Natural History

Paperbark, Cajeput Tree
(Melaleuca quinquenervia)

The easiest way to identify a paperbark tree is by its many-layered, peeling, tissue-soft, spongy, tan-colored bark. This special bark provides fire protection for the plant. The plant is native to eastern Australia, New Guinea and New Caledonia. The trees, which can grow to 40 feet high, were introduced from Florida in 1920 and planted extensively by foresters. Nearly two million trees were planted throughout the islands, especially in dry to moderately moist forests.

They are tough, strong-growing plants and an "aggressive colonizer." Their seeds have spread into the lowland forests, crowding out native species. Not only are they able to tolerate waterlogged soil (which makes them suited for areas with a lot of rainfall), but, once established, they can also tolerate drought. (In parts of Florida, they've become a major pest.) Locally, they are especially abundant in Olinda, Haiku and along the Hana Highway, and have been used as roadside plantings in some of the older subdivisions in the upcountry area.

Paperbark is part of the myrtle family which has about 150 broadleaf evergreen trees and shrubs that include the honey myrtle, the bottlebrush and the Australian tea tree. The tree looks like a cross between a bottle brush and a eucalyptus.

Paperbark leaves tend to be oval to oblong and can be curved or straight. They are from 2 to 8 inches long and about half an inch wide, with from three to seven longitudinally parallel veins.

Cylindrical spikes of cream-colored flowers appear in the spring and are 2 to 6 inches long. (There is a variety that produces pink flowers.) The flowering spikes are usually produced at the branch tips with small spherical or hemispherical capsules found below the flowers. One to three flowering spikes, more or less interrupted, develop at a branch tip. Later the branch lengthens beyond the spike of fruiting capsules and bears a new set of leaves and the tip flowers again. The fruiting capsules are spherical or hemispherical

In other parts of the world, cajeput oil extracted from paperbark leaves is a valuable external medicine for rheumatism and skin disorders. The wood is also valuable for building material and for fuel. It is often used for posts and in shipbuilding. The bark is sometimes used for caulking, packing and for torches.

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Arts & Culture

Kamehameha Gets Called Out

Driving around familiar neighborhoods taking care of the everyday things of modern life, you tend to forget that every place you drive past holds a bit of history, a piece of the story of this place. If you're driving on the Hana Highway and happen to look up towards the mountains just before Holokai Road, somewhere between the 15- and 16-mile markers, you'll notice there is a hill visible about a mile up. This hill was famous during the late 1700's when the young, Big Island chieftain Kamehameha was making his move to stake a claim to island of Maui. Kamehameha had been raised on the Big Island by his mother's family and was a warrior's warrior, skilled in all the arts of war.

He was camped at that hill with his army, preparing to do battle with his arch-enemy Kahekili, Maui's high chief, who (some say) was actually Kamehameha's father. High Chief Kahekili sent his best warrior to repel Kamehameha, and the two men met in a fierce battle in the area beyond the hill, at Kokomo.

It is said that the night before the battle, Kamehameha asked his feathered war god, Ku-ka-ili-moku, for an omen of how the battle would go the next day. He made a procession around the camp with the god held high and his priests watched how the top feathers bristled as they walked. The feathers stood up erect and tall; the victory would be Kamehameha's, the priests predicted.

When the armies met to do battle, as was the custom, the two leaders hurled insults at each other. Kahekili's champion scored a palpable "hit" when he mocked Kamehameha by saying that the chieftain had no royal blood, but was, instead, descended from slaves. Kamehameha roared in rage. The two chiefs flung sling stones at each other, then charged forward with spears. During the fight, Kamehameha landed a vicious blow with his leiomanu, a club studded with shark's teeth, opening the Maui warrior's chest. Then he slipped past the dying man's stab with a wooden dagger, and finished him off with a second blow to the head.

The Maui troops were demoralized by their leader's death and the battle soon became a rout. It was the start of a successful campaign that eventually ended with Kamehameha as ruler of the island of Maui.
 

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Hawaiiana

SOUTH MAUI 

We hope you enjoyed our central Maui information. Now on to South Maui!
 

Kīhei:
Shawl, cape, cloak

Mā’alaea:
Ocherous earth beginnings

Keawakapu:
The sacred (or forbidden)

Wailea:
Water of Lea (said to be the name of a canoe maker’s goddess and the name of a fish god that stands on this point)

Mākena:
Abundance

Also known as “Big Beach” or “Long Sands” (Oneloa)

Keone’ō’īo:
The Sandy (place with) bonefish

‘Āhihikīna’u:
Entwined flaw

This natural reserve area was established in 1973 by the State Board of Land & Natural Resources. It includes the lava flows which formed cape Kīna’u, developing dryland vegetation, an inshore marine ecosystem and the mixohaline ponds.

Pu’u Ōla’i:
Earthquake hill

Its many titles include “Little Beach”, “Millers Hill”, “Red Hill”, and “Round Mountain”.

Oneuli:
Dark sand

Oneuli is regularly pronounced Onouli by many locals and is also known as “Naupaka Beach” or “Black Sand Beach”.

Po’olenalena:
Yellow Head
Po’olenalena is the name of a large rock that is considerably rounded and has natural yellow streaks on its sides. The rock is on the fifth hole of the Wailea Blue Golf Course Fairway, which is across the street from the beach. The beach was named after the rock.

This beach is also known as “Chang Beach”, named from the old Chang family of Mākena that farmed land just above this part of the island. When fishermen came about this spot, they referred to it as “Chang Beach”.

Palau’ea:
Reddish brown sweet potato

Mōkapu:
Sacred District

Kama’ole:
Childless

This land division consists of three beach parks: Kama’ole I, Kama’ole II, and Kama’ole III.

Kalama:
The torch

This beach was named for Samuel E. Kalama (1869-1933). He was the chairman of the Maui Board of Supervisors from 1913 to 1933, which was similar to the position of mayor at the time.

Kalepolepo:
The dirt

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Braddah-Nics Lexicon

STANDARD: How are you?
BRADDAH-NICS: So....what? Goin' good?

* * * * * *

STANDARD: How are you?
BRADDAH-NICS: 'Sup?

* * * * * *

STANDARD: How are you?
BRADDAH-NICS: How you stay?

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Local Grinds

Lumpia
Ingredients: 

• Vegetable oil
• 1 lb. Ground pork
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup minced carrots
• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 1 cup thinly sliced green cabbage
• Pepper
• Salt
• Garlic powder
• Soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• 25 lumpia wrappers
   

Procedure:

Cut the onion, carrots, green onion, and cabbage. Crush the cloves of garlic. Cook ground pork in a large skillet with about a tablespoon of oil. Add about 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and cook pork until there is no pink visible. Drain oil from pork when done and add in the crushed garlic and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes then add the carrots, green onion, and cabbage. Cook for about 7 more minutes, adding pepper, salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce for taste. Once everything is done cooking, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Make sure lumpia wrappers are defrosted and separate each lumpia wrapper. When a lumpia wrapper is peeled place it on a plate under a damp cloth or paper towel, so the lumpia wrappers don’t dry out.

Take a lumpia wrapper and spoon on about 2 tablespoons of the filling and place at the end of the wrapper, then wrap. Follow picture to see how to wrap the lumpia.

Continue wrapping the lumpia until there are no wrappers or filling left. Now we have to fry them. Put about ½ an inch depth of oil into the skillet and let the oil heat up over medium heat. Slide 4 or 5 lumpia into the oil. Fry the rolls until all sides are golden brown. Then take out of skillet and drain on a paper towel. Serve right away and enjoy!

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