Hello World...

Recently I went on a trip to Kaua'i with a group of women and men from all ages. We went there to see different sacred sites located all over that island. We started at Kaua'i Community College where we exchanged cultural beliefs and dance. The woman there Aunty Ilae from Ni'ihau was so appreciative she broke out in tears and laughter. I of course had to hold my emotions back because my function on the trip was to photograph and video the entire occasion. So, it wouldn't have looked very nice with a shaky picture.

The next day started early....as in 3am early. We had a hour and a half drive to Ke'e Beach where Keahualaka is located. It is a hula heiau where Pele and Lohi'au met. This event was very traditional besides the girl holding the camera. The path we took is originally a blocked off path protected by a family that malamas the heiau so that it is not just looked at as tourist attraction. I was not allowed into the heiau because I was taking pictures. But I got to take a lot of fantastic photographs and video. I caught some amazing photos. Some that capture phenomenal happenings that only I got to witness! So phenomenal that I had to hols back tears of overwhelming emotions. After the offering as the last few people walked off the heiau a lite mist blessed us during a chant. As we made our journey back down the path it poured with thanks. When we got down to the bottom a bird flew over us and not just any bird but a big bird. Then we jumped into the water to release everything that had just happened. After the overwhelming experience we got the chance to go on a 3 hour ATV ride through the valleys and mountains of Kaua'i. I got to drive a ATV with my passenger aunty Kamaka who is in her 50s or 60s. Boy was she holding on!! Every time I would tell her "ok, aunty HOLD ON!!! :D That was a blast! We got to see sites that a person can only see if they went on that trail. Surprisingly I got to see the backdrops of many famous movies. Like Jurassic Park I and II, Indiana Jones, 6 days 7 nights, Mighty Joe Young, etc... Kaua'i is SO BEAUTIFUL!! I even got to swing on a rope that Indiana Jones' swings on in the movie. Of course I didn't jump in, because of the murkiness of the water, but no one wanted to go except a boy, so I represented the wahine and started a trend because after me 4 more wahine went. :)

The next days we went on wahipana which is that we would go to see other sites all around the island. One spot in particular is a beach called Polihale. I remember going to this beach when my family went island hopping when I was a little girl. I don't remember anything else about that trip except that beach. I could remember the exact look of the beach and I could've descibed it more than anything else from my past. Not sure exactly why it stuck out to me so much, but its a memory I will never forget.

During my trip I encountered a lot of challenges most of them internal and emotional, but experiences none the less.

To be continued....