Waimea Falls & Nu’uanu Pali Lookout

Today we traveled to Waimea Bay, Falls, and Beach and even stopped at a small market on the way home for some fresh goodies! On the way to the North Shore, our shuttle driver, Big Tony, made a quick stop for us Nu'uanu Pali Lookout! This lookout was especially interesting because the gloomy mountains are home to many of our favorite Hollywood movies and TV Shows such as Catching Fire, King Kong, and Jurassic Park!
On our way to Waimea, Big Tony told us many stories of their leaders (Kings, Queens and Princesses) and how they came to gain and/or earn their power within the Hawaiian islands--people such as King Kamehameha and Princess Liliuokalani. This was one of my favorite parts of this day--with such a long day, Big Tony really made us feel important and like we were more than just a tour to him.
In Waimea Valley, we got to experience many fun activities such as the hike to the waterfall, swimming in the waterfall, and going to Waimea beach to swim and cliff jump!
During the hike (and on our way to the waterfall) there were little huts that we could stop at! One of the huts had a woman that was teaching us about Kapa. We discussed how they made fabric for blankets and clothing out of trees, how long it took, and the amount of effort and patience you need to have to made something like this. We also discussed the topic of women’s menstrual cycles and how sacred it is in their culture. They used the Kapa to replicate a pad. During the women’s menstrual cycle, they had their own huts to go to and “relax”. After their cycle was over, they buried the soiled Kapa in honor of their cycle. It is looked at as sacred, as it gives birth and shows strength. I thought this was so beautiful and so empowering as in our culture, it is seen as gross and dirty. It was a very eye opening discussion and I really enjoyed getting to know more about their values and beliefs!Read more