Halawa within the area of Ewa on the Hawaiian map. There are two distinct sub areas in Halawa, the South Halawa area, and the North Halawa area. The central area of Puuloa Harbor (pearl harbor) is a military strategic location back in the days of ancient Hawaii armies and even today with modern Hawaii military forces. The water was contaminated with many toxic chemicals that make it horrible for animals and farming after the war. The area of Halawa Ahupuaa was seen as a lesser and almost secret type of awareness about the area. It is believed that this is due to the interisland warfare that took place of Kahekilinui’ahumanu and the ‘Ewa Region Ali’i at the stream where many died fighting to the death.
The area of Halawa is known for its natural resources that connect the different Puuloa Harbor areas in a central location. There were important fishponds that made use of the ocean water that specialize in types of crustaceans and shellfish. There are two freshwater streams that were, the Kamanaiki stream, and the Kamananui stream, that meet at the Puuloa Harbor (Pearl Harbor) where a stone fish trap remained. In the ancient times Halawa would bring many types of stream fish as well as shellfish clusters that would be in great abundance. In modern day it is overlooked by more well known areas even though there is large remains of multiple scattered shark spines and shark teeth that were found. Another reason that Halawa was valuable was for the medicinal plants that were available in the area from the resources of that the land provided. A symbol of knowledge the ‘Awa was found in the area as well as some known plants like the taro, moutain apples, bananas, and sweet potatoes along with special roots and herbs. There are three Hale o Papa Heiau where the earth goddess Papahanaumoku are associated with the Hawaiian God Ku. One of them is marked with a Pueo Owl and for woman and another Heiau was marked as the Hale o Papa Heiau of men. Much of the land was used for the building of the H3 freeway that was quite controversial. Forest area was there in the olden days and later it was dirt land area where villages for the plantation would be built known as the Halawa Camp. There was a mixed group of people in the area where safety and security was not an issue with many workers knowing each other with the low population of people in the area. Many of the workers were employed by the Aiea Sugar Mill with Halawa having its own share of Sugar Cane fields surrounding the neighborhood with the fresh water from the mountains always nearby. The areas that were developed were Halawa Drive, Halawa Heights (1950s), Old Halawa Lower Residential, and the Halawa Housing. As the years went on it was known as a sacred Hawaiian area, military property, and a gang territory that slowly put the spotlight on certain incidents of theft and attacks. Stories would be told from families that lived in Halawa in the olden days when the housing was still made out of wood and the kids played with family respects as well as Hawaiian respects. Even in the evening these stories came alive as the echoes of the streams and river would be heard there was a silence in the darkness and behind the brush of the plants which be the feared Night Marchers that would walk from the water to the open mouth of the ocean. Halawa had a sense of darkness and feeling an unknown aura as if it were haunted. I had seen a man who stopped me from walking towards the stadium area to ask what I was doing around the housing. I told him that I grew up accustomed to fear the area of Halawa from the stories I heard of the people who live there, the rumors of the danger, as well as the night marchers who come at the night. He seemed nice enough, so I asked him what was the importance of the area to him... I also asked his race... he said he was half Japanese and half Okinawan. He said he had lived around the area for quite some time. He moved to the mainland and came back for to Hawaii for retirement. The man told me that his father had felt the same feeling that I had felt after the war. He could not recall what it was he experienced, but it kept him awake at night thinking of the dangers that could possibly be ahead. He would practice at night in secret his way of Lua that he had learned from his father and passed this way to his son. He said it helped him with daily existence of the hard times with a hard mind and a tough body to overcome the dark aura he had felt from the near valleys. He said his father learned Lua from his father who knew a Hawaiian Lua Practitioner who passed on his knowledge to him. This sense of mind came he explained was the spirit from Halawa Valley that was a guide to his mind. He said his father told him that it was a way to fight the dark spirits that could be felt at night with the spirit of the mountain that protected the people. In order to survive he decided that only the will to live would be necessary through practicing the techniques to not back down to the spirits he felt in the night. He described them as multiple black figures that would state at him from afar, until one day they walked passed and left him alone. He said the movements of Lua were what kept him strong through his years and honed a strong mind by keeping through hardship of endless practice. Halawa is in between Aiea and Moanalua (Salt Lake) which means it has a little inspiration of both areas. The food that is in Halawa overlaps between both areas, but it is associated much more with its identity as apart of Aiea. Hawaii Barbecue Plate Lunch and Wedge Fries When people start thinking of Hawaiian Barbeque they might be thinking of a classic Luau scenario and if you say plate lunch it is fried food with gravy. However in the case of Stadium Giant Malts & Bar-B-Que this simply isn’t the exact image that would pop up. Aiea as well as other areas around Puuloa Harbor (Pearl Harbor) are known for grilled juicy chicken and Halawa is no exception. While the malts are very thick and creamy the star was the barbecue plate lunch of grilled chicken, sauced pork chop, and fried chicken wings. Those in the area would be cooking on their hibachis to try and figure out other area barbecue plate lunches, but many would not find another spot until Heights Drive Inn in Aiea opened.
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