Kumukahi

What are the practices connected to ala hele?

Stones usually mark the edges of the ala hele. These stones are carefully placed alongside each other to form a path. Sometimes the trail stones fall away and end up in the middle of the path. An unmarked or obstructed path makes it difficult for travelers to follow the trail. The custom is to gather and replace stones along the trail corridor as you travel. Today some of our hiking trails still have ancient stone-lined boundaries, and people still practice a similar kind of thoughtful behavior, replacing stones that may be out of place.

Another custom in ancient times was to use the ala hele only during daylight hours. Then you can see where you’re going and who’s around you. Nightfall was a dangerous time to travel. The lack of light and the danger of ill-meaning people or beings made it too risky for the traveler.

King Kamehameha worked to make the ala hele and his entire kingdom safe, and one of his earliest laws reflected that. The Kānāwai Māmalahoa (or Māmalahoe) states that: “E hele ka ʻelemakule a moe i ke ala; e hele ka luahine a moe i ke ala; e hele ke keiki a moe i ke ala; ʻaʻole mea pepehi wale iho.” (The old man shall travel and rest on the road; the old woman shall travel and rest on the road; the child shall travel and rest on the road; no one shall cause harm.) Some accounts even say that one of the reasons Kamehameha wanted to unite the islands was so that he could proclaim this law across the entirety of the Hawaiian islands. This law is in our state’s constitution, and it is even symbolized on the badges for the Honolulu Police Department.

Ala hele traveled through all sorts of terrain, so some may go through streams, and trail users are very careful walking on slippery river rocks. Heavy rains can make streams extra dangerous because they can cause rocks to wash away and create sudden, strong surges. And so travel in general may be avoided during such times.

Sticking to the ala hele is also a good practice, especially if you are not kamaʻāina, or familiar, with the place. There may be culturally and spiritually significant sites off the trail that are unmarked, so staying on the ala hele protects you and those sites.

Saying “aloha” and greeting one another on the ala hele as you pass is a customary practice. A warm greeting and sharing about what’s ahead is a good way to show aloha to a fellow traveler.

Alanui today

There are many famous ala hele, some still in existence and some only in our moʻolelo (stories). Famous in recent history was the ala hele going over the Nuʻuanu Pali, which connects Koʻolau and Kona, Oʻahu. The path went straight up the edge of the cliff, so one false step and that was it. And yet some of our kūpuna would travel it regularly with bundles of food or children on their shoulders. To them, it was not difficult.

The alanui was called Nuʻuanu after the name of the pali (cliff). On the Koʻolau side of the path was a stone called Kahoʻowahapōhaku. It was a resting spot, or oʻioʻina, and from there the climbing began. Along the vertical climb was a spring of mirror-like water called by various names, including Waiaka, Kawaikilokohe, and Kawaikilokanaka. Continuing the ascent, you would reach a rock called Kaipuolono, which marked a very treacherous part of the climb. From there, you would reach Kapili, which is the name of the mountain pass. At the top of Nuʻuanu were two women, Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola, whose stone forms guarded the alanui and who were prayed to for safe passage. From Kapili on is the area called Kaholoakeāhole, and the going was easier from there.

Eventually, steps were cut into the steepest parts of the path and an iron rod installed to help climbers. In 1862, the trail was widened to a road that accommodated horses and mules, which carried produce from the Koʻolau side to market on the Kona side. The road was further developed into a highway now called the Old Pali Road, which hikers, bikers, and joggers still use. The road covers the trail, and many of the sites have been destroyed. Waiaka was filled with rock and earth. The Hāpuʻu and Kalaʻihauola stones were destroyed in the widening of the road. And today, we drive through the puka (holes) in the mountain on the Pali Highway.

Asphalt and concrete roads crisscross our islands now, replacing and, in some cases, destroying our traditional ala hele. We get where we are going much faster, but we do not always greet the people we meet on the roads with aloha. We do not always treat our modern ala hele with respect, littering our rubbish along the side of road. Although many of our ancient trails may be hidden, no longer used, or destroyed, we can still practice the traditional Hawaiian rules of the road—aloha and hōʻihi (respect)—on all life’s paths.