E ulu, e ulu kini o ke Akua
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O, GROW, O GROW MULTITUDE OF GODS
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Our learning trip to the waiheʻe water tunnel & waterfall
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Having the opportunity to go to the Waiheʻe water tunnel was one of the coolest experiences I endured. The waterfall itself was something I hiked from time to time, but it was on this learning trip that I finally got to go inside those big doors that went into the mountain rather than just passing and staring each time I went. Before going we were asked by our teacher if we knew the wai of our community and I didnʻt have a solid answer for him. I knew there was water flowing through my city but little did I know the vastness of it all. It was at the water tunnel that I learned there were 4 whole water tunnels in my Waimānalo alone. And so I made a promise to myself to learn more about it so that I could cherish it more.
We walked 1500 feet though the tunnel into the mountain (the only water tunnel on Oʻahu with a full dike wall, the rest half) where we were able to drink straight from the cracks the water seeping through. Some even bring water bottles and ziplocks to fill up because of how precious this water was. My favorite memory from this trip was towards the end when we were beginning to head back out of the tunnel. We all turned off our wind-up flashlights and stood in a circle, completely pitch dark. We chanted e o mai and it gave me chills that I never felt before. After we chanted anakala shared his manaʻo with us about his significance of the water tunnel. He reminded us that a whole population of one million Hawaiians pre-Cook were able to sustain and protect this wai. He reminded us how dependent we are on the "outside ship" and there has to be a better way. Iʻll always remember this conscious responsibility he instilled in me and hopefully my classmates too. |