Kanaha Kealakai Maui North Shore Hawai'i

Kanaha Kealakai Maui North Shore Hawai'i 18 December 2008
© 2009 Fine Art Photography by Sharon Anne Mau

My images do not belong to the public domain

This is a stitched panoramic composite of four images

Kanaha Beach Park is a long stretch of publicly owned wild coast on the North Shore of Maui Hawai'i.

It is comprised of white sand beaches, coastal dunes, wetlands, and a developed beach park. Kanaha Beach provides recreation for many residents on Maui, including windsurfers, surfers, kiteboarders, pole fishermen, divers, canoe paddlers, campers, joggers, bikers, general beach goers, and many others. Kanaha Beach also supports some of the last remaining strongholds of native coastal plants and animals left on sand dunes and in wetlands along the north shore of Maui.

There are over 30 plant species at Kanaha Beach that have traditional Hawaiian uses. Kanaha Beach also has many rare and endangered species. Kanaha Beach provides refuge for these plants, and today is one of the only places on Maui where these plants may still be found.
A'ali'i (Dodonaea viscosa) Fruit clusters may be made into leis and used for dying kapa. The strong wood may be used in house construction, agricultural tools, weapons, and fishing tools such as squid spears and lures.

Ahuawa (Cyperus javanicus) Fiber stripped from the stem can be used to strain awa and also spun into cord.

Akia (Wikstroemia uva-ursi) The bark, roots, and leaves are a fish poison. Bark also yields a fiber.

Akiaki (Sporobolus virginicus) A coarse grass growing on sandy beaches. Used to exorcise spirits.

Alena (Boerhavia repens) The swollen roots were used medicinally, acting as a diuretic. The tuberous root was also eaten as a famine food.

Anapanapa (Colubrina asiatica) The leaves form a lather in water and have long been used as soap on Pacific islands.

Aweoweo (Chenopodium oahuense) The young plants, leaves, and plant tips can be used for greens, wrapped in ti leaves and cooked on hot coals. The wood was used to make fish hooks.

Emoloa (Eragostis variabilis) Used as a thatching grass.

Hala ~ Mahama Lauhala (Pandanus tectorius) Many uses including the leaves for mats, baskets, and hats, thatching roofs of Hale, the fruit sections for leis and brushes, the male flowers to scent kapa, and the aerial root tip cooked in ti leaves as medicine. The cluster of fruit sections resemble a round pineapple, but they are groups of individual . It is not edible.

Hau (Hibiscus tiliaceus) Wood may be used for outriggers on canoes, the bast for rope, and the sap and flowers for medicine.

Hinahina (Heliotropium anomalum) Used for tea and medicine. The lei flower of Kaho'olawe Island.

Iliahi Aloe (Santalum ellipticum) Shrub and tree with fragrant heartwood that was used to scent kapa. The wood is also used in canoe construction.

Ilima (Sida fallax) Flower used in leis, the lei flower of the island of O'ahu. A mild laxative is made by squeezing out the juices of the flowers. The flower is salmon coloured, or the colour of pale apricot.

Kaunaoa (Cuscuta sandwichiana) The numerous slender orange stems may be made into orange lei, which is the lei flower of the island of Lana'i.

Koali Awa (Ipomoea indica) When pounded the bitter-tasting stems and roots are used externally for bruises and broken bones , but are dangerous to take internally. The flower of this plant looks very much like a blue Morning Glory.

Kou (Cordia subcordata) The beautiful wood is soft but lasting. It may be used for cups, dishes, and calabashes. The flowers are orange.

Loulu (Pritchardia spp.) Hats may be made from the leaves. The leaf may also be used as an umbrella to protect against rain or sun. The plant resembles a small palm fan.

Makaloa (Cyperus laevigatus) The stems of the plants may be used to make the fine Ni'ihau mats.

Mao (Gossypium tomentosum) Leaves may be used to make green dye and the flower petals to make yellow dye. The flower is small and yellow.

Milo (Thespesia populnea) Many uses including tree for shade, wood for calabashes, and other parts of the tree for medicine,dye, oil, and gum. The flower is pale yellow and tuberous.

Naio (Myoporum sandwicense) Dark yellow-green wood, it is scented like sandalwood. Used as posts in house construction and as fishing tools. The small delicate flowers are white.

Naupaka (Scaevola taccada) The bark may be used to treat skin diseases. The leaves can be used for indigestion. The berries are edible. The small delicate flowers have a Hawaiian legend and are white.

Niu (Cocos nucifera) All parts of the tree may be used. The "nut" provides food and water. The leaves may be weaved. The wood may be carved. It looks like a tall, very slender coconut palm.

Ohelo Kai (Lycium sandwicense) The salty berries are sometimes eaten. The berries are relatively large, round and bright red.

Pau O Hi'iaka (Jacquemontia ovalifolia) Stems and leaves are used as a cathartic and for treating thrush. This is the vine that protected Hi'iaka from the sun while Pele was fishing. It grows like a ground cover and the flowers are white.

Pohinahina (Vitex rotundifolia) The leaves are fragrant. It may be used medicinally. The plant grows like a ground cover on the sand.

Pohuehue (Ipomoea pes-caprae) The vines may be used to drive fish into nets or to make the sea rough for surfing. The roots, stems, and seeds may be used for medicine, though *poisonous* in large amounts. The small flowers resemble lavender morning glories.

Popolo (Solanum americanum) The young shoots and leaves may be eaten as greens. The plant may be used for medicine and ceremonies. The small berries are round and black.

Uhaloa (Waltheria indica) Leaves and inner bark of root are very bitter and are used for tea or chewed to relieve sore throat. This is one of the plant forms of the pig demigod Kamapua'a. The small clusters of flowers are yellow.

Wiliwili (Erythrina sandwicensis) Seeds and flowers are used for leis. Wood is very light and used for surfboards, canoe outriggers, and net floats.

Ohai (Sesbania tomentosa) Ohai is an endangered species known only from a few spots in the wild on Maui. The Kanaha Beach plants originate from remnant plants on West Maui. The flowers are red.

Popolo (Solanum nelsonii) The Popolo is unfortunately extinct on Maui. Kanaha Beach plants come from remnant plants at Ilio Point on the island of Moloka'i. The flowers are lavender and purple.

Ihi (Portulaca molokiniensis) Ihi is an endangered species. Plants at Kanaha Beach are from plants on Molokini.

Bacopa (Bacopa monnieri) Bacopa is common in the freshwater wetlands at Kanaha Beach on Maui. The small delicate flowers are white.

Hao (Rauvolfia sandwicensis) Hao is a coastal tree. The small delicate flowers are pale yellow.
Ilie'e (Plumbago zeylanica) Ilie'e is a native understory herb. The small delicate flowers are white.

10% of the insects found at Kanaha Beach are native, and many of these can found no where else in the world.

Much of Kanaha Beach is designated critical habitat by the USFWS

Kanaha Beach Park is occasionally visited by native seabirds, waterbirds, and seasonal migrants. There are also many lowland introduced birds. The birds may be found on the sand dunes, in the scattered coastal wetlands, and in the developed beach park.

Endangered Hawaiian stilts (aeo) may be found in the restored seasonal wetlands of Kanaha Beach after heavy rains raise the water levels in nearby Kanaha Pond. Endangered Hawaiian coots (alae keokeo) and Hawaiian ducks (koloa) can be seen in the canal that empties into the ocean at Ka'a point.

Kanaha Beach is a release sight for native seabirds that become grounded.

Kanaha Beach is also rich with many types of native and non-native Limu (marine algae). The limu is utilized locally as food.

Kauila and the Sea Turtles of Punalu`u

Hawaiian legend, as recorded by historian Mary Puku`i, describes a mystical turtle named Kauila that makes her home at Punalu`u in the magnificent district of Ka`u. Kauila is the daughter of two different kinds of supernatural sea turtles that come to Punalu`u long ago. Kauila was born from a special egg resembling a piece of kauila wood buried by her mother in the warm black sand. Before returning to the sea, Kauila`s parents dug into the earth and created a freshwater spring named "Ka wai hu o Kauila--The rising water of Kauila."
Kauila was empowered with the ability to change herself from a turtle into human form. During the daytime Kauila would play with the children along the shoreline and keep watch over them. When Kauila wanted to sleep in her home underwater, she transformed herself back into a turtle. The people of Ka`u loved Kauila as the guardian of their children and also for her spring that gave them pure drinking water.