The Water CycleThe water cycle is crucial to life on earth. When water in the air condenses to forms the clouds we see in the sky. Eventually the water particles in the air condense so much they become to heavy and fall to the gourd in the form of rain. This rain feeds plants and animals on the land. From there the water runs into rivers ponds and the ocean. Some rain will seep into the ground and become part of ground water storage. The surface water will eventually evaporate and return to the air to start the cycle all over again.
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Waiwai
Wai literally translated means water. To some wai may seem like an issue of little importance that does not need addressing, yet this is false. We have been lulled into thinking that water will always be there for when you need. But what happens if it weren't there all the time, and you had a limited supply that may not last another sip. Then you would then be thankful for any water you received. Well are ancestor did appreciate their water and we can clearly see this through their actions. They called wealth or something with value waiwai, the word water repeated twice. This shows that they valued you water because heir word for it was water.
My Wai Olelo Noeau
The fishpond keepers were not doing their duties and Kawai Nui became thick with limu (algae). Around that time, a new konohiki (ruler) came to Kailua. He saw that Kawai Nui pond had become overgrown, and the fish would hide in the limu. Whenever the fisherman would fish in the pond, they couldn't see the fish!
So the konohiki asked all the people of Kailua to kōkua,come help clean the pond. Men, women and children came to help, and among them was a little boy named Kahinihiniʻula - the little red-haired boy. Kahinihiniʻula lived with his (grandmother) deep in Maunawili Valleyin the area called Makala. His tūtū wahine was too old, so he came aloneto help in the pond. For three days the people of Kailua helped clean Kawai Nui pond. At the end of each day, the konohiki would have a big pāʻina (party) of poi and roasted pig and fish to thank the people for their hard work. And that wasnʻt all. Each man, woman and child, was given a gift of four fish to take home to their kUptma who were too old to work in the ponds. Everyone was very happy, except Kahinihiniʻula. He was so little that he was ignored, and the fishpond keepers didn't givehim any fish for his tūtū wahine. So he went home empty handed, tired after a long day of work. His tūtū was not very pleased when she found out that the konohiki had not given Kahinihiniʻula any fish. What a shame that the konohiki ignored the little boy! She told her moʻopuna (grandchild) not to go back the next day, but he did. And for the next two days, Kahinihiniʻula worked all day, and still the fishpond keepers gave him no fish! His tūtū wahine was angry! How could the konohiki allow his fishpond keepers to be so lōlō, so unfair? If someone, no matter how little, gives their kōkua, they must be appreciated. If there are plenty of fish, they must always be shared so that no one goes hungry! So in the morning, Kahinihiniʻula's tūtū wahine gave him a special branch- a mākālei tree branch that belonged to her family from long, long ago. The branch was a gift from her ancestor Haumea, mother of the ʻāina, mother of all living things. With this branch, tūtū wahine told Kahinihiniʻula to go to the pond and show the fish the mākālei branch. He did as he was told, and the fish knew that it was Haumea’s magic branch. The fish formed a long thick line, and they followed Kahinihiniʻula and his mākāleibranch. He walked around the pond along the stream, up the valley to his home. As Kahinihiniʻula walked from Kawai Nui to Maunawili, all the fish followed him. Soon the pond at Kawai Nui was empty and all the fish were in the pond just outside Kahinihiniʻula hale (home)! It didnʻt take long for the fishpond keepers to see that fish had left the pond! When the konohikifound out, he knew thata great wrong had been done. The ancestors (gods) were unhappy at how they had treated Kahinihiniʻula. It was wrong not to share the fish with everyone, especially those that had helped. So the konohiki went to Maunawili to find Kahinihiniʻula and his tūtū wahine. He apologized for their terrible mistakeand Kahinihiniʻula forgave him. The fish returned to the pond. From then on, the konohikiwas sure to instruct his fishpond keepers to always be fair and share the fish from his pond. |
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My Wai
I have lived within a mile of this wai my whole life. I see it every day when I come and go from Kailua. I take jogs on levee that runs through the swamp at least once a week. This wai is almost physically part of me and holds a great spot in my heart. So when I had to decide a wai I knew immediately it would be Kawainui.
This wai is not only of importance to me but all of Hawaii. The wai is an 800 acre wetlands, the biggest in Hawaii. It once was a great big fishpond that was cared for by ancient Hawaiians. Now the wetlands are used to protect endangered species like the Ae’o, Alae Ula, Alae Keo keo and Koloa. Beside protecting the animals the wai also host many community youth sport events, The wai is pretty healthy now but much different from its fish pond days. People play soccer, football, and play with there dogs for hours here that is why this wai is so important.