Question: A few weeks ago while driving through the Castle Junction, I noticed some men with a truck unloading materials at the grassy, shaded makai triangle-shaped area where Kalanianaole and Kamehameha highways intersect. A few days later I noticed a beautiful ahu (altar) had been erected. Was this intended as an ahupuaa marker or as a memorial for a car crash, perhaps, or for some other reason?
Answer: The stone ahu is meant to mark the traditional boundary between the ahupuaa (land divisions) of Kaneohe and Kailua.
On July 27, representatives of Hawaiian civic clubs, neighborhood boards, community organizations and government agencies dedicated what is described as “the first modern-day government-sanctioned traditional Hawaiian stone ahu” at Castle Junction.
When we contacted the state Department of Transportation about the marker, we were given a copy of a news release issued by the O‘ahu Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, which initiated the project in cooperation with the Ko‘olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club.
“The O‘ahu Council’s project sets the foundation for actual restoration of the ahupuaa concept on this island, enabling communities to identify and learn about their own ahupuaa resources and initiate projects to malama — or care for — these resources,” said Francine Gora, project coordinator.
She said traditional boundaries were usually marked by an ahu — a stack of stones — although most of Oahu’s ahupuaa will be marked by brown signs.
We previously explained that 14 signs had been installed in the Koolaupoko district, from Kualoa to Hawaii Kai, to mark the boundaries of traditional ahupuaa (see is.gd/aKsu9j). At that time the DOT said the signs were in keeping with its own Ahupua‘a Boundary Program, developed “as part of the department’s effort to add local context to our state roads and meet road safety standards.”
Since then, according to the O‘ahu Council, ahupuaa signs have been placed in the moku (large land divisions that encompass ahupuaa) of Kona (Waikiki to Moanalua) and Waianae; it is working on markers for Ewa and Waialae and hopes to start on one for Koolauloa in the fall.
The ahu at Castle Junction, based on a design by master stonemason Billy Fields, was built as a model for other communities to consider using as a boundary marker. At this point there is no other ahu in the works.
Mahalo
To a wonderful young local couple who, during an evening stroll, found a family member’s vehicle ownership title certificate that had blown into the bushes near Maryknoll School. You have such good hearts to have made the effort to locate the owner and to return it promptly. Doing the right thing took a certain mindset of respect for other people. In an island setting, we all count on one another to live together in peace. You saved someone much grief upon finding and returning this document. There is karma: May you find much happiness in your lives. — Grateful Neighbor
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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
