BIL 365 Draft 01 2006-2008 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~~ Chapter 2 Kohala Today 1 2. KOHALA TODAY 2.1 PHYSICAL SETTING & HISTORY Most residents of North Kohala are very connected to this special place. They enjoy its remote setting and ruggedness, rich cultural history, agricultural traditions, and small-town feel. The district of North Kohala is relatively remote and isolated because it is located in the northwestern corner of the island, at the end of the Akoni Pule Highway and the Kohala Mountain Road, which are the only accesses into and out of Kohala. Along the western shore of the district, the topography is fairly level, gently sloping upward from the coast to the Kohala Mountains. In contrast, the windward side of North Kohala contains deep canyon-like valleys and steep vertical ' cliffs. Much of the heritage of Kohala is based on the legacy of King Kamehameha I, one of the great ' heroes in Hawaiian history. Many of the major place names in Kohala commemorate significant events surrounding King Kamehameha's birth. His "birthing stones" are located near'Upolu, the northern-most part of the district (and the island). There are many parts of the Kohala landscape that still show his mark on the land, such as the tunnel that he dug out to allow easier access down to Keawaeli Bay and the numerous lo'i that he worked in early on in his life. King Kamehameha ' later used the district to train his army. In order to support the many men that he had gathered there, great quantities of food were grown in the mauka areas. These lands are known as the "Kohala field system." Terraces still exist that show where these fields were located. Another significant part of Kohala's history is that of the sugar plantations that dominated the ' region between the late 1800s into the 1970s. Although the fertile lands of Kohala are no longer utilized for sugar, they still have considerable agricultural potential. Many residents would like to see this potential maximized. Overall, the district has a landscape filled with remnants of "Hawai'i past," including evidence of all of the major epochs in the islands' history: • Pre-contact-ancient Hawaiian fishing villages, house sites, heiau, ko'a, and hundreds of other important cultural sites. Some cultural experts believe the Kohala coast contains one of [he most intact "cultural landscapes" in the state because of its high density of cultural sites. • Early traders, missionaries, and ranchers -the Bond Estate and Ranches that were started in the 1800s and are still functioning today • Plantation days- Kohala Ditch, field systems, continued agricultural tradition North Kohala CI7P Page 10