Travel Destinations
Fly to Hawaii, Exploring Hawaii's ancient myths and legends: Uncover the rich treasures of the Hawaiian Islands on your next hawaii family vacation - sometimes hidden
How did Hawaii come to be? Depends upon whom you ask. Put the question to a group of geologists and they'll mention plate tectonics and volcanic hot spots. Go back 250 years, however, and the answer might have been delivered in a song: the kumulipo, Hawaii's ancient chant of creation.
Passed down through generations, the kumulipo provided early Hawaiians with an explanation, in mythic terms, of the origin, beauty, and bounty of the land. Today, such splendor is more likely to be explained in scientific terms, but Hawaii's mythical past remains a living part of the islands--ready to be explored by visitors eager to venture beyond the hotel.
You don't have to go far. Considered one of Hawaii's most sacred places, Kualoa--a place so full of mana (spiritual power) that canoes of old lowered their masts as they passed by--is only half-hour's drive from Honolulu and Waikiki. Admiring its necklace of whitesand beaches set between turquoise shallows and emerald mountains, even now one senses Kualon's rare history. In ancient Hawaii, infant rulers were taken to Kualoa to be trained in the chiefly arts. These days, it's a working ranch and activities center where visitors can head up into the highlands on horseback (or an ATV) or spend the day in the water, jet skiing, scuba diving, or snorkeling. A visitor's center offers information about the history of hawaii, as well as local handicrafts and food.
For those wanting to take the long way back to town, a stop at the Polynesian Cultural Center, in the north-shore hamlet of Laie, can round out a day and provide you with a solid sense of Hawaii's native history. Tour the Polynesian museum or catch the demonstrations of traditional arts and crafts and hula shows that are offered daily.
Flying to Hawaii without a visit to one of the outer islands? There, far from the hustle of Honolulu, Hawaii's past floats a little closer to the surface. On Kauai, for example, legends of Hawaii s Menehune--the "little people" popular in local lore--abound. All around the island are the remnants of fish ponds, walls, and ditches said to have been created by the Menehune. Whether a wholly mythic race or an actual group of people who had lived in Hawaii before Polynesians came from Tahiti in their voyaging canoes, the Menehune hawaii legend had a reputation in ancient Hawaii for helpfulness and mystery, completing huge construction projects overnight. Searching for these places--great to do with kids, especially with the help of one of the many books written about the subject (try Mary Kawena Pukui's Tales of the Menehune)--takes you off the beaten path and into some of old Kauai.
For an especially breathtaking adventure, hike into Hanakapiai, one of the valleys past verdant, sleepy Hanalei. There, in the deep clefts of the Na Pali Coast, the last of the Menehune were said to live. On the trail, see the Kauluopaoa hula heiau (stone platform used for worship) above Kee Beach in Haena, where for generations ancient Hawaiians sent their best dancers to be trained in this most sacred art.
Heading south to Maui, a different kind of legend reigns: that of the demigod Maui, the only god in the Hawaiian pantheon for whom an island is named. Want to learn more of Maui's famous exploits? Take a drive up to Haleakala--Maui's highest peak, at 11,000 feet, and home to the island's only national park. It was there, according to myth, that Maui captured the sun and held it captive to give the Hawaiians more daylight hours. Watch the sunrise, hike along one of the area's many spectacular traits (one crater drops an incredible 3,000 feet), or spend the morning coasting down the mountain on a specially created bike tour. This is a good activity for older kids or active adults.
Perhaps nowhere in the islands, however, is legendary history of hawaii as alive and well as on the Big Island of Hawaii. Maybe it's because the island itself is alive, growing a few inches a year from its source: the world's most active volcano, Kilauea. At Kilauea, Pele--goddess of the volcano--holds sway, and today evidence of her spirit and image are literally everywhere in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: from the offerings of pork and gin (Pele's favorites) wrapped in ti leaves, to the steam plumes said to twist into her image. The goddess has even been incorporated into geological terminology: Pele's hair (fine filaments of lava spun into glass) and Pele's tears (tiny droplets of hardened lava shaped into tears) can be seen throughout the park, and at nearby Thomas A. Jaggar Art Museum, local artists render Pele in paint, sculpture, and even lava.
Heading back to Kailua-Kona or the Kohala coast resorts? Stop at Puuhonua O Honaunau on the way, a recreation of an ancient "city of refuge" where those seeking political or religious asylum could go and be absolved of their kapu (taboo) breaking.
If you've time to visit only one of these special places on your next visit to Hawaii--or one of the hundreds of other spots of historic or cultural importance--it is enough to understand what truly makes Hawaii no ka oi--the best. The truly unique blend of a living spirituality and history, along with a vibrant modem culture is one of Hawaii's many wonders, and it is what makes this island paradise endlessly interesting to travelers.
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To Maui Via Kaizoku Airlines
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What's for dinner?
By Client 1 on 11/16/09
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