Moanalua facts for kids
Moanalua is a special place in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. It's a valley, a stream, and a neighborhood where people live. It's also known as an ahupuaʻa, which is an ancient Hawaiian land division that stretches from the mountains to the sea. Moanalua goes from behind the Salt Lake crater all the way up to the top of the Koʻolau Range mountains.
Nearby areas include Salt Lake and Māpunapuna to the south, Fort Shafter to the east, and Red Hill and Hālawa Valley to the west. Moanalua is part of the 15th District in the Hawaii Senate and the 32nd District in the Hawaii House of Representatives. These districts help represent the people living in Moanalua in the state government.
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Where is Moanalua Located?
The Moanalua neighborhood covers a few different areas. One part goes up Ala Aolani Street into the valley. Another part stretches east along the lower hills towards Fort Shafter and into a smaller valley called Manaiki Stream. This area includes Tripler Army Medical Center, which is a large hospital on a hill, and Moanalua Gardens, a beautiful park below it.
Moanalua's Interesting History
The land of Moanalua has a long and fascinating history. In 1884, a man named Samuel Mills Damon received the Moanalua ahupuaʻa (land division). He inherited it from Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a Hawaiian princess. Before her, the land had been passed down through many important Hawaiian figures, including King Kamehameha V.
Samuel Damon later became one of the first people to help manage the Kamehameha Schools. These schools were started by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop and her husband to educate Hawaiian children. In 1956, the Damon family sold much of the Moanalua land to build homes and businesses. Moanalua Elementary School was also started in this area way back in 1884.
Discover Waiʻapuka Ponds
Waiʻapuka, sometimes called Waipuka, is a series of three lovely ponds. They are a small part of the Kamanaiki stream. The water in these ponds comes from an underground spring, making them a very pretty spot. There is also an ancient Hawaiian temple, called a Heiau, located further past the ponds. Long ago, these ponds were a special bathing place for Hawaiian chiefs, known as Aliʻi.
To reach the ponds, you can take a trail that starts off Onipaʻa Street. The hike usually takes about 15 to 30 minutes. Old writings tell us that the land around these ponds was once home to many people, including chiefs who ruled this valley. This is shown by the old stone walls that can still be seen today.
The area has two main parts:
- Kamana Nui: This is the larger western part of Moanalua Valley, where Moanalua Gardens is located.
- Kamana Iki: This is the smaller eastern part of Moanalua Valley. The Waiʻapuka ponds are near the entrance of Kamana Iki Valley. It was a place where chiefs would bathe after playing games and wrestling.
Exploring Moanalua Gardens
Moanalua Gardens is a wonderful park located inland from the Interstate H-201, also known as the Moanalua Freeway. You can find it off Exit 3. One of the most famous trees in the gardens is a large monkey pod tree. This tree is so well-known that it appears in Japanese TV commercials for a company called Hitachi! In Japan, people sometimes call it the "Hitachi tree."
The gardens were a gift to the public from Samuel Damon and have been cared for by a special trust since he passed away in 1924. It was one of the very first public parks in Hawaiʻi, even though it is still privately owned. It's a great place to visit and enjoy nature.
