POIPU — The gentle ua that blanketed the island Wednesday was more than rain. The drops represented tears of joy and pride, said Troy Lazaro of the Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club. “This is a time of calm, a time of
POIPU — The gentle ua that blanketed the island Wednesday was more than rain.
The drops represented tears of joy and pride, said Troy Lazaro of the Marriott’s Waiohai Beach Club.
“This is a time of calm, a time of peace,” Lazaro said during a protocol ceremony honoring the birth of Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Piikoi. “The spirit of Kuhio is with us and also those of our kupuna as we live our lives the way they taught us. This gentle ua is their tears of pride, and is their way of saying, ‘Move it inside!’”
The ceremony, part of a weeklong observance of Kuhio’s birth, paid tribute to not only the influence of the People’s Prince, who was born near Poipu on March 26, 1871, but extended to the kupuna who passed away during the year.
The week’s celebration continues with Makauwahi Cave tours today — Kuhio’s birthday — and continues with cultural celebration and luau Friday. Another protocol will open at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, followed by cultural demonstrations and crafts until 4 p.m.
Lazaro said one of Kuhio’s legacies includes his fight for land for the Hawaiian people, resulting in the creation of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, which promised native Hawaiians homestead land.
Anahola was the first of the Hawaiian Homes established on Kauai. On Saturday, the Anahola community celebrates its fifth annual Anahola Prince Kuhio Day celebration where Kupuna Sylvia Cole will be honored for her contributions and commitment to educational and cultural resources in the community.
The program starts at 11 a.m. and continues through 5 p.m. at the Anahola Beach Park.
