Manoa - The Story of a Valley
A Narrative of Achievement
Malama o Manoa recognizes that the unique multicultural history of
Manoa Valley needs to be collected and shared in educational programs
and publications. The human settlement of the valley reaches back over
a thousand years when Native Hawaiians occupied the area both for
extensive taro cultivation as well as royal residences. A few remnants
of this ancient civilization still survive in the valley in the form of
sacred temple sites and taro terracing walls. The legends, place names
and traditions of the Hawaiian culture still abound in the oral
traditions and memories of long-time residences. In the 19th century,
the valley was used for ranching as well as suburban development for
many of the haole or Caucasian residents of Honolulu. The cottage-style
homes which were constructed between 1890-1940 are among some of the
best examples of the distinct "Hawaiian style" designs which integrated
western and Polynesian forms. During the twentieth century, Chinese and
Japanese farmers cultivated the upper recesses of the valley with taro
farms, piggeries and flower orchards.
Chronicling this fascinating story of Polynesian, western and Asian
cultures in the valley, documenting the people, places and events that
comprised Manoa's dynamic past, was the goal of a group of long-time
residents under the leadership of Beatrice Krauss, a "living treasure"
of Hawai'i's ethnobotany. Ms. Krauss and a dozen other amateur
historians began to comb the archives looking for relevant materials as
well as interviewing those individuals who families had helped settle
the valley. After nearly sixteen years, their effort was ready to be
reviewed for publication when Malama o Manoa agreed to sponsor, market
and promote the manuscript. With an agreement from Mutual Publishing to
print the book, Malama o Manoa helped to underwrite the costs though
seeking the support of generous sponsors and donors. The membership
sells the book through community outlets such as banks, drugstores and
other shops. The proceeds from the sales go into a newly created
perpetual educational endowment fund, the interest from which helps
fund other educational projects in the Manoa community.
The results of these combined efforts was Manoa: the Story of a Valley,
a handsomely produced contribution to local history in Hawaii. A true
community effort to initiate a neighborhood history project, the work
has sold-out the original 4,000 copy printing, as well as a second
printing already completed. With over 150 photographs and a 230 page
text, the story of the valley is richly told both through narrative
history, personal recollections and recorded legends. All the various
ethnic groups which comprise the valley's past are represented in a
culturally respectful and accurate light. Through the geographic
division of the chapters, the emphasis of the text is upon the "sense
of place" to instill in the reader an appreciation for specific places,
what was there in the past as well as what can be found in that area in
the present
One of the major long-term goals of this book project is to serve as a
catalyst for other Hawaii neighborhoods to collect, chronicle and
perpetuate their history for the sake of preserving their precious
"sense of place." Since Manoa: The Story of a Valley
is not a wholly academic work, but a community history project, the
design and content can stimulate other places to begin the process of
doing "nearby history" as soon as possible.
Malama o Manoa is currently initiating another oral history project to
record the remembrances of valley residents who constitute our
"kupuna," elders who have lived in the valley for 50 years or more and
who are 65 years of age or older. Once a year the group sponsors a
"Kupuna Supper" to honor these "living treasures" who provide us an
important window to the past. A project to offer historic walking tours
of various valley areas for school children and residents is another
effort currently being planned by Malama o Manoa.
Manoa is blessed with many talented residents and all of these
worthwhile historical projects are been done completely by volunteers
who feel that the valley is a very special place. Malama o Manoa has
helped to galvanize these volunteer efforts in a way which can be an
inspiration to other communities that perceive the importance of our
islands' multicultural heritage.
We're very sorry but this book is sold out and out of print.
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