Malaea

Malaea is the name of the portion of the Waianae Coast between Kaneilio Point and Mauna Lahilahi. Malaea shelters the sandy beach of Nene'u. Malaea also pronounced Maraea, comes from the word malae, which means peaceful, and calm. This is reflected in the calm waves that wash up on shore. The calmest area is at the southern end of the bay, next to the breakwater. There's a wide reef in the middle of the bay and the waves that break on it are usually small, which makes it a good spot for beginning surfers. (To-Hawaii.com, 2010)

The peninsula's shoreline has a few memorials for people whose ashes have been scattered offshore. It is also a popular fishing location. At the north end of the bay is Kaupuni Stream. In the center of the bay is the Wai'anae Army Recreation Center, which was acquired by the federal government in 1918.

Marae also means place of learning, as maraes were ancient learning centers in Polynesian societies. A marae is not simply a school; the land that maraes were built on would have encompassed a temple, a learning center, and other cultural resources that made them holistic and culturally specific in their learning.

A large coral stone marker is located at Malaea Bay. The stone reads "Malama I Ko Makou ʻĀina".

"Malama" means to care, protect, or preserve, "i" means "for," "ko" means "our," "makou" means "us," and "āina" means "land." So, the phrase encourages taking responsibility for the stewardship of the land and its natural resources. "Ko Makou" us and our, āina. Meaning the kupu ka āina, the sprout of the land, the lineal decedents of Wai'anae are the one responsible, or able to respond and interpret for the Wai'anae district.

The hina stone, or coral was also chosen for a purpose. In ancient times Hawaiian's the coral would reflect the moon and attract the fish to it, in the same way the stone is meant to attract the people from Wai'anae back to important places of learning and gathering. This stones can be found al alone the Wai'anae coast displaying the proper original names of the places in Wai'anae.

After the 12th century, Malaea became a vibrant fishing village where Hawaiians lived and thrived for centuries. Up until a few generations ago, the housing alongside the beach here all belonged to family members of those native to Waianae. Similar to Makua, however, this beach and coastal area started to become a key training site for the US military as early as the 1930s. Today, Malaea Bay is no longer a place of residence for the community, but remains a popular beach park that includes a military recreation center. 

Through the years and undergoing several different occupations Malaea has changed in landscape and in use, but the community remains adamant about protecting wahipana (sacred sites) from further damaging development in this area. For example, on the sight of the ancient temple, located on the south side of Malaea Bay, a lighthouse was built during the 1930s. (Temples are commonly known across Hawai'i as Heiau, but there were many types of temples, and in Oahu, these temples were known as Unu).

Luckily the community was able to fight to restore the temple as a protected sacred site. Today, the Unu is reconstructed, which was accomplished by community efforts after the lighthouse was taken down in 1978.

Pokai was originally named Malaea, meaning calm or serene, Malaea shelters the sandy beach of nene'u and the site of the temple called Ku'ilioloa Heuai at Kane'ilio point. Dedicated to a dog Kupua (spirit), rites performed at the heiau protected those traveling by land and sea.

At the north end of the bay is Kaupuni Stream, the swapping ground of anae (mullet) which gave Wai'anae (mullet waters) its name. The village Pokai, famous for its coconut grove once lay near the stream.

This area is known today as Poka’i Bay (meant to be pronounced Po-kah-ee, but more often pronounced Po-kai by locals).

Hawaiian history tells of the Tahitian chief Pōkaʻī, who is said to have brought the first coconut trees to Hawaii and planted them in Waianae. There, he grew his most famous grove, Ka Ulu Niu o Pōka‘ī. The present-day beach park, Pokai Bay, is named after him.

At Poka'i Bay, O'ahu kahuna had established a school or marae in an effort to preserve the folklore of O'ahu and to teach subjects such as history, navigation, and the genealogies of the O'ahu chiefs (Jan Becket, & Joe Singer, 1999). Pana O’ahu : Sacred Stones, Sacred Land. University of Hawaii Press.

Holua: A competitive sport of the elites, involving riding a narrow two-runner sled down a specially prepared course (Kirck P, 2010. How Chiefs Become Kings)

One significant feature of Malaea Bay is a sea cave on the left side after entering the first section of the temple. This sea cave has different names that each express a different story about its significance.  

One name is Pohaku o Lapalapa. Pohaku refers to the rocks that make up the sea cave, while lapalapa means “to splash” or “bubbling.” This literal place name expresses the splashing of the seawater onto the rocks of the cave as we see on the main picture.

Another name for the sea cave is Halapoe. Hala means “passing” and poe means “people.” This name was used as the remains of deceased family members were placed there when they died. From the cave, the body is carried out into the ocean by the waves, where it is deified by the family shark ‘aumakuas. ‘Aumakuas are the ancestral gods. Au means time, while makua means parent. They often manifest in the form of animals, with different animals specific to different families. For the families in Waianae, their ‘aumakuas manifest as sharks.

Finally, the oldest name for this sea cave is Kohe Nui, translating to the “Great Vagina.” The name directly relates to its function for the families of Wai'anae. The Kohe Nui, is directly related to the adjacent mountain complex called Pu'u Pahe'ehe'e. (He'e is the word for octopus in Hawai'i and the mountain resembles the long arm of an octopus when seen from above). and it extends out towards Mauna Kuwale

According to my interviews with Kumu Glen and Christopor, Pu'u Pahe'ehe'e was part of a Holua Sled.

The Holua sled was not a game or sport as depicted by history books today. And every Holua sled would be related to a lua or pit at the end of it. In this case, the lua is Kohe Nui.

Pu’u Pahe’ehe’e has a narrow and steep edge that faces directly towards Kohe Nui. Historically, this ridge served as a pathway for the holua, In ancient times, the ali’i (chiefs), would sled down the mountain in a race, representing the sperm going down the shaft of the penis and run in a race to reach Kohe Nui. Whoever reached the sea cave first would be born of the gods and have the right to rule for the season. This was a practice and a story about life and creation.

O wai kou inoa

"O" is a particle in Hawaiian used to indicate emphasis or to introduce a subject, "wai" means "water", "kou" means "your", and "inoa" means "name", family name, or even affectionate term for affinal relatives.

Loosely translated to what is the name of your water. This can be interpreted in two ways.

What is the name of your headwaters, or where you are from? Knowing how Hawaiian people managed hydrology around the ahupua'a all persons sharing a water source would share a significant degree of kinship to the land and each other and could trace back to a specific stream and mountain.

Another interpretation is the one connected to direct genealogy. When a woman is born she breaks water, this would be the direct source of the name for that person. O wai Kou Inoa!

In Hawaiian culture, the importance of place names is deeply rooted in the connection between place. Names often have historical and cultural significance, and they can convey important information about the land's physical features, history, and natural resources.

Place names in Hawaii can also serve as a reminder of the importance of preserving the natural environment and the cultural heritage of the islands. For example, many place names in Hawaii are associated with important cultural practices, such as fishing, farming, and navigation, and they serve as a reminder of the traditional knowledge and practices that have sustained Hawaiian communities for centuries.

In addition to their cultural significance, place names in Hawaii also have practical importance. For example, they are used in navigation, land management, and resource conservation. Place names also help to create a sense of identity and belonging for Hawaiian people, as they connect them to the land and the culture of their ancestors.

Hawai'i had no official written language, mountains, temples and natural features where the canvas to express and pass information down.

In the state of Hawai'i in accordance with NAGPRA law and OHA guidelines records are kept identifying points of contacts that represent the families of a certain area when it comes to making decisions on human remains found during development across the island.

In the same way, it is understood that in Hawaiian tradition the lineal descendants of the area safeguard the mo'olelo of place names and traditions of their homeland. "Malama I ko Makou Aina"

This comes from the understanding that changing the name of a place erases all the traditional information and knowledge embedded within it.

Another important point to understand is that before European Conquest Hawai'i was at War and chiefs from Maui and Hawai'i Island set out for conquest and took over certain areas, placing their own name to important features.

As migrational conquests come to an end with European influence the perspective of the prevailing chief is broadly painted onto the rest of Hawaii.