Manana‘o of Mākua
In 1998, Glen Kila, Clarence DeLude, and Kupu Ka ‘Āina, were interviewed by Kepa Maly, an oral historian from the Institute for Sustainable Development, regarding the land and ocean resources of Mākua and the larger Wai‘anae District. Here is an excerpt with some of their manana‘o (thoughts and opinions) about Mākua:
"This entire area is a wahi pana [sacred place], from Ka‘ena, Ka Lae O Ka Lā‘au to ‘Ōhikilolo and Kea‘au. ‘Ōhikilolo and Mākua is where our fishing gods were kept, they were here on the shore until my father's generation. In my father's lifetime, the kū‘ula [physical representations of the fishing gods], were taken from the ceremonial sites on the shore, to inland Mākua and other locations to be hidden. This was done so that they would be cared for, and not desecrated.
Mākua and this entire region is sacred to us. It represents our relationship to the land, the gods of ao [light] and pō [dark], and our own life and death on the land. The whole area of the dunes here is important because of the burials. This is our history, the traditions of this place, Mākua. The land symbolizes our relationship to our gods."
Reference Cited
Maly, K. 1998a. Oral History Study: Makua and Kahanahaiki Ahupuaa. Institute for Sustainable Development. Kailua, HI.
