Few of us today can appreciate all that we have. It is difficult to understand the Po`e Kahiko unless you can understand the world they lived in. It was a subsistence lifestyle on an island with limited resources.

Perhaps the motivation to venture far from the shores of their home were either social, political and religious pressures and conflict. Perhaps it was sheer numbers of people on an island. Or maybe it was to seek more knowledge of what lay beyond the distant horizon. No one knows for sure, however it may be any one of these.

In a sense their population numbers “topped out” at a lower level than ours do today. The good thing about “topping out” at lower numbers meant a lesser impact on the environment. There were no metals just wood and stone for tools and weapons. It was a totally autonomous self-sufficient lifestyle. They were totally dependent upon themselves for all the necessities of life. They were not dependent upon outside resources as we are today. So the question must be asked, are we really much better off today?

We have changed so much from those people of old, the Po`e Kahiko. I struggle myself with the question we all ask ourselves, am I truly “Hawaiian”? What makes one a nation of people? Is it blood or where we come from? Are we divided by our origins or united by our views and perspectives? Is it the blood that flows in one’s veins or is it a commonality of social, political or philosophical views other than of just blood? Is it knowledge and education that make us a nation?

The Po`e Kahiko understood the power or mana that came from learning and understanding. That hunger and thirst that they had for knowledge. It was this that drove them the distances they sailed in a simple canoe.

It was that characteristic in them that made them the most literate people in the world during the 1800s when they were taught the benefits of a written language. There were 100 Hawaiian language newspapers during this period and these people wrote on everything they could think of.

Why were they able to write so prolifically? It was all in their memories. It was amazing to them that what they could picture in their mind they could see on paper. From a population of 900,000 in 1778 to 21,000 in 1917 much of their oral history was lost. With the deaths of so many people so went their world. We, however today, are slowly unraveling that world. In the slow and meticulous translations of all these Hawaiian language newspapers supporting interpretations of our landscape. So is the story of Palehua……….

In order to understand them we need to understand it is a story of a migrating people, living a subsistence lifestyle…….. on an island……. on the oceans. So we need to change our views and think of them not just in terms of this place that we live on …. but in terms of that great expanse of water beyond our shores. It was that ocean and those stars above it that shaped these people. It was those people who possessed this knowledge who were held in high esteem. This was the class of Kahuna……….

There was a whole protocol to learning in ancient times. Today there is no need to remember. What must be understood is the Hawaiian’s story is an oral one. One must remember. It will only be told once. Can we really understand this today and appreciate the ability to remember without being able to take notes. Not having a pen and paper upon which to write to help recall information. Today all we need to do is to create a computer file and store it then retrieve when the need arises to recall. We do not need to remember. We today seem to not even value that ability to remember until as we age and our memories fade simple memories or simple things suddenly seem important.

So, in ancient times the Kahuna sought out those children with a talent for recall. Not everyone had that talent. I for one can attest to that. I can remember as a young boy at St. Anthony’s Catholic School spending hours just trying to memorize the “Hail Mary”. These children were identified at an early age and were taken out of the mainstream population and placed in special places under the care of special people, they were the practitioners of the ancient culture and guardians of all knowledge. They were the Kahuna Lapa`au, Kahuna Hokukilo, Kahuna Kuhikuhi Pu`uone, the Kahuna `ana`ana, and many other classes.

There are many aspects of learning at the old “Stone School House” of Palehua and this is just one. It is an intriguing story of the “Palehua Map Stones”. It is one that you will not forget. There are a series of Pohaku, or stones within the enclosure of the old “Stone School House” that presents an interesting alignment seemingly drawing our attention to the southern horizon. We can only wonder how long they have been lying in quiet solitude amongst the trees, shrubs and plants. How long has it been since the last Po`e Kahiko left this place whether out of necessity or for want. Judging from the characteristics of the Pohaku and the geographic location of the structures it would appear to be perhaps one of the oldest cultural structures and alignment of stones on the island of `Oahu.

To get an appreciation for what I am about to share let me take a step back and remind all of us of some previous stories I shared with you. There are many stories of this region that makes reference to the “homeland”. The “homeland” they are referring to is not the “homeland” here but rather the “homeland”…….beyond what our eyes can see……beyond the southern horizon.

Contemporary Hawaiian Cultural Historian Marion Kelley refers to Ewa as the “Celebrated land of the Ancestors”. She makes this reference because Historian Sam Kamakau of the 1800s refers to Kamaunuaniho as one of our earliest Tahitian ancestors. She lived at Pu`uokapolei. Remnants of her home, the stone wall around her home and her grave were seen by Bishop Museum Archaeologist Gilbert McAllister in 1930. Remnants of the foundation of her house site still stands today in 2007 amongst the weeds and trash at Pu`uokapolei.

The stories of Tahitian Chief Kahai`-a-Ho`okamali`i traveling to Samoa and returning by way of Tahiti and planting the first breadfruit at Kualaka`i here in Kapolei. The earlier story I shared with you regarding Kaupe`a and the lone star of the Southern Cross pointing the direction “home”.

The very first structures built when these migrating people landed on these islands were on the leeward shores of every island. They were in an area whose stars they were not familiar with. The stars they were familiar with were in the southern latitudes. There was a need to mark and identify those stars and the direction to find them. Thus those few places remaining today are Ka`u or South Point on Hawaii Island which serves of the “homeland” of the Maori of Aotearoa.

In the 11th century a double hull canoe with 60 men, women and children arrived at Ukumahame on West Maui from Tahiti. According to the traditions the canoe was 70 feet long and 6 feet deep. These Tahitians were descendants of Hewa which made them distant cousins of the Nanaulu Clan who were already in these islands primarily on `Oahu and Kauai. From carbon dating records these earlier people may have arrived some 500 years earlier. These earlier people seem to have been of both Tahitian and Marquesan origin. The first thing these new arrivals did at Ukumahame was to build a stone altar and they placed on it 3 stones they brought from Tahihi. Makana or gifts were left upon the altar to the gods in tribute and gratitude for a safe arrival. When one stands today on the shores of Ukumahame and looks south he is looking between Lanai on the right and Kaho`olawe on the left. He is looking straight at the Kealakahiki Channel or the “Path to Tahiti”.

Palehua or the location of the “Stone School House” is in that exact location as Ukumahame on Maui and Ka`u on Hawaii Island. I have shared with you previous stories of this school and the mana`o of Master Navigator Nainoa Thompson that he sees the structure of the “Stone School House” as a compass rose seemingly trying to draw our attention to different points on the southern horizon pointing a direction.

Maybe… it is a distant star we need to see. This however…..is what we know of this interesting place. The walls of the enclosure within which these stone islands reside are aligned with the winter sun. On about December 21, the sun sets on the long southerly walls of the structure.

Just inside and adjacent to the westerly long wall is a series stones imbedded in the floor of the school. Although at first observation they seemingly look randomly placed…. however it is no mistake the purpose these stones serve.

The first stone was discovered due to its relative similarity to the shape of the island of `Oahu. However upon further inspection that similarity does not end there. Its shape is consistent beyond question with that of Hawaii Island and Maui.

What was once thought of as a Map of `Oahu brought the question……Is this a map of the Hawaiian Islands? It was this question that drove the further cleanup of the surrounding area within the enclosure and the discovery of other “islands” or “wayfinders”.

None of us today can say with certainty what islands in the southern latitudes these stone “islands” represent. Perhaps even those insignificant atolls served an ancient navigational purpose. It is also interesting that one particular stone island north of the stone island of Hawaii bears a striking resemblance to Mokumanamana.

This row of stone islands are aligned and in close proximity and parallel to the long wall representing the setting sun at the time of the winter solestice. To the inquisitive mind is there something on the distant horizon that appears on December 21 that we need to see to find our way “home”?

In closing, this is what we know about our cultural history. To the ancients knowledge was power or “mana”. It was closely guarded and its secrets respected. It was shared only with those most privileged people in the most secret places.

Much of what we know today come out of genealogical chants of those earliest Tahitian migrations of the Nanaulu Clan who settled on the island of `Oahu. It is from these genealogical chants that we have come to know of the exploits of these great navigator chiefs from `Oahu hinting of visits to distant places as the Americas and Asia. Their names are Paumakua, Maweke, Mulielealii, Olopana, Moikeha, Kila and Kaha`i. These are the great navigator chiefs belonging to the same Ohana.

Understanding the minds of our ancestors it is easy to accept the fact that the tremendous knowledge and valuable information accumulated through the centuries would be jealously guarded and kept with the family. Knowledge was power and they were not about to let that knowledge get beyond their control.

Maybe……that is why we know so little of Palehua and the old “Stone School House” and the “Map Stones”. Maybe………..that is why it has remained hidden for many centuries till today. Maybe that is why Kamokila refers to Makaiwa and Palehua as places of hidden secrets…………….only for the most privileged.

This essay was first published on myadvertiser.com in May 2007.

Kumu Hula John Kaimikaua describes Palehua as a unique and special place that sits above the community of Makakilo. In his mana`o “If one wants to learn the significance of a place all one needs to do is look at the name.” “Pa” in Hawaiian refers to an enclosure. Most people today think of “Lehua” as a wahine or female name, however in ancient times “Lehua” was a kane or male name.

The town of Ho`olehua on Molokai in ancient times was a place of Nakoa training or warrior training. Before Kamehameha launched his assault on the island of O’ahu in 1794 he stopped with his men on the island of Molokai and they trained and prepared themselves for three months before leaving for O’ahu.

Likewise in the mana`o of Kumu Hula John Kaimikaua Palehua was a place of lua or warrior training. It sits above all of ‘Ewa with a panoramic view of the trail to Wai’anae and can observe any hostile canoes paddling in either direction off shore. It also sits a short distance from the moku boundary between Wai’anae and ‘Ewa and an ideal place to signal the presence of intruders.

This is the story of Palehua as it was once known…

The cultural landscape from Mauna Kapu to Lanikuhonua is an interesting one. There are few cultural landscapes today on the island of O’ahu that extend from mountaintop to the shore. Palehua is that special place today. It is a cultural landscape so well preserved under weeds and brush for centuries. Only a few homes at the higher elevations and a resort along its shores share its presence. It enters the sea at “Kakuhihewa`s Favorite Vacation Place – Ko Olina”.

Ida Von Holt was the wife of Harry Von Holt who was the first ranch manager of James Campbell’s Honouliuli Ranch. He was also the first manager of Ben Dillingham`s Oahu Railway and Land Company. It was a business relationship between James Campbell and Ben Dillingham where Campbell could transport his beef to the Honolulu docks for sale and shipment. This however is not a story of Campbell and Dillingham but rather a story of Palehua and those Poe Kahiko, the “people of old,” who shaped its past.

There are many stories of the Von Holts life in Palehua, however there is just one that I want to share with you. Ida wrote a book of her families experience working for James Campbell and she called this book “Stories of Long Ago.”

It started with her grandparents Elizabeth McHutchison and Captain Francis Sinclair of the Royal Navy courageous move from Scotland to the English colony of New Zealand or Aotearoa in 1839.

Her grandmother became a widow at 46 when Captain Sinclair was lost at sea when the ship he was traveling on sunk off of Aotearoa. In 1863 her grandmother and her mother Anne Sinclair and her brothers and sisters and others left Aotearoa to attempt to make a life for themselves in the Pacific Northwest. They spent a few days in Tahiti before departing again. They never stopped in Hawai’i, however they passed close enough to see the mountain peaks of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.

They did make it to the Pacific Northwest but their stay was short one. The constant rain and cold was more than the family could bear and ultimately the family’s decision was to make way for Hawai’i. They made a life for themselves on Kauai and Niihau. Her mother, Anne Sinclair, ultimately got married and young Ida was born. As she grew to become an elegant woman she met Harry and their life together filled the pages of Ida`s book.

Ultimately an opportunity arose for a manager on O’ahu for James Campbell`s Honouliuli Ranch and Harry was quick to apply for the job. And so the story of the Von Holts and their life in Palehua began.

Ida dedicated just the last chapter of her book to their lives in Palehua however those few pages may have not just provided some insight into the ancient past of this region but may have set the course of the future of Palehua and City of Kapolei.

During these years the Honouliuli Ranch extended from, as it was known then, the ‘Ewa Plain to the mountain peaks of the Wai’anae mountains. Cattle roamed freely throughout the entire region.

Harry was challenged with two problems when he started as Ranch Manager. He needed cowboys or Paniolo for one and he needed to find water. He hired Hawaiians from as close as Nanakuli and as far as Lihue or the area we today know of as Schofield Barracks. These Hawaiians were very familiar with the cultural landscape of the Wai’anae Mountains and it was from them that Ida was able to capture many of the stories that these Paniolo shared with her.

The stories were to include many of the ancient fresh water springs of the area. It was in the areas of these springs that the Poe Kahiko lived. These springs were not just at lower elevations of the valleys as one would expect but also at the higher elevations. It was at these higher elevations at the location of these springs where the story of these people begin.

There is one story that the Paniolo shared with Ida that intrigues many cultural thinkers. They shared stories with Ida of an “old stone school house.” Not a school house from a western perspective but a place for sharing information or the passing of information from one generation to the next. A place of identifying children for a talent of recall.

To appreciate the “old stone school house” we need to be reminded that the Hawaiian’s history was an oral one. It was told in stories, in hula and in oli (chants) and mele (song). They never had the advantage of taking notes. Never had pen and paper. They had to remember. The Kupuna will only say it once and one needed to remember.

Nainoa Thompson shared a story with me that I found interesting. He said Mau Pilung shared information with him regarding several stars that were important for him to know and he shared the names of these stars. Nainoa however said that he forgot the name of one of the stars and went to Mau to ask him the name again. Mau however seemed very upset and disappointed with Nainoa.

His response was that he already told him the name of the stars. Mau never again told Nainoa the name of the forgotten star. It was interesting though that upon viewing the “old stone school house” Nainoa`s impression was that of a compass rose seemingly attempting to draw ones attention to distant stars on the horizon.

I`m not sure if we today can appreciate this. We do not need to remember. We just need to know where to go to find information or we can create a computer file and simply store it. Whenever we need the information all we need to do is retrieve that file. There is no need to remember
today.

In the description of the location of the “old stone school house”, these Paniolo informed Ida Von Holt that it was just down the hill from her house. At this time Ida and Harry had built a house at Palehua. They so loved the area that Harry transported all the building materials along an old Hawaiian trail that ran along the Waianae side of Ka Loi Gulch all the way up to Palehua. The “old stone school house” as described by the Paniolo was short distance down the hill from the Von Holt’s home. Their home still stands today and is used as a retreat by the Campbell family and
lovingly referred to as “Hokuloa,” the long star.

It seems that the “old stone school house” is at the center of this cultural landscape at Palehua. It is a large stone enclosure approximately 100 feet on the mauka-makai running walls and approximately 90 feet on the other sides. It is a low wall, however no one knows how much of the wall is beneath sediment after 900 years of erosion.

It has two entrances, one on the mauka wall and one on the makai wall running diagonally to opposite corners. There is a central upright stone pointing in an approximately northerly direction. There is old growth ti leaf growing on three of the corners. It is believed that ti leaves may have grown on the other corner however may have since died. It is interesting to remember that ti leaves are planted from cuttings. No Paniolo planted these ti leaves. The base of the stump of these ti leaves seem to indicate that these plants may be well over several hundred years old.

Features that lend additional support to the notion that this structure was once a place for the passing and sharing of information are those unique structures on three of the corners and what once may have existed on the fourth.

On a mauka-east corner is an elevated platform with interesting stone boulders stacked in such a manner to have created compartments as if to store items from the weather. There is an obvious upright Pohaku that stands to the immediate left of where a speaker would stand on this elevated platform. Below the elevated platform on the outside corner of the larger enclosure is a small enclosure. When one steps back and takes a closer look at this structure on the outer corner of the larger enclosure it looks like a podium from which a speaker would stand addressing people sitting in the lower small enclosure.

On the makai-east corner is an interesting structure of large boulders with interesting shapes. Two large boulders look like a chair with the seat shaped like an arrow drawing ones’ attention to something off in the distance, perhaps to a distant star on the horizon.

Another Pohaku is shaped like an umeke or bowl to catch water or serve as a kukui nut oil lantern. There is also old growth ti leaves situated in the center of these boulders.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this structure is when one walks through the brush and Christmas Berry trees directly below the structure one finds numerous stones and boulders that mark a path to the edge of the top of Waimanalo Gulch, about 150 yards away where a waterfall may have once existed. It is a dry riverbed and the ti leaves and Pohaku mark the location of the source of a spring. The source of Kane’s water with the numerous Kane Pohaku serving as guardians of this sacred source of Kane’s water.

On the makai-Wai’anae corner is a very interesting stone enclosure. It is approximately 35 feet by 20 feet. It may very well have been another classroom at one point in our cultural history. It may have been a place where chiefs sat and discussed governance issues. It may be a totally separate heiau since it is not attached to the larger enclosure.

On the mauka most end is an elevated platform with a number of upright stones. At the makai most end of the enclosure is again old growth ti leaves. An interesting alignment of stones surround the ti leaves with a dry riverbed that extends from this enclosure to the edge of Waimanalo Gulch. Again this enclosure marks the site of a spring with the ti leaves marking its location - the location of Kane’s water. Scattered within the enclosure are stones that appear to be chairs. A stone quarry can also be found within the enclosure.

I will leave you here and will return for there are more to share regarding this very special place above Makakilo.

This essay was first published on myadvertiser.com in April 2007.