Life of the Land

W
hen she was 9 years old, Aletha
Kaohi spent a month living
off the land with her father
and younger brother in Miloli‘i on Kaua‘i’s
Nā Pali Coast. The place is accessible only
by boat and via a rugged trail “that’s not
recommended,” she says, “unless you’re
a goat.”
Nature provided sustenance: taro,
watercress, fish, eel, and turtle. They slept
under the stars and prepared meals over
an open fire. Parent and keiki—teacher and
students—put dried oolong leaves they had
brought with them in a glass gallon jar with
stream water and set them in the sun to brew.
“As each night fell, Papa reviewed our
activities that day and shared mo‘olelo
[stories] of places that we explored,” recalls
Kaohi, now 93. “We learned by listening and
observing, using all of our senses.”
She went on to enjoy a 37-year career
as a public librarian, assisting patrons of all
ages who were thirsty for knowledge. Her
commitment to education continues in her
current role as executive director of the
nonprofit West Kaua‘i Heritage Center.
Kaohi, whose ancestry can be traced
back 6 generations to Kaua‘i’s last king,
Kaumuali‘i, conducts 4 of the center’s
5 year-round programs, including the Waimea

Keeper of
Historic Motor Tour, which spotlights at least
3 historically significant sites in the Waimea
area. Her narratives are peppered with
anecdotes about being born and raised there.

the Stories
“Papa told me that our ancestral stories
and personal experiences are sacred and
must always be remembered,” she says.
“Sharing them is not only my kuleana
Aletha Kaohi, Hawaiian historian [responsibility], it is a blessing.”

BY CHERYL CHEE TSUTSUMI m PHOTOGRAPH BY GELSTON DWIGHT

» MOTOR TOUR West Kaua‘i Heritage Center’s

2-hour motor tour is offered on Mondays with
reservations. Adults, $10; keiki ages 5–11, $5.

40 | AAA EXPLORER JUL/AUG/SEP 2023 AAA.COM