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LAU'AE, MAILE-SCENTED FERN
(Phymatosorus scolopendria)

Laua'e fern creeps along the ground and forms masses of flat, deeply lobed, glossy, leaves that rise up shiny black stems from scaly, creeping rhizomes. The "native" laua'e grows from tropical Africa to Henderson Island in Eastern Polynesia and was introduced and naturalized in Hawaii by early settlers. It is probably the most common and widespread fern in Polynesia, where it grows in a wide variety of habitats from coral rock crevices and scrub vegetation near sea level on atolls and high islands to crawling over tree trunks at around 1300 feet in the rain forests.

After 1900, a larger variety of the plant was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands which became a favorite of contemporary landscapers. This variety was also called laua'e. Though often not as fragrant as the earlier introduction, the new variety was also able to grow in shade, sun or both. Laua'e spreads easily, forming thick masses of fragrant green.

The leaves smell like maile and are often used for table decorations at luau or as additions to lei.
Laua'e has two types of leaves, vegetative and spore-bearing. The vegetative leaves are broader than the spore-bearers. The spore form in little round hollows under the leaves called "sori" that dot the leaves in lines on either side of the prominent midrib. The upper surface of the spore-bearing fronds is dotted with elevations that are another distinguishing feature of the leaves.
Laua'e is celebrated in songs and chants. Kalalau and Makana on Kauai are especially noted for the growth and fragrance of the leaves. Often the leaves are combined with the fruit of the hala (pandanus) in lei because of an old song that says,

Aia ka laua'e o Makana I uka
Loa'a ka hala 'ula I kai
Huipu'ia e Iponoenoelaua'e I Ha'ena
Ka makani ki'i wahine a Lohi'auipo.

The laua'e of Makana is upland
The hala 'ula is seaward
The two are united by
Iponoenoelaua'e of Ha'ena
The female-fetching wind of Lohi'auipo.

Lohi'au became famous as the handsome young chief who captured the hearts of two goddesses, Pele and Hi'iaka, and the lei of laua'e leaves and hala fruits is a reminder of that famous love triangle and the cycle of stories connected to it.
In most of Polynesia where the laua'e grows, it is used extensively in medicinal remedies for inflammations, gastrointestinal ailments, boils and sores. In the Society and Austral islands, it is also used in remedies for treating fractures, sprains and internal injuries that have not properly healed. Hawaiians did not use the plant so much for these things for they had other, more favored remedies.

Hawaiians used laua'e for perfuming their kapa, adding it to the dyes before applying them to the pounded bark cloth . The perfume plant most frequently added to a dye was the native fern laua'e. The fronds were first heated with hot stones and the fragrant sap pressed out. This was mixed with oil from roasted coconut meat and added to the dye. The dye to which this perfume was added was one made from 'olena and was reserved for the malo worn by chiefs.

Lei-maker Marie A MacDonald notes that the fern is frequently called "pe'ahi" on the other islands, and on Kauai, at least, it was added to the other plans on the kuahu hula altar dedicated to the goddess of hula, Laka.
 

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Sands of Wailea

Wailea, an extensive resort complex, is a creation of Wailea Development Company (a subsidiary of Alexander and Baldwin Company) and covers 1,500 acres, including almost two miles of beaches and lava points. Begun in 1971 and still actively growing, it is comprised of home sites, condominiums and luxury hotels and a variety of recreational facilities, shops and restaurants. Wailea's first hotel, the Maui Intercontinental, welcomed its first guests in 1976.
The name "Wailea" was once just the name of a wide rocky point to the south of the widest and longest of the beaches in the resort complex. It was an area originally dedicated to Lea, the goddess of canoe-making. (Lea has since been relegated to dusty books of myth and legend. Even her bird namesake, the wren-like 'elepaio, has deserted Maui.) Lea's old wooden outriggers were once crafted with spiritual reverence within the ancient sheds which dotted the lonely coast beyond Makena. The white sand beach as well as a portion of its rocky north point was once known as "Kahamanini."

When the Matson Navigation Company purchased the two miles of coastal lands of the districts of Paeahu, Palauea, Keauhou, Kalihi, Waipao and Papa'anui, Matson named the area "Wailea" when registering title in land court. The public began calling the area by that name as well. When A&B acquired Matson in 1969, they kept the name.

Archaeological sites have been unearthed in the Wailea-Makena area. The most important ones have been placed on both the Hawaii and National Registers of Historic Places. At one reconstructed walled enclosure at Wailea Point, over 600 artifacts were unearthed. Half were prehistoric items dating back to 1350 AD, including fish bones, fishing gear, coral abraders, poi pounders and adzes. This site's original function was a boarding house assisting travelers and fishermen. Its freshwater spring dried up only recently.

During the 1940s all Maui's "Gold Coast" beaches were fortified to duplicate enemy beachheads. During the fateful four years of World War II, the Navy's Demolition Training Station at Kihei developed underwater demolition teams and experimented with anti-mine cables used on the warships. The remnants of concrete bunkers and pillboxes built by Navy Seabee battalions are still found on a few rocky points where the Fourth Marine Division rehearsed amphibious maneuvers from Ma'alaea Bay to Makena.

The resort area's crescent-shaped beaches are separated by rocky lava points and afford excellent swimming, snorkeling and bodysurfing plus unparalleled panoramas of Kahoolawe, Molokini and Lanai. From these vantage points, the West Maui Mountains and Puu Olai also appear on the horizon as domed "islands".

From north to south, the beaches are Keawakapu, Mokapu, Ulua, Wailea and Polo. All have paved, landscaped pathways, clean public facilities and public access roads clearly marked along Wailea Alanui Drive, the main thoroughfare through Wailea.

Keawakapu means "the sacred (or forbidden) harbor." The reason for that name has been lost over the years. The beaches along this side of Maui are largely unprotected by coral fringing reef offshore and historically Keawakapu has suffered the worst property damage during severe kona storms that occasionally rampage through the area eroding the beachfront. (Mostly this is because, of all the beaches, Keawakapu has historically had a large residential shoreline community.)

In 1957 the Division of Fish and Game of the State Dept. of Land and Natural Resources started studying the effects of artificial reef shelters on standing crops of fish. Early attempts using specially fabricated boxlike concrete structures proved successful in increasing the fish populations in areas lacking natural shelters. The division constructed four artificial reefs using car bodies and damaged concrete pipes. Three of these reefs were located on Oahu. The fourth was at Keawakapu. In August, 1962, 150 car bodies were hauled out to the reef site from Honolulu by a chartered barge and tug. The bodies were sunk about 400 yards offshore from Keawakapu at depths of 80 to 85 feet, and the fish population improved significantly.
In 1983 the state dedicated a new launching ramp for Maui boaters on the shoreline between Keawakapu Beach and Kama'ole III Park. The old boat ramp on the south end of Kalama Beach Park officially closed on July 1, 1983.

Mokapu is an abbreviation of "moku kapu" meaning "sacred island" and refers to a former rocky offshore islet which was obliterated during World War II demolition exercises. The little island was a haven for immense flocks of sea birds like the kolea. The birds gathered on it in the evenings and on the rocky point nearby after a day of feeding in the Kula uplands. These days the former islet is just one rock of many.

Ulua Beach is one of Maui's prime snorkeling locations (especially the rocky section at its north end.) The beach is named after the ulua, a general term for the adult crevalle fish or jackfish whose many species inhabit Hawaii's waters. Ulua are voracious carnivores that feed on fish and shrimps, generally live in schools and are eagerly hunted for their scrumptious flesh. The name is an abbreviation of "Ke One Ulua," which was introduced in a pamphlet titled "Ke Alaloa o Maui", which was written by Maui historian Inez Ashdown.

During World War II, the Marines called this beach by its former name of Kaula'uo. They made numerous amphibious landings on the beach, practicing maneuvers for the invasion of Tarawa. For this reason, they called the beach Little Tarawa. That name stayed with the beach until the name Ulua Beach was introduced.

Polo Beach and its frothy shore break are crowned by the gentle dome of distant Kahoolawe. This strand was considered part of Wailea Beach by old-timers and never was given a Hawaiian name. Horses and cattle sauntered down the mountain from Ulupalakua Ranch to drink from the natural spring that emerged from the sand near the rocks. The animals were often seen pawing in the sand for the spring water on calm, low-tide days. It was called "Dead Horse Beach" during the ranching days. That wasn't a flattering name for such a lovely beach and, when the construction of the Wailea resort began, the name "Ke One o Polo" (the Sands of Polo) was given to it. The name also appeared in the pamphlet "Ke Alaloa o Maui."

Long-time residents knew it as Ferkany Beach. In 1950 Judge Cable Wirtz, who owned several acres of land adjoining the strand, sold part of it to Dr. Joseph Ferkany. There were two beach houses on it with peaked roofs that became landmarks to fishermen passing offshore in their boats. The fishermen started calling the area Ferkany Beach. In 1959, the doctor changed his name from Ferkany to Andrews. It didn't make any difference. The area was still Ferkany Beach until the resort changed the name.
 

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STANDARD: It took a while, but Learned how to do that.
BRADDAH-NICS: Before I nevah kinow, but slow by slow I went get 'em.

* * * * * * * *

STANDARD: It could be these people are snobs and aren't open to your being in their group.
BRADDAH-NICS: Eh, you no figgah that maybe these guys they no like you suck around them?

* * * * * * * *

STANDARD: She certainly looks like she comes from here.
BRADDAH-NICS: She look full-on local, yeah?
 

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Local Grinds

Pork Tofu

Ingredients:

Procedure:

Thinly slice pork into 2 by 1 in pieces. In a skillet, heat oil and simmer pork until brown. Add soy sauce, water, sugar, ginger, and onion. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Gently stir in tofu and monosodium glutamate; simmer gently an additional 3-5 minutes . Add green onions.
Makes 6 servings.
 

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Garden of the Gods - Lanai

A rather remote site located on the northern side of Lanai, the Garden of the Gods is definitely a unique destination on the island. Blanketed by reddish orange dirt with spectacular rock formations carved by thousands of years of erosion, the Garden is reminiscent of a Martian landscape. Though seemingly too dry to support life, many wild flora blossom amongst the boulders and dust, providing not only interesting viewing, but sustenance to the wild deer and fowl which roam the desolated area.

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