Hawai’i, Island Paradise
Hawai’i, tropical paradise, land of Polynesian tradition, seafaring warriors, and mysterious legends. The tropical Hawaiian Islands are ever cooled by the gentle breezes of the prevailing northeast tradewinds, and record almost perfect temperatures year round. Thoughts of Hawai’i conjure up the indescribable tranquility of palm-lined, sun-soaked golden sand beaches, the not-forgotten glowing fire of ancient volcanoes, such as the dormant Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, Haleakala, or “House of the Sun,” on the island of Maui, and the ever-present rumblings of the still-active Kilauea on the Big island, legendary home to the beautiful and tempestuous fire goddess Pele. According to Hawaiian legend, Pele sometimes appears as a beautiful woman walking by the side of the road. The rich volcanic soil of the Hawaiian archipelago nourishes countless varieties of flowers, most notably the bright red hibiscus, pale yellow plumeria, and deep purple orchids that the Hawaiians wear around their necks as decorative leis, all part of the Aloha spirit.
The world’s highest annual rainfall, an astonishing 444 inches annually, occurs in Mt. Wai’aleale on the island of Kauai. On Kauai, waterfalls are everywhere. The ever-scenic and much-photographed Na Pali Coast of Kauai, otherwise known as “The Cliffs” for their 4,000 foot sheer-drop jagged edges, can be accessed only by helicopter. Leo Villarimo of Maui says that to hike the Na Pali Coast is “one of the most breathtaking and exhilarating hikes you’ll ever take in your life, through waterfalls and streams that come down from the cliffs,” and which leads to the hidden Valley of Kalaulau, once inhabited by the ex-chiefs of Hawai’i that had been excommunicated, but which has now been inherited by the Hawaiian Monk Seals.
On the Big Island of Hawai’i is the largest cattle ranch in the United States, Parker Ranch. The landscape of Maui is spectacular, with the Iao Needle, and Haleakala National Park. From Ka’anapali Beach on Maui, one can see the neighboring islands of Lana’i, Kaho’olawe, and Moloka’i, and Molokini, a dormant volcano half beneath the sea and half above, with a backdrop no less spectacular than the Eke Crater in the Koolau Valley Range of Maui. “And once in a while on a clear day,” says Leo, “you can see the island of Oahu from one hundred miles away.” The picturesque fishing village of Lahaina, once the whaling capital of the Pacific, saw whalers barter fabric, trinkets and weapons for the magnificent fresh fruits and vegetables they so craved after their long and often treacherous oversea voyages to the islands. At the port of Lahaina, one finds an abundant variety of fish, including ahi, yellowfin tuna; aku, or small tuna; opakapaka, silver red snapper; ono, mackerel; and shellfish such as the Kona crab, spiny lobster, and flipper lobster, straight off the many fishing boats that harbor there. Marlin abound in these waters of the Pacific. An abundance of macadamia nuts, the succulent Hawaiian pineapples, sugar cane, and coconuts are among the natural delights grown in the islands.
The Polynesian Influence
Leo Villarimo is 1/3 Hawaiian, part Chinese, Korean, Filipino, and a little Spanish. He is of tall, large-boned Polynesian descent, and is originally from Hana, Maui, where most of his brothers and sisters still live. His brother Rance was a Kumu Hula, or Hula Instructor, at the Grand Waialea in Northwest Maui. Leo was a musician by trade, and used to play the ukulele professionally at hula shows at the resort hotels of the islands, at the Royal Lahaina, the old Sheraton Maui, overlooking the cliff, at Whaler’s Village, at the Westin Maui, and Maui Surf, as well as for parties for the executives of Aloha and Hawaiian Airlines. Leo later also worked at Pan American World Airways in Virginia. Leo Villarimo, like most Hawaiians, is proud of the traditions of the Old Hawai’i. His sisters Venice and Vinnie dance the hula and play the ukulele to keep up the Hawaiian tradition, which they teach, along with the history and culture of Hawai’i, to the Hawaiian children. In the lore of Hawai’i, for every Hawaiian monarch, there was a dance and a chant or “mele” song, which tell the stories of Hawaiian history. They sing these “mele” songs to the children, and the tradition continues.
In the sixth century, the Hawaiian Islands were discovered by brave and adventurous Polynesians that crossed the Pacific in large dugout wooden seafaring canoes, sometimes rowing up to 100 miles a day. The Polynesian migrations continued throughout the centuries, and by the late 1700s, when Captain Cook arrived on the shores of Kauai, the islands were ruled by native warring kings. Kamehameha I united the Hawaiian Islands peacefully under single rule in 1810. Hawai’i’s famous last queen was the benevolent and revered Queen Liliuokalani. Under the monarch Kawika Kalakaua, the hula was shared to the outside world, to Japan, China, Africa, Russia, and California. Kalakaua was the first Hawaiian monarch to touch the nations of the world with traditional Hawaiian culture, and in doing so he shared with them his love for Hawai’i.
Leo tells a story of a time when he was wild boar hunting in the Ukumehame Canyon on the island of Maui, and discovered some ancient Hawaiian petroglyphs carved into the rock of cliff walls, depicting the ancient Polynesian history of Hawai’i. “You can see where portions of the island are being drawn, where the families of hunters and fishermen lived, and who was King at that time,” said Leo. Famous petroglyphs can be seen at Olowalu on Maui, where you must follow a rocky dirt road to reach them. Hawaiians have a strong reverence for the earth, and believe that you must never take any sand or rocks from a sacred place, according to Hawaiian legend. The geological evolution of the Hawaiian archipelago has taken millions of years. Leo said, “Even after millions of years, Hawai’i is just being born. You must never say a volcano is extinct.” There is an ancient Hawaiian legend that was told to Leo’s grandparents and parents, and that Leo will tell to his children. On the island of Kauai, in the northwest near Pole Hale, during the day the weather can be beautiful and tranquil, but in the evening, as soon as the sun goes down, the wind starts to pick up, sometimes to 60 miles per hour, signifying that the spirits of Hawai’i are leaving the island.
The traditional Hawaiian luau started with fish, pork, and chicken cooked underground, served with poi, made from the taro root, but through the years, as people came from different lands, they brought their cooking with them and shared it with the Hawaiians. The Japanese brought sashimi, raw fish or squid, the Portuguese brought a bread called sweetbread, also known as potato bread, and the Chinese brought rice and long rice, or clear bean thread, all enhancing the traditional luau. Each nationality contributed to the luau, resulting in an intriguing mingling of Polynesian culinary styles reflecting the cultural diversity of the islands. In the early 1800s, the Chinese brought this recipe for Chicken Long Rice, which they modified when they reached Hawai’i, adding soy sauce, which came from Japan, and spring onions. Because of its long heritage of being eaten at traditional Hawaiian luaus, Chicken Long Rice is considered a true luau food.
