He mea hoomanao no na hana oia au i hala, a he mea hoi e poina ole ai i na mamo o keia la a mau aku." A memorial for the events of the past, and something to ensure that the children of today and forever more will never forget.
—Kaʻohuhaʻaheoinākuahiwiʻekolu, Ka Hoku o Hawaii
Nā Hoʻonanea o ka Manawa, translated as Pleasurable Pastimes, is a delightful collection of tales and descriptions of life in the northern region of Kona on the island of Hawaiʻi. These moʻolelo (stories) from the arid land known as Kekaha WaiʻOle ONā Kona contain the name, location, and nature of hundreds of wahi pana (storied sites) and extensive listings of moon phases, calendrics, counting methods, and plant names—all of which make this assembly a treasury of local knowledge and cultural traditions that extend far beyond the region.
Beginning on September 13, 1923, a series of articles titled Na Hoonanea o ka Manawa appeared weekly in Ka Hoku o Hawaii, a Hilo-based Hawaiian-language newspaper of Hawaiʻi’s territorial period, until its closure on August 28, 1924.The author of the series, J. W. H. Isaac Kihe, writing under the name Ka ʻOhu Haʻaheo I Nā Kuahiwi ʻEkolu, was a knowledgeable and prolific contributor to Ka Hoku o Hawaii. Proud of his heritage and concerned about the possible erasure of the cultural knowledge and practices of his homeland, Kihe believed that by documenting and disseminating this information through the press, he could help circumvent its loss and provide an invaluable resource for the people of his time and for generations to come.
One hundred years later, this book presents the complete collection of scanned articles alongside thoughtful English translations by Kilika Bennett and Puakea Nogelmeier, as well as indexes of the named places, people, winds, rains, plants, and animals. In a time when many are looking to remember, relearn, revive, and reintegrate Native Hawaiian knowledge, traditions, and resource management practices, this republication of Kihe’s work is a much-needed contribution.
Kaʻohuhaʻaheoinākuahiwiʻekolu is a pen name of John Waile Heremana Isaac Kihe. Kihe, born in 1895, was a resident of North Kona, and a prolific writer known for his contributions of commentary, cultural and political editorials, articles of local interest, and major works of Hawaiian literature to the Hawaiian-language newspapers.
Kilika Bennett received his BA degrees in English and Hawaiian language from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. While in the Hawaiian language master’s program, he further developed his skills as a researcher and translator.
Puakea Nogelmeier is professor emeritus at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where he taught Hawaiian language for thirty-five years and founded the Institute of Hawaiian Language Research and Translation. He is cofounder and executive director of Awaiaulu.
