"North Shore Place Names," by John R.K. Clark (University of Hawai‘i Press, $25)
Review by Alex Alba
Special to the Star-Advertiser
Names hold deep meaning and significance for Hawaiians. As with his "Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions From the Past," John R.K. Clark’s "North Shore Place Names" delves deep into the rich treasury of Hawaiian-language newspapers to curate a collection of primary resource material that not only identifies Hawaiian-named places from Kahuku to Kaena Point, but provides indispensable context as well.
The book arranges Hawaiian place names alphabetically, accompanied by newspaper references quoted in their original Hawaiian and meticulously translated into English by Keao NeSmith. These descriptions paint a vivid portrait of life on the North Shore from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Kahuku, known for its sprawling pandanus groves, is often referred to as "ulu hala o Kahuku."
Kaiaka, one of two prominent bays in Waialua, is named for a high-ranking alii of the region. A well-known Waialua surfing spot, Puaena, was named after Kaiaka’s wife, who would often walk along the beach there.
A famous spring in Kahuku, Punamano, comes by its name through a legend about a shark raised in its waters. The shark’s caretakers planted a breadfruit tree near the spring, and the shark was its guardian. When a man was caught stealing breadfruit from the tree, the shark ate him. The storyteller mentions he is afraid of the spring due to its dark patches.
Clark selected many references that featured poetry or editorials written by North Shore residents, rich with affectionate recollections and eloquent descriptions of these places, reflecting the significance of the sites to their lives and families.
We learn that putting these original place names into context paints a clearer, more diverse portrait of the North Shore than those found in popular media. "North Shore Place Names" is well organized in design, making it easy to rifle through the book’s 300-plus pages and discover humorous accounts of the preponderance of stray animals or read loving, poetic laments such as one resident’s on the death of King Kamehameha IV.
An intricate index also provides efficient means to find other references to a place name in other sections of the book.
Readers gain not only a deeper understanding of the North Shore and its vast importance to Hawaiians, but also a vital appreciation of the Hawaiian language and its people, culture and history.
This book is a fantastic resource for those interested in learning more about original names along a coast where so many have been lost to time and development.
