Mark's Pages

November 30, 2004. Ka-ulu-Paoa Heiau, Kauai.

After visiting this lovely and moving heiau in the pouring rain two days earlier, we were eager to return with our cameras. Here's the hike in, the heiau, and the hike out.

It seems surprising that we were totally alone here on both visits. You'd think a place with this kind of emotional power would attract more people. Granted it's not easy to find. Still the solitude was our gain.

This heiau was the most important school of hula for over 1,000 years. Doughty and Friedman point out that that means fifty generations of traditional dancers trained here in their art. Students came from all over the islands. Today, people leave small offerings, often wrapped in leaves. We brought only our good will, and when we left we said to the spirits there, loudly, "mahalo nui": many thanks.

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