'Ahulili

By Aldei Kawika Gregoire

He aloha nō ʻo ʻAhulili, A he lili paha kō iala I ke kau mau ʻole ʻia E ka ʻohu kau kuahiwi.

A love for ʻAhulili, Perhaps it is jealous For not always having the attention Of the mist of the mountain.

The opening lines of the love song ʻAhulili are well-known throughout Hawaii. But many today may not be aware that songwriter Scott Haʻi used a hill in his homeland of Kaupō for inspiration.

Pu‘u ‘Ahulili holds a commanding location atop Manawainui Valley. The hill perches at the edge of a 3,000- foot cliff, gazing across the entire Kaupō landscape.

In addition to the song, ʻAhulili features in the cultural record in various Hawaiian newspaper articles from the 1800s:

In 1869, historian Samuel Kamakau wrote about the funeral procession of the ancient chief Heleipawa. Heleipawa’s body was taken through Kaupō, and the account ends with, “I Ahulili, waiho no o Heleipawa.” (At ʻAhulili, Heleipawa was laid to rest.)

On a more personal note, Kahinu Kahale wrote an elegy in 1881 for her deceased husband, Hosea. One line reads, “Kuu kane mai kanahele laau loloa o Ahulili.” (My husband of the towering forest at ʻAhulili.) Finally, journalist Moses Manu related the legend of Laukaieie in articles from 1894-1895. At one point, Makanikeoe, Laukaieie’s brother, travels through Hawaii in search of springs and other water sources. Manu recounts that, in Kaupō, “Aia Makanikeoe ma keia pali kiekie launa ole mai, ua alu koke iho la oia a hiki pono malalo o ke kumu o ka pali a loaa aku la iaia ke kumu o ka wai malalo pono o ka puu o Ahulili.” (Makanikeoe was on this high cliff. He quickly descended to the base, where he found the source of the water directly beneath the hill of ʻAhulili.)

Aldei Kawika Gregoire is the grandson of Sam and Pauline Gregoire of Kaupō, Maui. Throughout his childhood he spent weekends in Kaupō developing a deep connection to place. He has combined his passion for Kaupō’s physical landscape and its associated stories with his interest in photojournalism. His website—www.kaupomaui.com—showcases an invaluable collection of Kaupō’s stories, photographs, place names, culture, and history.