| Nuʻuanu Pali | |
|---|---|
 Looking towards the northernKoʻolau Range from the Nuʻuanu Pali overlook | |
| Elevation | 1,168 ft (356 m)[1] |
| Traversed by |  Route 61 |
| Location |  Hawaii United States |
| Coordinates | 21°22′01″N157°47′36″W / 21.3668482°N 157.7933264°W /21.3668482; -157.7933264 |
| Topo map | USGS Honolulu |
  The pass is located inHonolulu County | |
Nuʻuanu Pali is a section of the windward cliff (pali[2] inHawaiian) of theKoʻolau mountain located at the head of Nuʻuanu Valley[3] on the island ofOʻahu. It has a panoramic view of the windward (northeast) coast of Oʻahu. The Pali Highway (Hawaii State Highway 61) connectingKailua/Kāneʻohe with downtownHonolulu runs through theNuʻuanu Pali Tunnels bored into the cliffside.
The area is also the location of the Nuʻuanu Freshwater Fish Refuge[4] and the Nuʻuanu Reservoir[5][6] in the jurisdiction of theHawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources.
TheNuʻuanu Pali State Wayside is a lookout above the tunnels where there is a panoramic view of Oʻahu's windward side with views of Kāneʻohe,Kāneʻohe Bay, andKailua. It is also well known for strongtrade winds that blow through the pass (now bypassed by theNuʻuanu Pali Tunnels). The Nuʻuanu Pali Tunnels were built in 1958. Before this road opened, people would use what is now known as the Old Pali Road, currently a popular hiking route.[7]
The Nuʻuanu Pali has been a vital pass fromancient times to the present because it is a low, traversable section of theKoʻolau mountain range that connects the leeward side of the mountains,Honolulu to the windward side,Kailua andKāneʻohe. The route drew settlers who formed villages in the area and populated Nuʻuanu Valley for a thousand years.
The Nuʻuanu Pali was the site of theBattle of Nuʻuanu, one of the bloodiest battles in Hawaiian history, in whichKamehameha I conquered the island of Oʻahu, bringing it under his rule. In 1795 Kamehameha I sailed from his home island ofHawaiʻi with an army of 10,000 warriors, including a handful of non-Hawaiian foreigners. After conquering the islands ofMaui andMolokaʻi, he moved on to Oʻahu. The pivotal battle for the island occurred in Nuʻuanu Valley, where the defenders of Oʻahu, led byKalanikūpule, were driven back up into the valley where they were trapped above the cliff. Kamehamehaʻs warriors forced Maui Chief Kalanikupule's men to their deaths off of the cliff. Roughly 400 warriors died in this battle.[8]
In 1845 the first road was built over the Nuʻuanu Pali, to connect Windward Oʻahu with Honolulu. In 1898, as this road was developed into a highway, workers found 800 human skulls—believed to be the remains of the warriors who fell to their deaths from the cliff above.[9] This road was later replaced by thePali Highway and theNuʻuanu Pali Tunnels in 1959, which is the route used today.
The now extinct bird, theOʻahu nukupuʻu, was last collected in this valley.
There is also a legend that takes place around the Nuʻuanu Pali. This isThe Ghost Dog Legend. This legend states that when people came across this dog on the Pali, they had to turn back around or else they would not make it up the steep mountain. Because of these events, it is said that coming across this dog would lead tokaupe, meaning disaster.[10]
The Nuʻuanu Reservoir is located up the Nuʻuanu Pali heading towards Kailua, in the valley jungle. This small body of water holds various species of catfish, andpeacock bass. In efforts towards preserving the reservoir, appointments must be made half a year prior to the visiting date. This ensures a controlled number of residents that fish out of the waters, preventing overfishing. A fresh water game fishing license and an entry fishing card are required to fish there. There is a two fish per license limit, and any catfish that is 16 inches or larger must be kept.[citation needed]
The trail to Nuʻuanu began at Kalanikahua and led north of Kaumakapili Church to below the stream which flowed out of Kamanuwai pond. There the trail turned slightly to the right, went along the edge of the pond, and down into the water. Then, coming up on the bank onto Waiakemi, it led on to Waakekupua, along the bank of the taro patches, to the Pauoa stream, up to Pualoalo, and on to the gap at Nuʻuanu Pali.[11]
Two large stones near the back of Nuʻuanu Valley, Hapuʻu and Ka-lae-hau-ola, were said to represent a pair of goddesses who were guardians of the passage down the pali. Travellers would leave offerings of flowers orkapa (bark cloth) to ensure a safe trip, and parents buried the umbilical cords of newborns under the stones as a protection against evil.[12]
According to legend, the pass is inhabited by amoʻo wahine, a lizard who takes the form of a beautiful woman and leads male travelers to their deaths off the cliff, similar to a westernpoltergeist ormermaid.
Hawaiian folklore holds that people should never carrypork over Nuʻuanu Pali, especially at night.Pele, the volcano goddess, was responsible for preventing passage due to her contest withKamapua'a, a half human, half hog god, and would not allow him (in the form of pork) totrespass on her side of the island.[7]
"Pali Gap" (Nu'uanu Pali into English) is the title of a track from the posthumous 1971 albumRainbow Bridge by the guitaristJimi Hendrix.
'The Pali', together with surrounding areas such asTantalus Crater, is the main setting in the novelMicro by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston.
The 2015 moviePali Road is named for the old road over the Pali, although most of the action takes place elsewhere on Oahu.
Nuʻuanu, the principlevalley ofHonoluluahupuaʻa on the Island ofOʻahu, in theHawaiian chain. Nuʻuanu reaches fromHonolulu Harbor to the famous Nuʻuanu Pali.
Despite its industrial name, the Nuʻuanu Reservoir is all nature. Hidden behind the tall trees on the town side of thePali tunnels (and perhaps outshined by the nearby Pali Lookout), thereservoir is an unexpected haven of too-good-to-be-true beauty. TheDepartment of Land and Natural Resources controls the area but it issues permits to the public to picnic and fish… There is a movement underway by the Friends of Nuʻuanu Reservoir to turn the place into a public park…
Theclams are just one of the surprises here, high in Nuʻuanu Valley onOʻahu. The lake, which once supplied drinking water toHonolulu, is also home tocichlids andtilapia. Even more surprising—in a land better known forsaltwaterfishing—these fresh waters yieldchannel catfish reaching over 20 pounds.
