WE DECAMP from Kailu-Kona and head for Hilo today. We head around the northern tip of the island, in the opposite direction from yesterday, away from the very touristy Kailua area and past places much more representative of "old" Hawai'i.
Our first stop, before we round the northern cape, is a visit to the Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. This is where Kamehameha, acting on advice from his high priest and in fulfilment of his prophesied destiny to unite the various rival chiefdoms of the islands under a single ruler (him), built a huge stone structure that served as part shrine, part "sacrificial" altar. After it was completed it was sanctified with a human sacrifice.
The Visitor's Center is marked with a handsome sign, well-integrated with the surrounding landscape and clearly integrated with Hawai'ian architectural styles and decorative motifs.
It was constructed using stones transported from a source 29 miles away. A human chain of 10,000 people, including Kamehameha himself, transferred each stone from hand to hand along the way.
The victim was Kamehameha's cousin, who just happened to also be his last rival for power on the island as Kamehameha gradually consolidated his hold on power. Evidently the cousin understood what was going to happen but also knew he had lost the struggle and came more-or-less willingly, but presumably not so gladly. Among other factors to have convinced him that his was a lost cause, he'd lost 1/3 to 2/3 of his warriors to a volcanic eruption not long before. This was not only a clear strategic liability but was also taken as a sign from the gods that Kamehameha had their favor, and he did not.
Leaving this place, we continue north and round the northern tip of the island. We make a brief stop at the Pololu Trailhead overlook. The trailhead is busy today, and the descent to the beach is quite steep. We have a full agenda and a specific lunchtime reservation, so we content ourselves with a few minutes of hilltop viewing before moving along.
View from the parking area at the Pololu Valley Lookout.
Backtracking along the eastern coast we make additional stops at a few other sites of interest along the way. One of these is at what amounts to little more than a wide spot in the road, but it's the boyhood haunt of Kamehameha. It's marked by a larger-than-life-sized statue. The statue is the first of three to have been created, and the first we see (we'll eventually see the other two, later in our tour). Its presence here is due to an accident, though: it was lost at sea for many years before being accidentally snagged by a fisherman and recovered. Before that happened a replacement had already been made and sited elsewhere; when this one was recovered it was restored and placed here.
At the Bamboo Restaurant in Hawi you can select from a variety of types of hot sauce, all locally-made and all living up to their billing as HOT. Caution is advised.
As the afternoon wears on we continue along the coast. Our tour organizers feed us a continuous stream of information about the place and its history. We cross through ranchland, perhaps even part of the historic Parker Ranch, that seems reminiscent of eastern Oregon and Washington State. Stopping at Tex Drive In we're treated to malasadas, described by our guide as "Portuguese donuts" brought over by the Portuguese cowboys hired to work the ranches.
Some of this scenery wouldn't be out of place in the western mainland.
Our final stop before arriving in Hilo, and our second walk of the day, is at Akaka Falls State Park. The falls are surrounded by the lush tropical vegetation we've so quickly come to expect; much of it consists of the same introduced species we've seen elsewhere but there are several others I'd not previously noticed including a bunch of varieties of ginger. We're told that ginger is not only introduced but is considered invasive, displacing the local plants, and is currently the object of reduction and eradication efforts so it's a surprise to find it in abundance in a state park. But it's got really attractive blooms.
Being on the windward side of the island, the entry portal is well-equipped with umbrellas in case of a sudden downpour. We were lucky: it stayed dry for our entire visit.
According to Wikipedia, "Mezoneuron kavaiense is a rare shrub or small tree in the genus Mezoneuron (pea family, Fabaceae), that is endemic to Hawaii. Common names include Uhiuhi (the Big Island and Kauaʻi), Kāwaʻu (Maui), and Kea (Maui). It is threatened by invasive species, particularly feral ungulates."
Odontonema cuspidatum - Cardinal's guard, or mottled tooththread, or firespike. Endemic to Mexico, it has been introduced widely elsewhere including Hawai'i.
Odontonema cuspidatum again - Cardinal's guard, or mottled tooththread, or firespike. Endemic to Mexico, it has been introduced widely elsewhere including Hawai'i.
An online source, "The Rainforest Garden", tells me: "Also known as Sky Flower, Thunbergia Grandiflora is an underused twining vine that hails from India, and is related to the much more common annual Black Eyed Susan Vine." So there.
