Hoku's Moloka'i Memories

April 2005

Being just one of two girls to attend ecology camp from Moanalua (High School), I felt a little bummed out that more of my friends couldn't come too. When the day finally came, though, I was already packed up and ready to go with an optimistic attitude. It didn't help that my friend, the only other girl from Moanalua, was more than a half an hour late to the airport!

At last, we were on the plane and I was very glad to have sat next to our visitors from Wisconsin: Hope, Sarah and Kirsten. They were very friendly and funny to talk to because of their deep interest in anything and everything having to do with our islands. After arriving at the miniature Ho'olehua airport, we were split into our separate groups and had our first icebreakers before moving on.

The next day was amazing for me because just being at the Mo'omomi Preserve was such a privilege that not many are able to experience. I was very glad to have been able to contribute a small part in keeping the place beautiful. Also that night was my first time ever eating poke that I cut myself! Helping at both Halawa Valley and the Kahinapokahu fishpond was also very rewarding for me. Meeting Walter Ritte was very inspiring and all of this actually allowed me to feel as though I became closer to our land and its history. Not only hiking, but being down at Kalaupapa was a total awakening of how rushed and hectic life on O'ahu is. Just being there made me feel spiritually cleansed and as though all of my previous worries and stresses were nothing.

I am so grateful to have had this wonderful experience. And I am also very glad that I had this chance to make so many good friends and take part in so many awesome things. I feel that this trip allowed my mind to open and understand a lot more about not only Moloka'i and our state, but also about myself.