Backtrack / An Imagery Project

the plant. over 15 varieties once cultivated in hawai‘i, for consumption when the root is pounded and mixed with water. elsewhere in the pacific the same mixture is called kava. in other circles, the plant is known by its scientific name - Piper methysticum.

the front facade of the halawa congregational chruch, at the far east end of moloka‘i. built in 1852, it was pounded by a massive tsunami in 1946 that destroyed the entire community, leaving the valley abandoned.

looking out from the end of the kuli‘ou‘ou trail, viewing from rabbit island to koko crater.

makai - ocean.

until i score a waterproof housing, this is about as far out as my camera is going to make it. the wave action is decidedly lacking, but the little harbor out at kahalu’u thrills in other ways.

just when you thought that there weren’t many animals to fear in hawai’i, here’s a warning: discount not the peacock.

susie and i volunteered on an ongoing ‘ihi ‘ihi  conservation project the other weekend. with a group of folks who’ve been working out there for some months now, we hiked out to a place i’ve long been intrigued by but never made it to - the “far side” of hanauma bay. after a morning of grunt work keeping the little fern population out there happy, this view wrapped things up. good scenery, good people, good times.

it’s the best thing about this city. from anywhere in honolulu, the rock or the water is always waiting - and it’s close. pick the end of any street - it either goes up or it gets salty. climbing the ko’olau range on any number of ridges moves you from the urban to real jungle, and fast. a million in the city, but only two of us on the mountain. a view back down the kuli’ou’ou trail.

windward means wet. wet means erosion. erosion means exposure. exposed on a ridgeline with both sides tumbling away into nothing but clouds, i admired this hitchhiking leaf - and then got back to watching my steps.

experiments with digital video. no better place to start than the back yard.

it doesn’t get much better than oahu’s north shore.

far back in pololu, time almost stands still. it’s sobering to imagine the generations of ancient hawaiians, or the historic chinese farmers, their stone walls and terraces now witnessing only the growth of massive trees. a respectful silence dominates this corner of the world.