Waipi‘o Valley
A Cultural Kipuka By Jan Wizinowich
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KeOlaMagazine.com | March - April 2022
t’s December 22, 2021 and Kūlia Kauhi Tolentino Potter greets volunteers from Sam Houston State University (SHSU) at the Waipi‘o Valley lookout. It’s pouring rain and a work day is looking doubtful, but they are full of spirit, having completed a week-long exploration of the island as part of a university geography class conducted by SHSU professors Ava Fujimoto Strait and John Strait. Kūlia prepares to chant—a request for the rain to clear, allowing the work to be done; she asks the students to join their hearts with hers. As she chants, clouds begin to shift and the whole atmosphere changes. When she is finished, the rain has stopped. Whether coincidence or not, it’s clear that Kūlia’s entire being is in touch with the elder souls of Waipi‘o Valley.
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Waipi‘o: Deep Roots In his book, Voyage: The Discovery of Hawai‘i, Herb Kawainui Kāne imagines the first humans to approach the island in search of a new home. “And then the valley opened before us—a wide valley many times larger than our home in the south. Several waterfalls coursed down its northern walls, and as the valley opened to view, two majestic falls of identical size could be seen cascading side by side down a dark chasm in the high southern cliffs.” With its abundant lo‘i (taro patches) and seven heiau (temples), including Paka‘alana, once the most powerful spiritual site in all the islands, the valley is a kīpuka (a calm, deep, timeless place) containing reminders to all those that enter of the ancient origins of Hawaiian culture. Kila is a name that has been passed down through Kūlia’s family and is a beloved ali‘i of Waipi‘o Valley, the youngest son of Mo‘ikena the ali‘i nui of Kaua‘i. After Mo‘ikena’s death, Kila became the high chief of Kaua‘i. On the journey to take his father’s bones back to Tahiti, he was left in Waipi‘o Valley by his two jealous brothers. He lived as a commoner until his true identity as the high chief of Kaua‘i was revealed, and then became konohiki (land manager). During his time as a commoner, he gleaned much about farming. He passed that knowledge on to the valley’s farmers, who were able to grow an abundance of food. This abundance has carried through the centuries. Historically, Waipi‘o Valley has been the “bread basket” for
Waipiÿo Epic, photo courtesy of CJ Kale
