Mānā: Arid

An ahupua‘a of the Kona district. Also a ridge. The western boundary abuts the rugged cliffs of Miloli‘i and Nā Pali; the eastern border Wai‘awa ahupua‘a. Originally the land slopes from the mountains, drops over a cliff-like formation, and then consists of a reedy marsh with open ponds, and the long sand dunes and beaches lining its entire length.

*During the twelfth century, many voyaging canoes traveled between Kahiki and Hawai’i. One of these paddlers settled at Mānā, having come to admire ka moena hohola o Mānā, the unfolding mat of Mānā. He lived on the one kani, barking sands, and could look north to Polihale and south to Waimea and see nothing but an unending sandy beach. He went to visit a friend in Kona in Hawai’i but soon became homesick and brought his friend with him to show him the beauties of ka moena hohola o Mānā, the unfolding mat of Mānā. [Wichman: More Kaua’i Tales]

One section of the dunes are called The Barking Sands, because any disturbance of the sand causes a far-away sound of dogs barking.

Ke-one-kani-o-Nohili, The-barking-sands-of-Nohili

Large sand dunes at Kapu-`ai point where the Mānā coastline angles sharply to the west. [PEM] [POP][Geo] [Alex 1900]

 *Nohili, Tedious and slow, was a fisherman who had nine dogs. When he canoed out to sea, he tethered the dogs, tying three to each of three sturdy pegs driven into the sand. Once he was caught in a terrible storm which blew him almost to Nihoa Island. The nine dogs barked and barked, first to warn him, then to guide him home. They jumped, turned, twisted, and spun around and around their pegs, constantly barking. When Nohili reached home again, he found no trace of the dogs except great circles around each of the pegs. But as he walked, he heard his dogs barking deep inside the sand where, in their frenzy, they had dug themselves. (Kauai Tales)

 Oki pau ka hana i ke one kani o Nohili. 

 Strange indeed are the activities at the sounding sands of Nohili. 

 Barking Sands beach was believed to be the haunt of ghosts. Said of a person whose behavior is peculiar. (Pukui 2468)

The marshes teemed with marsh and ocean birds. The mirage of Mānā was famous and could often be seen at twilight on the nights of Kāne. [Geo]

*When she came to Kaua`i, Kapo-kina’u-’ula introduced the lei made of kauna’oa-lei, Cuscuta sandwichiana Choisy, , a parasitical vine with orange stems, native to these islands. It was called "the motherless plant" because it is a parasite.

 Kauna’oa vine, vine of Mānā

 How I love that orphan vine

 A proverb applied to a loved individual who has no home or family. [Neal:710]

Kapo-kina’u-`ula was a goddess of the hula, practitioner of medicine (especially mental diseases), and of poison. She was the sister of Pele, the volcano goddess, and of Nā-maka-o-kaha’i, goddess of the ocean. She came to Kaua’i from the west when Mano-ka-lani-pō was Ruling Chief, circa 1200 A.D. She married one of her hand-maidens, Moe-haunaka, to Limaloa (konohiki chief of Mānā, brother of Lohiau, Pele`s lover who became Hi’iaka-i-ka-poli-o-Pele`s husband).

*See legend of Uwe‘uwelekā"hau in Fornander.