From Ambition to Apathy??

January 2014

We had our first official visit and clean-up day this past weekend. We traveled to Mau'i island and visited our adopted site to re-assess what we needed to have done.

Friday, the 3rd we realized, was mostly a lost day. We were able to get our keys to the site and to explore what our focus was. We would focus our efforts at Haleki'i first and then work from there. As our micro-mini vehicle made its way up the paved drive, we noticed its shape: severe wash-out and increase in damage to the asphalt; more cracking, lose areas, and potholes. The recent storms caused a large boulder to break off from the lithified sand dune and lie on the side of the road. Buckets filled with water lined the road, openly inviting mosquitos to breed. The most memorable moment was when I was able to provide a brief educational experience of the site for 3 visitors from the East Coast.  They couldn't stop saying, "How gorgeous is this view!?" With time running thin, we made our last minute purchase of an eco-friendly weedwacker at Lowes and retired for the evening.

Here are the photos from when we arrived:

Paved parking lot of Haleki'i Pihana Heiau with severe run off

Front Face: Haleki'i Pihana

Walkway to the Heiau 

Walkway shot 2

Grass Overgrowth

Haleki'i from walkway with severe overgrowth

Saturday, the 4th, was our big day. As always when approaching a sacred site, I said a prayer asking for protection, forgiveness, and that all negative energies be left at the site.

As an ambitious person, I believed we could get a lot done: the entire walkway, the entire Haleki'i area, and possibly the parking lot. It looked like it would be beautiful weather: overcast, cool, and possible rain. It was a great day to be out working in nature. However, what seemed manageable in my mind suddenly became a massive seemingly impossible feat. The 10 acres loomed in front of me, laughing at me. The heavy rains resulted in a large overgrowth of the grass and Koa trees. But we got started. My mother took to the bottom, hand clipping tough weeds the stuck out of the grounds and I got started on the grass with my trusted weed wacker. I thought, "Man, with this thing, no problem!" But soon, my spool started to shred and get caught. The protective shroud fell off and worst of all the battery died (as did the back-up battery). What should have been a 4-5 hour power tool lasted an hour. I took to the grass with a hand tool: swinging back and forth. After a few hours, I managed to get 1/3 of JUST Haleki'i cleared. I managed to clip only 1-2 dozen of immature Koa Haole trees that spread across a 40 yard area. My mother managed to clear the entire site of the inappropriate offerings, the grass overgrowth, and cleaned up the cemented area.

We stood back and the ocean was still covered by 5 feet tall immature Koa and 3 feet tall grass. I looked at it at felt utterly defeated. I was angry at the situation and felt that the state, who has the power to maintain the site, does not. I found myself asking, if one person were to cut the grass just once a month, only once, this site would be much better maintained and would not be so easily forgotten. I found myself angry at process for which we had to operate: no pulling of ANYTHING do to the delicate nature of the sand dune, no pesticides, being aware of any and all rocks, not hitting a rock or formation, or accidentally bumping something, etc. I found that my ambitious nature was just that: too ambitious. I am not one to easily feel defeated and this had me going. As we called it a day, I just couldn't shake the feeling in my stomach that no matter what we would accomplish, it would not be sustained. And to me, that felt like failure - something I don't deal well with.

Working Hard

A picture of the grass chopped by hand after weed whacker died!

Photo from walkway

After photo of grass and cleaned area from walkway

Monday, the 6th, we returned to the site again to complete some final touches for this month's trip. At Pihana heiau, many locals and visitors had left numerous inappropriate offerings. From non-native plants, to lava rocks wrapped in Ti leaves, binders with a local's information on it, and make-shift fishing poles with a dead animals skull hanging from it. I was even more disgusted when I saw this. After removing the "offerings", I found that the non-native plant (an aloe vera plant) had been physically planted within the heiaus rock surface. It had begun to root making it impossible to pull out without having to move a substantial amount of rocks. As a respectful hawaiian, I had a bad feeling about doing this and if its one thing I was taught was to always listen to the na'au. I sadly had to walk away from this plant until next month when we could better assess how to remove it without desecrating the site. The anger in me just rose to a new level.

Here are some of the photos from the inappropriate offerings:

Binder with personal information in it topped with Ti wrapped lava rocks

Makeshift fishing pole with pig skull

Stick with nails and bracelets pinned to it

Non-native Aloe Vera planted in the heiau formation

My mother, our company's Vice President, reminded me that "any work we do is better than what is being done now. Which is nothing." She said that she felt pride in knowing that she was contributing to the islands upkeep, to the historical preservation, and ultimately the beautification of this site. I know and knew she was right. We discussed the local community, the Maui State Park attendants, the Kahu for the area, as well as the Hawaii State Departments. I found myself upset at everyone and questioned why it has come to this level of neglect, or any level of neglect, before someone will step up. I know that no one will care for the site unless someone or some people from the community step up and take responsibility for this. And this is what its about: KULEANA.

My Hawaiian brothers and sisters live on the land, eat the earth's food, drink her life's blood, build on her back, and sometimes scar her by leaving trash and junk throughout their yards. My Hawaiian brothers and sisters take pride and shout at the top of their lungs that they are "KANAKA MAOLI" and are "IMUA." My experience with my Maui brothers and sisters is that they tout their superiority to all others. And yet, the land is neglected: lo'i are disappearing as are other indigenous plants and animals from the island. More and more hotels are being erected, shopping malls, and parking lots are throughout Mau'i island, one of the Islands HOTTEST tourist islands. It was then that I realized that My Hawaiian brothers and sisters are not fulfilling the collective Kuleana and are not making it pono.

Our small business, with all its good intentions, sweat, blood, tears, and emotions will not be enough to sustain this historically important piece of Hawaiian antiquity. Our efforts are only enough to raise awareness that this site exists and of the problems that exist on it. It is up to you, the community, to ensure that it SURVIVES, that it THRIVES, and LIVES to see another 100 years.

So here it is, cut and dry: Haleki'i Pihana Heiau is in great need for the support of its local communities and businesses. It is through a joint effort that we can work towards preserving and maintaining the site in a respectful and beautiful way, honoring our past and welcoming in the future.

What is your call? What is your responsibility? Is it not all our responsibility to love Mother Earth? As the American Indian proverb is told, "We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children." What, then, will your legacy be to your children?


*All photos are the private property of Danielle Grauman and may not be reproduced, altered or used without written request and consent* 

Beginnings...

Here I stand, in the beginning of it all.

In August 2013, my mother, son and I took a short trip to the Hawaiian Island of Mau'i. It is an island of its own culture, flavor, and lifestyle. It is commonly referred to as The Valley Isle, as on either side of its bustling financial center of Kahului are two volcanos. To the West lies the older of the two volcanic craters: Mauna Kahalawai. Although it has been severely eroded over the eons of time, its timeless beauty can be seen by its crags, lush green hiking trails, and stunning cliffs. In the East lies the infamous Haleakala- House of the Sun. Volcanic creators throughout the Hawaiian Islands are considered sacred, as they were believed the house the gods. Only a small and specially fated individual could cross into the house of the gods. This belief still holds true throughout the islands- all mountains are of sacred power and house that power from a Source. As such it must be treated with respect. 

The island's name of Mau'i comes from the god, Mau'i in Hawaiian mythology (if that's what we're calling it). Mau'i has been seen throughout Hawaiian stories and legends but his known for his ability to slow the sun down, creating longer days. In a nutshell, his mother, Hina, had been complaining that the days were too short and it did not allow her to complete her work. The sun would fly across the sky in such haste that nothing could be done. Mau'i climbed to the top of Haleakala and lassoed the sun, harnessing its speed across the heavens. Mau'i is also known for his fish hook and in astronomy is known as Scorpius in the West. Mau'i island was home to the great ali'i chiefs Kahekili I, II, and III, most sacred high chiefs Keopuolani,  as well as the high chiefess Kekuipoiwa I, aunt to Kekuipoiwa II mother to Kamehameha Nui. So why all this very basic, watered down history?

Well, it all comes to Haleki'i Pihana Heiaus in Wailuku, Mau'i. This ancient Hawaiian site was what started everything. In our August 2013 trip, in an effort to kill time before our return flight to Honolulu, I desired to see something cultural. Mau'i island was always a lack-luster island in my eyes  and it never really had anything special about it. But I was determined to still learn about the history of all the islands and in doing so, uncovering a piece of my own Hawaiian identity.

Haleki'i Pihana Heiau is located somewhere along the highway in Hawaiian Homestead lands. It was not well marked, the state marker was (and IS) worn by the elements, and the closed locked yellow gate was forbodeing at best. In short, it wasn't very inviting. My mother, driven by some internal need, encouraged me to not give up. So, out of the car we went and made our trek up the ill-kept paved road that wrapped to a ghost town parking lot. Three isolated signs gave basic descriptions of the heiau itself and then more uphill walking. 

My mother was moved by the site: the views of Wai'ehu, Waihe'e and Wailuku beaches, from towering Haleakala in the east, and the humbling 'Iao Valley behind us. She felt a powerful spiritual connection to the 'aina never seen in a haole before. I wasn't convinced. I didn't "feel" anything - no connection, no kuleana calling, nothing. However, I paid my respects and treated the site with the utmost reverence and dignity. I taught my young son about how to respect the spirits of the rocks, the trees, the animals, and the uhane that may live there.

As I began to look around the site, I began to wonder about its ability to survive. Haleki'i Pihana heiau are the oldest on Mau'i island believed to be built by the menehune and expanded upon as alibi came into power. The site is massive. Its ridiculously large. It sits on 10 acres of sand dunes that look deep into the bay and valley. It's foremost structure on the right side, Haleki'i, or House of Images was were the gods were placed when the Hawaiians operated under the kapu system before monotheism arrived in the islands. It was believed that the gods could use these images to step into when called upon. Along the eastern side of the site lie ruins of what look like chambers: rooms that were anywhere from 10x10 feet with walls made from smooth stones from the 'Iao Stream. It gave the ali'i perfect viewing on any oncoming attack. 

At the top of the sand dune, in the northern most part of the 10 acres, lies Pihana-a-ka-lani: roughly gathering place of the supernatural beings. This was a sacrificial temple where human sacrifices were made to ensure success in war. The war god, Ku, was the most feared and revered god of the kapu system. It is well known that Kamehameha Nui took this god as his own personal god. It is believed that is one reason why Kamehameha was so successful in conquering and uniting all the Hawaiian Islands under one Mo'i.

The sites were severely neglected. Using the word neglected isn't even the correct word. While the state of Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources has "control" over the site, it was painfully obvious that the State Department and its locals did not care about the meaning of this site. I looked at this site and thought, "where will it be in 15 years? In 30? Will my grandchildren be able to see it? To understand its importance in the overarching history of the Hawaiian people?" So many heaius were destroyed when the kapu system was abolished and its amazing that this immense structure has survived the test of Time. After reflecting, my answer was "Probably not." My mother felt the same way. She was utterly disgusted at the beer bottles, buckets, trash, slippahs, broken signs, lack of trash cans, and general disrepair of the site. 

It was in that moment, in a car ride to the airport that the idea of "Hu'e I Na Pohaku Makamae" was born.

This blog will be dedicated to the company's progress of its one year adoption of Haleki'i Pihana Heiau. The blog promises to deliver accurate personal experiences of what is seen, felt, and done at the site. It will contain photos from our work so that the public understands the importance of this site and its need for continued care. 

Photo Copyright; Danielle Grauman, 2013

Collage of our first visit in August 2013. Top left: Rooms overlooking Wailuku; Middle Left: Haleki'i; Bottom left: Me, explaining to my son about respecting every portion of the land. Right: Mom and son examining Pihana Heiau marker.