Kapolei Ancient Place Names Workshop

I find it interesting that today many of us still think of ‘Ewa and the Kapolei area in terms of its plantation history. However prior to sugar, prior to cattle, before there was a military presence in ‘Ewa,, before an industrial park, a resort and the new city of Kapolei there once existed a cultural landscape that extended from above the top of Makakilo to the shoreline of what was once the Barbers Point Naval Air Station.Perhaps we should dwell on what life was once like in this new city named after the “Lei of Kapo”. Its name comes from a little known hill as inconspicuous as one might think of it. Few of us even see it in our daily drives to and from work. It becomes even more extraordinary when we come to realize how significant a role it played in the history of these islands.When Kuali`i took control of Oahu in the 18nth century he had a mele inoa written for him which described Oahu`s ancient place names. Pu`uokapolei was the first name mentioned in the mele inoa and identified as the place where games were played and champions were crowned.In 1930, Bishop Museum Archaeologist J. Gilbert McAllister acknowledged several reasons why Pu`uokapolei is the most sacred and important place in the Ahupua`a of Honouliuli: it was the location of the region`s largest heiau; it was a primary marker on the journey to Waianae; it was a place of solar observation and believed by some as one of Oahu`s leaping places into the spiritual afterlife. It was also the home of Kamaunuaniho who was the grandmother of Kamapua`a and the mother of Hina.Pu`u o Kapolei was also used to determine the seasons: the sun setting over it when viewed from the Opunaha Kuahu near what is now the Waikiki Aquarium marked the end of the rainy, planting season (Ho`oilo) and the beginning of the hot, dry season (Makali`i). Every year, the Waikiki Aquarium celebrates the changing of the seasons with the setting of the sun over Pu`u o Kapolei.Kapo is the sister of Hawaii`s famed Volcano Goddess, Pele, and former UH Professor Rubelite Kawena Johnson shares with us that perhaps Kapo`s lei was the wreath created by the sun over Pu`uokapolei at the time of the winter solstice. The light refracted creating a wreath of gold, yellow, orange and red, resembles the flowers or feathers of a finely crafted lei. This is perhaps the lei of Kapo – the place now known as Kapolei.We extend an invitation to a free “Place Names Workshop” to be held at the Kalaeloa Heritage Park on Saturday, April 9 at 10 am. These are the ancient place names of those places today more commonly referred to as Makakilo, Honokai Hale, Ko Olina, Kalaeloa and ‘Ewa Beach.