right by as you head to
or from Oahu's north
shore.
But theres a lot to Laie
-- from it's humbled past
to it's ever changing
future. KITV 4's Ashley
Moser takes us to Laie --
It's where you live.
Near the Northern tip of
Oahu sits a town -- deep
rooted in it's culture
and history.
nat of Hula Where life's
fast pace slows
down. THIS is the country
lifestyle.
nat of waves
Gladys 6:25:45 "IT'S
SPELLED L- A-I-E WHICH IS
LAIE." 6:25:48
Gladys 6:25:27 "THE OLD
TIMERS SAY LAEA. WHEN WE
HEAR LAEA WE KNOW THEY
ARE FROM THE ORIGINAL
GROUP HAHA." 6:25:33 The
area also known to to
those who live here -- as
the gathering place.
Open and welcoming for
anyone willing to make
the trip up the windward
side or through the North
Shore. But that's not
how it used to be.
NAT 2 shot 7:26:55 "THIS
WAS THE AREA AND THERE
WAS A WALL THAT WENT FROM
THE BEACH SIDE ALL THE
WAY TO THE BACK." 7:27:03
Hawaiian historian Cy
Bridges says Laie was
once a pu'uhonua -- or a
city of refuge. A
man-made wall protected
it's people during times
of war and discord. But
it also presented --
opportunity.
Cy 7:26:00 "IF THERE WAS
AN INFRACTION, DOING
SOMETHING WRONG, OR IF
YOU WE'RE A WARRIOR THAT
PEOPLE WE'RE TRYING TO
GET AFTER. IF YOU CROSS
THE BOUNDARIES THEN YOU
WOULD BE SAFE." 7:26:12
People in Laie will tell
you, it still feels
safe. Many residents
attribute it to the
strong spiritual
influence. In 1865,
members of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter
Day Saints purchased land
in Laie -- with hopes of
giving the people there
an opportunity to thrive
both spiritually and
financially. The land
quickly turned into
plantations: harvesting
kalo, cotton and
eventually sugar cane.
New settlers opened a
village schoolhouse
educating members of the
community. In 1879 they
built the I Hemolele
chapel that would serve
the church members for
nearly 50 years. In 1919
-- on the same grounds --
the Laie temple was built
-- and still stands
today. Although the
town draws influences
from around the world --
it's a place still known
for it's family values,
friendships
and...fishing.
Gladys 6:26:25 "WHEN I
WAS GROWING UP THIS WAS
A SMALL FISHING VILLAGE.
WE ONLY HAD ABOUT 300
FAMILIES THE POPULATION
WAS LESS THAN A
THOUSAND." 6:26:32 To
feed the masses -- the
community would fish
right here at Hukilau
beach. Boats would
travel to the edge of the
bay pulling traditional
nets with lau leaves.
Gladys 6:28:45 "THEY
WOULD ROLL IT DOWN TO
THE WATER AND IT WOULD GO
OUT AND COVER THE WHOLE
BAY. AND THEN WHEN THEY
SAID HUKI BOTH SIDES
WOULD START PULLING THE
NETS IN. BY THE TIME THE
TWO GROUPS CAME TOGETHER,
THE BAG WOULD BE THERE
AND THEY'D PULL IN 3 TO 5
TO 7 TONS OF FISH, NOT
POUNDS, TONS!" 6:29:07
Joseph 6:56:08 "OH THAT
WAS SO FUN! EVERYBODY
KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO
GET FISH, THEY WERE GOING
TO TAKE HOME FISH AND
EVERYBODY WAS GOING TO
EAT FISH BUT THAT WAS
EXCITING TIMES FOR US."
6:56:18
Nat "oh we're going to
the Hukilau" In the 1940s
the fishing tradition
presented an opportunity
to raise funds after the
old I Hemolele chapel
burned down. Community
members provided
entertainment and food
using fish straight from
Hukilau Beach.
Joseph 6:59:26 "THEY
CHARGED $5 PER PERSON
FOR LU'AU AND ANYBODY
PASSING BY THEY WOULD
STOP AND 'WHAT THEY DOING
OVER HERE? THEY WOULD
COME AND HAVE LU'AU."
6:59:37 The group raised
enough money to build
the chapel that today
sits down the hill from
the Laie temple. The
project was so successful
it continued year after
year and it eventually
spawned the Polynesian
Cultural Center.
nat PCC dancing The
attraction brings in
millions of visitors to
Laie each year.
It employs students
attending BYU Hawaii --
the university founded
from that early
missionary school house.
The Hukilau also
influenced this local
eatery: Hukilau Cafe --
tucked away in a
residential neighborhood
-- just a few blocks from
the bay. The café is
actually an addition to
the original Pang's Store
now known as Sam's Store
-- named after Laie
native -- Chef Sam Choi.
Disk 1 -- Clip 50 7:14:40
"WE SIT THERE AND WE EAT
THIS PAKE CAKE AND SODA
IT'S SORT OF LIKE THE
TRADITION OF LAIE." 14:47
Disk 1 -- Clip 63 Standup
part 7:21:03 "AND WHILE
EATING THIS LOCAL TREAT
IN THE LATE 1800S A LAIE
BOY NAMED JOSEPH KEKUKU
INVENTED THE STEEL GUITAR
IN THIS VERY SPOT."
7:21:12
Kaiwaanaimaka 7:14:48 "HE
USED TO SIT OUT THERE
AND PLAY THE GUITAR THEN
HIS COMB, HIS METAL COMB
FELL OUT OF HIS POCKET
AND IT HIT THE STRING AND
HE WAS REALLY IMPRESSED
WITH THE SOUND SO HE WORK
FOR ABOUT 11 YEARS TO
PERFECT IT." 7:15:06
Other notable Laie
natives, professional
football player Manti
Te'o...
manti teo nat... and this
man seen in the middle
wearing a King Kamehameha
costume. His name is
Hamana Kalili. Notice his
hand -- he has only two
fingers: his thumb and
pinky.
Gladys 6:43:07 "IT WAS AN
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT AT
THE KAHUKU SUGAR MILL HIS
THREE FINGERS GOT CUT OFF
RIGHT HERE." 6:43:14 Old
timers say they used to
see him on the old train
sugar cane trains.
Gladys 6:44:41 "WELL WHEN
HE WAS ON THE TRAIN, THE
KIDS WOULD DO THIS SO
THAT YOU KNOW HAMANA WAS
ON THE TRAIN AND YOU
DON'T TOUCH THE CANE WHEN
HE'S ON THE TRAIN HAHA."
6:44:52 From that child's
play the shaka was born.
Childs play was also
alive and well here at
what they called the
beauty hole.
Gladys 6:39:10 "EVERY KID
THAT GREW UP IN LAIE
LEARNED HOW TO SWIM THERE
BECAUSE IT'S SO DEEP YOU
CAN'T TOUCH BOTTOM."
Standup 7:44:29 "BUT OVER
TIME DEVELOPERS REALIZED
IT'S TRUE VALUE WAS IN
REAL ESTATE. SO THEY
FILLED IT IN, FLATTENED
IT OUT AND COVERED IT
WITH THIS HOME." 7:44:37
Development would become
a common theme as Laie
grew. It still is, and
it's still divisive.
nats of people at meeting
Today we see a new hotel
and new shops and debates
over a new traffic light.
A project to expand
affordable housing around
BYU-Hawaii, including
building 875 new homes
here is in the works.
Despite change, residents
feel this place will
continue to hold onto its
roots.
Cy 7:33:04 "IT CONTINUED
TO BE A PU'UHONUA
BECAUSE IT WAS A
GATHERING PLACE OF THE
FAITHFUL, OF THE
BELIEVERS. THEY CAME FROM
ALL OVER THE PACIFIC AND
THE WORLD AND THEY BUILD
A COMMUNITY." 7:33:17
Ashley Moser -- KITV 4
News.
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