Chants, drums and hikers greet year’s first light

Under clear skies and a nearly full moon, an estimated 500 people participated in the annual First Day Hike up the Makapuu Point Lighthouse Trail at Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline, the Department of Land and Natural Resources reported.

The hikers watched the first sunrise of 2018 at 7:09 a.m.

The hike, in its seventh year, is organized by DLNR’s Division of State Parks. The New Year’s Day hikes are held across the nation.

State Parks Administrator Curt Cottrell has organized Hawaii’s since its beginning, and the event has grown from rather modest beginnings to a bucket list item for many local folks and visitors from all over the world.

As part of the event, participants also enjoyed a multicultural celebration of the new year that included Gabriel Spencer blowing a pu (conch shell) in all four cardinal directions at the very moment of sunrise, followed by a Native Hawaiian chant from Halau Mele, as well as a performance by a pair of bagpipers from Celtic Pipes and Drums of Hawaii, followed by young drummers from the Taiko Center of the Pacific.

“The celebration of our local host culture, combined with Asian and European cultures, in such an amazing setting really does give you chicken skin,” Cottrell said. “No one ever walks away from our First Day Hike disappointed.”