Day 5: Kiholo Bay by Alyssa Vo

Our entire experience at Kiholo Bay was fascinating. I was with the group that repaired a wall in the fish pond, which was immensely rewarding, but the thing I will take away most from today was the culture and history I learned about the bay. Our tour guide, Rebecca, was knowledgeable and kind; everyone could tell she was passionate about the bay and its history. Not only did she have the dates of the volcanic eruptions that created the landscape, but she taught us many words in the Hawaiian language, which helped us better understand the culture. To help us remember the words, she provided motions. For instance, when we were learning how to build the wall, Rebecca taught us the names of the four rocks used to build the wall. "Pāpale," or top rock, went with the motion of tapping on your head like you were putting on a hat. "Alo," or face rock, went with a swiping motion over her face. The motions made the words more memorable and fun, and by the end, all of us were comfortable using the words to describe the rocks that we needed to hand down our makeshift assembly line. 

To build the wall, we had to take the previous one apart. So, one by one, we took the rocks off the wall and passed them from the water and into piles designated by type of rock: alo, pāpale, haka (smallest, filler rocks), and Miho (base rocks). We set up with half of us in the water, and the other half formed a zig-zag assembly line. Being in direct sunlight, we all heated up quickly, so we switched between being in the water and on land. I even reapplied everyone's sunscreen to ensure we did not get burned. While in the water, several sea turtles and various fish swam by, and seeing them so up close was incredible. Seeing a sea turtle was one of the things on my bucket list, so I was super excited to see one at such a short range was all the better. After disassembling the wall, we rebuilt it, and it was soon complete. 

The gratifying feeling of being done with the wall was emphasized by the chant that Lehua, the community leader, taught us. We held our hands on the rocks and blessed them with a sacred chant to ensure that the rocks would stay stable for as long as possible and that our intentions were good. I hope our efforts in planting coconut trees and rebuilding the wall will leave a lasting impact. All of us will keep the knowledge about the culture and sacredness of the land, and today is for sure one of my core memories. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 4: What Hides in the Dark by Macy Bargen

Image
Today opened my eyes. We packed up at the hotel back in Hilo and visited many landmarks before reaching the Preparatory, where we would stay for the rest of our visit. On our way, we stopped by the Rainbow Falls hoping to see a rainbow, but hearing the beautiful sounds from the crashing water instead. Next, we visited the Boiling Pots. We learned that if we had come earlier, the rain would hit the pools of water, causing the illusion of water boiling. Finally, the twenty of us climbed back into the vans, eager to get to the main attraction: the Kaumana Caves. When we first got there, we noticed the Banyan trees. Sonya explained that the wild chickens sometimes climb up and rest in this tree. I was already intrigued, which exemplified my desire to know more about the ecosystem surrounding me. I first noticed the smell when we finally made it down into the caves. The air was cleaner, but the rain still lingered. As I noticed my surroundings using my senses, my group and I began to explor...
Read more

Post-trip: Macy Bargen

During this trip, I learned so many important things. I learned about myself, my culture, and how the environment interacts with the natives. I found friends from all over, and I strive to rekindle these relationships if we ever meet again. Before arriving in Hawaii, I was a nervous wreck. I wanted to learn and have unique experiences but feared I would not make friends or enjoy it. I was exceedingly wrong. I made friends from all over the world, which only made my learning more enjoyable. This trip allowed me to realize most of my anxiety is in my head, and if I want it bad enough, I can accomplish it. I have had significant anxiety since I was a little girl, and I think this program helped me take the first step. I can now take control of my anxiety and do the things I want to do without fear of getting in the way. One of the reasons I wanted to go on this trip was to see the natives. My Great Grandmother passed away recently, and I realized I have never been close to the land or my ...
Read more

Post trip: Lindsey Billings

This week I learned a lot about myself and the importance of nature. Before this week, I had viewed myself as a positive person. However, this changed during the “kilo” period at Kiholo Bay. I had an opportunity to clear my mind and realized that I tend to trap myself in a cycle of negativity. The previous night, I had only slept three hours and was not feeling well. Instead of appreciating that I was in Hawaii surrounded by amazing people, I was focusing on the negative aspects of my day. At that moment, I decided I could not allow a lack of sleep to stop me from enjoying this incredible experience.  My time at the Dryland Forest taught me the importance of being in nature. Although our guide, Lehua, had only known us for 30 minutes, she felt comfortable sharing the story of her ancestors and herself. They had lived on the land many generations before she was born. She told of the struggles they faced when people destroyed their precious forest. She expressed her grief for the los...
Read more