiki).

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This is a picture I took of the hale pule January 2020 during the La Nui. The hale pule is the center of the community and is surrounded rocks laid in the ground with the names of the Poo ohana, or family leaders, at the time of Tutu Teale ka taula, the prophet Keale. Ohana, or family prayers are done morning and night, halawai, or weekly gatherings happen about 3 times a week, and on Sundays we have church. Sundays are a day of rest and no unnecessary work can be done during the day, we donʻt even run the generators or feed the animals. Beyond the church on the right of the picture is the hale paina, and the school house. The dry stack wall you see surrounds the entire area which is approximately maybe 4-5 acres in size.

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Here is a picture of the Hui Kuene with the Hale Paina in the background. The Hui Kuene were comprised of the men on Niihau who ran the La Nui (Christmas & New Years) celebrations. They did all the cooking, serving, and cleaning on these days were the families would then gather to eat and enjoy each others company after church. The Hui Kuene wore white while working during the La Nui (Akana, 2012). My great grandfather, Tutu Akana Kaohelaulii, is in the top right corner.

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In October, the families would get together at Kamoamoa, just outside of Puuwai, near Pukaiki for a paina that would last a week or so. During this time, the families would enjoy surfing, hula, singing, and just spending time together. Tutu Fuller tells the story of the paina heenalu during his time, and how they would feed the shark, Kuhaimoana, before they began surfing. One person would go out on his surfboard with the food and drop it into the ocean then catch one wave all the way in. They would paina that night and the next day they would surf. He also talks about the different names of the famous surfboards of that time, including Tutu Akana's surfboard Ainahau.

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Between Puu Kaeo and Puuwai is the area known as the kula. During my grandparents time they planted uwala, maia, manako and other things. It's also where the animals roam, pigs, sheep, and now eland are found in the kula and are sources of food for the families, or sold by Niihau Ranch. Sheep are caught by chased down and caught by hand, and pigs can be caught on horseback with a big hook, in addition to being caught by hand. Only the eland is shot, they are dangerous as they can charge and have sharp kiwi, or antelers (Faria, 2023).

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Within the village of Niihau, the horses belonging to the older men are allowed to graze. On Niihau, horses are for work and families may have multiple horses that they keep in the village. When they need them for work they catch them (Akana, 2012). Families who use their work daily keep them close to their house by feeding them, otherwise, they roam around eating graze and drinking water wherever they can find it.

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Probably the most well-known export of Niihau are their lei pupu. Here is an idea of how shell's are gathered, and some of the shells that are collected to make lei. Certain shells gather in certain areas, and shells are to be found and collected in the Puuwai area, with shells more readily found on the part we call the ili, that line on the sand from the previous high water mark. Even as kids we are not allowed to just run through the sand, as we might disturb the areas where people collect shells. Collecting shells, is a time consuming, hot, and tedious job.

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Here is a picture of Tutu Akana's waa below our house on Niihau, and a picture of me & Tutu Koti at his house in Waimanalo. Tutu Koti is Tutu Akana's first-born son and told me about fishing in Puuwai during his time. During his time, Puuwai was left to the old people, small children, and the men who worked all day to fish. Everyone else fished outside the area. Tutu Koti told me how they went all around Niihau fishing on their father's canoe, and that Tutu Akana liked to keep his waa at Paliuli (area near the black rock cliff in the other picture). The families had their own places where they kept their canoes, and families had areas near the shoreline where they would dry their fish (the wires are still there today) (Kanehele, 2014).

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Akana, Kalani, et al. [Uncle Harry Kaʻōnohilani Fuller]. [Wong Audiovisual Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa], 2012.

Akana, Kalani, et al. [Mililani Kanahele]. [Wong Audiovisual Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa], 2012.

Akana, Kalani, et al. Lolena Nicholas. [Wong Audiovisual Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa], 2012.

Fuller, Harry Kaʻanoʻilani., and Tuti. Kanahele. Ka hana lawaiʻa Niʻihau. [Wong Audiovisual Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa], 2012.

Kahōkūloa, ʻŌpuʻulani. Hui Heʻe Nalu Ma Ka ʻāina ʻo Niʻihau. Hale Kuamo’o, 2008.

Personal Communication: Frank Koti Kanahele 2014

Personal Communication: Kahealani Kaohelaulii Faria 11/25/2023

Tava, Rerioterai., and Moses K. Keale. Niihau : The Traditions of a Hawaiian Island. Mutual Pub. Co., 1989.

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Kawainui looking into the umeke ai of Kailua, Maunawili

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The pali of the Koolau and Olomana frame the long house, halau loa, belonging to Lono. Lono the god associated with the Koolau districts of Oahu and its connection to agriculture. The reference here comes from the mele He ua la, he ua recorded in Emerson's Unwritten Literature, and refers possibly to Kamehameha III whom this mele performed for possibly in 1846 0r 1847 (Hikaalani, 2023). Kawainui itself was the home of Hauwahine, whose presence there was noted by the grass turning yellow (Sterling, 1993). During Kamehameha I's visit to Kailua his warriors and servants were feed the gelatinous lepo of the pond when they had eaten all the other food prepared. The lepo from this pond was brought from Kahiki (Pukui, 2011)

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Olomana is the chief, Ahiki is the konohiki, and Pakui is the kahu of Kaiwanui and Kaelepulu. The three responsible for the mistreatment of Niula's moopuna, Kahinihiniula. Niula descendant of Haumea was the keeper of the fish attracting stick, Makalei (Stone, 2014).

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This ili in Kailua before entering the ahupuaa of Waimanalo is Kaanahau. Kaanahau was also the name of the famous taro farmer of that same area who hosted and fed Hiiaka and her friends while they travelled through the area (Hooulumahiehie, 2006). And was once home a large stone, Pohaku o Hiiaka, in the vicinity where Kaanahau and Waimanalo meet. Following that ridge line toward the ocean you arrive at Ka lua a Pele, a place where Pele once dug and abandoned.

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Halakau o Kaiwa iluna lilo la, nee mai o Ahiki i ke kualono (Hikaalani, 2023). Ahiki, the konohiki, moves toward the chiefess Kaiwa, the woman he grew found of (Hikaalani, 2023). I lived at the base of Kaiwa as a baby my grandparents my aunty, uncle and cousins continue to live there today.

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Title taken from the mele, "Hanohano Wailea"

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On the other side of Kaiwa is Kaohao, named for the field where the spear throwers would practice (Sterling, 1993). The reef running parallel to the shore is known as Aalapapa, and the islands beyond it collectively known as Moku lua, or two islands. Both are bird sanctuaries with many uau nesting there, the backside of the larger of the two islands contains a spot where ala stone can be found (Sterling, 1993).

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A house now sits on the the heiau of Alala, the birthplace of Kualii, the famou Oahu chief. Kualii was raised in both Kailua and Kualoa (Fornander, 1999).

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Pamoa possibly near the area of Laus Lanikai Store, or to area next to it headed toward Kaneohe.

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Pamoa was the famous house site of the famous Alii nui of Oahu, Kakuhihewa. It was thought to be slightly away from the field of Alele (possibly where the "Farms" are above, present day Target area), and the ocean. Keawe, the great chief of Hawaii, visited here during Kakuhihewa's residence there (Fornander, 1999).

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During Kahahana's reign as Alii nui of Oahu, he became engaged in a war with Kahekili. During the skirmished that followed as Kahekili took control of Oahu, he resided in Kailua before settling eventually in Waikiki. The entire ahupuaa of Kailua was known to be a puuhonua from ancient times (Kamakau, 1996).

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Emerson, Nathaniel Bright. Unwritten Literature of Hawaii. New Era Print. Co., 1906.

Fornander, Abraham, and Thomas G. (Thomas George) Thrum. Fornander Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore : The Hawaiian Account of the Formation of Their Islands and Origin of Their Race, with the Traditions of Their Migrations, Etc., as Gathered from Original Sources. Facsimile ed., ʻAi Pōhaku Press, 1999.

Handy, E. S. Craighill (Edward Smith Craighill), et al. Native Planters in Old Hawaii : Their Life, Lore, and Environment. Bishop Museum Press, 1972.

Hikaalani. http://www.hikaalani.website/at-ulup333-nui.html. Accessed 6 November 2023.

Hoʻoulumāhiehie., et al. Ka moʻolelo o Hiʻiakaikapoliopele : ka wahine i ka hikina a ka lā, ka uʻi palekoki uila o Halemaʻumaʻu = The epic tale of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele : woman of the sunrise, lightning-skirted beauty of Halemaʻumaʻu. Trade ed., Awaiaulu Press, 2006.

Kaiwakiloumoku. https://kaiwakiloumoku.ksbe.edu/article/mele-he-inoa-no-kualii. Accessed 6 November 2023.

Kaiwakiloumoku. https://kaiwakiloumoku.ksbe.edu/article/mele-hanohano-wailea. Accessed 6 November 2023.

Kamakau, Samuel Manaiakalani, and Puakea. Nogelmeier. Ke kumu aupuni : ka moʻolelo Hawaiʻi no Kamehameha ka naʻi aupuni a me kāna aupuni i hoʻokumu ai. ʻAhahui ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, 1996.

Pukui, Mary Kawena, and Dietrich Varez. ’Ōlelo No’eau : Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings. Bishop Museum Press, 2011.

Sterling, Elspeth P., and Catherine C. Summers. Sites of Oahu. [Rev. ed.]., Bishop Museum Press, 1993.

Stone, Johanna Pōmaikaʻi. Mākālei, ka Lāʻau Piʻi Ona a ka iʻa, o Moaʻulanuiākea i kaulana. He Moʻolelo Kahiko no ka huli Koʻolau o Kailua a me Waimānalo. 2014.