Hawaiians elders say that Kalahuipuaa is a piko, or spiritual center, set among the tallest (Mauna Kea) and the largest (Mauna Loa) mountains on Earth. Danny Akaka, director of cultural affairs for the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, believes the ancients were drawn there for that reason.

“Alii (royalty) and kahuna nui (high priests) regarded this area of the Kohala Coast as a place of spiritual renewal and healing where they could absorb their strength from the surrounding mountains,” said Akaka, a respected kahu (Hawaiian minister), teacher, musician, storyteller and cultural practitioner. “Hawaiian priestess Auntie Emma DeFries chose the name ‘Mauna Lani’ for the resort that was built on this land in the 1980s. It means ‘heavenly mountains,’ which shows reverence and respect for the mountains, and this place does have a special aura.”

That mana (spirit) is evident during “Twilight at Kalahuipuaa,” a monthly cultural celebration that Akaka hosts on the Saturday closest to the full moon. The idea for the program traces back to discussions by Friends of the Future (fofhawaii.org), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that community leaders Kenny Brown and George Kanahele formed in 1988 “to facilitate a vision of lokahi — harmony and balance — among the diverse peoples of Hawaii … to continuously improve our communities.”

Akaka and Mark McGuffie, Mauna Lani’s resident manager at the time, brought the idea to fruition with an event that recalls days past when families and neighbors in Hawaii gathered regularly to sing, dance and “talk story.” Mauna Lani’s seaside Eva Parker Woods Cottage (see sidebar), with its broad lanai to serve as a stage, was the perfect venue.

Only about a dozen of Akaka’s friends and family attended the inaugural “Twilight at Kalahuipuaa” on Sept. 13, 1997. He was the sole person on the program, and there was no sound system and no lighting except for a single kerosene-type lamp.

“Still, everyone enjoyed it, and the hotel’s executives and I saw it had promise and decided to continue it,” Akaka said. “Word spread, and today ‘Twilight’ draws an average of 400 people every month.”

Over the years, participants have included kupuna (elders); paniolo (cowboys); kumu hula (hula masters); crew members of the Hokule‘a, Hawaii’s famed double-hulled voyaging canoe; and notable local entertainers such as Auntie Genoa Keawe, Mahi Beamer, Nina Kealiiwahamana, Danny Kaleikini, Emma Veary, Brother Noland, Cyril and Martin Pahinui, Dennis Kamakahi, Amy Hanaiali‘i, Raiatea Helm and Jake Shimabukuro.

During one program early on, Kenny Brown, then the chairman of Mauna Lani, sang favorite family songs and reminisced about times he had spent at Kalahuipuaa with his uncle Francis Ii Brown, who owned the property back then. After his presentation, Brown asked Akaka to call up “Uncle Don.”

“The sun had just set, and I couldn’t see the audience’s faces,” Akaka said. “I didn’t know who Uncle Don was, but I asked if he could join me on the lanai. Well, lo and behold, out of the darkness walks Don Ho! His stories about getting started in the entertainment industry mesmerized the crowd. He also sang a few songs that weren’t in his repertoire for his Waikiki show.”

Every “Twilight” program offers that same element of surprise because Akaka keeps the featured guests a closely guarded secret in hopes that people will attend no matter who’s scheduled to appear. According to him, “Twilight” is not structured, nor is it a “performance”; rather, it is joyful, spontaneous, heartfelt sharing.

“It’s like the old days at your auntie’s house,” Akaka said. “A few people are ‘talking story’ and jamming in the backyard or living room. Someone plays a song, and a couple of people start dancing or singing along. Pretty soon, auntie, cousins and kids are all dancing and everyone else is singing. So much aloha! That’s what ‘Twilight at Kalahuipuaa’ is — an outpouring of aloha.”

Cultural activities

In addition to hosting “Twilight at Kalahuipuaa,” Akaka leads free cultural activities (coconut frond weaving, hula and ukulele lessons, and of throw-net fishing demonstrations) and a one-hour weekly tour of Mauna Lani’s seven fishponds, which date as far back as 250 B.C.

The ancient Hawaiians used the ponds to raise mullet, milkfish, shrimp and more for consumption by the alii (royalty). Stops are also made to view Hawaiian petroglyphs. The historical tour and cultural activities are available only to hotel guests. Schedules vary; call the concierge for details.

Nightly room rates at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows start at $390 through Dec. 31. Kamaaina rates begin at $189 per night through Dec. 23. Check maunalani.com/kamaaina year-round for kamaaina specials.

Eva Parker Woods Cottage

In the 1920s Frank Woods and his wife, Eva Parker Woods, built a three-bedroom guesthouse at Kalahuipuaa, which was a fishing community in ancient times. Woods was a cattle rancher, sugar plantation owner and government official. He and Eva, who was also his cousin, were great-grandchildren of John Palmer Parker, founder of Parker Ranch.

The late Francis Ii Brown, a politician descended from alii who’s remembered as one of Hawaii’s greatest golfers, purchased Kalahuipuaa from Parker Ranch heirs in 1932. As it had been for Hawaiian royalty in the past, it became a refuge for him, his family and friends.

Mauna Lani built a replica of the Eva Parker Woods Cottage in the early 1980s, near the site of the original cottage, which was torn down in the late 1970s. It’s now a museum that is usually open to the public from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

On display at the museum are historic photos of Kalahuipuaa and replicas of traditional fishhooks, gear and supplies. Of particular interest is a replica of a centuries-old koa canoe paddle that was found in a shelter cave in the area.