Keauhou’s history comes alive for hotel’s guests

Partially obscured by shrubs along Keauhou Bay, the treasures of Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa had been overlooked for decades. Long forgotten, too, were their stories.

When Lily Dudoit began working at the property as a sales assistant in September 2005, she often strolled along the coastal edge of Kaukulaelae Point, where the hotel is situated. She noticed what appeared to be the remains of historical sites there, and wondered why no one was talking about them.

"I didn’t want to ask questions because I was a new employee, and I told myself I should just be quiet and do my job," Dudoit said. "In a few months I was promoted to executive assistant to the general manager. As time went on, the idea that we needed to acknowledge and preserve Keauhou’s history became a priority. The feeling that I should speak up got stronger and stronger."

Dudoit finally summoned the courage to approach her boss about researching the sites and incorporating the information in new cultural programs. To her surprise, he readily agreed.

Today,Dudoit is Sheraton Kona’s ala­kai hoo­lu­ana, director of cultural and leisure activities. Among other duties, she oversees three free historical walks that are open to the public (see sidebar).

The aina (land) and Auntie Lily Kong, a respected Hawaiian cultural resource who has lived in Keauhou all her life, were Dudoit’s guides as she developed the walks.

"When I wrote the narratives and publicity materials," Dudoit recalled, "I showed them to Auntie Lily and asked, ‘Are these OK?’ She said, ‘Lily, why are you asking me? You need to ask the place. Listen with an open mind and heart, and you’ll feel the answers in your naau (gut).’ She was right."

Overthe years, Dudoit has spent countless hours reading books, studying maps, poring over old photos and meditating at Kaukulaelae Point beside the archaeological sites. She views the walks as a way of honoring Keauhou’s past.

"I tell guests that just because we look around and see cars, roads and buildings here, it doesn’t mean the essence of Keauhou is gone," she said. "Its stories about Hawaiian values and traditions are not gone, and it’s important that we share them to keep Keauhou’s history alive. The heiau and other sites show us that Hawaiians lived here long ago. They help us remember where we came from and that there are important lessons to be learned from our ancestors."

Dudoit leads four of the five walks every week, always rejuvenated by her role as a steward of Keauhou and her interactions with visitors. "Many of them get teary-eyed," she said. "The energy at Kaukulaelae is peaceful yet powerful. It’s the land that’s really speaking to them, not me."

Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi is a Honolulu-based freelance writer whose travel features for the Star-Advertiser have won several Society of American Travel Writers awards.