An expanded Archaeological Field School, monthly guided hikes from Poipu Beach, and music/hula festivals in the fall and spring are among the highlights of the offerings at Makauwahi Cave in 2013. Thanks to a grant from the Hawai`i Tourism Authority, the Reserve will be able to expand its public offerings this year to give visitors an even greater chance to have a tourist experience unique to the site. For instance we plan to offer college students and interested visitors the opportunity to assist with our large-scale excavations in the sinkhole and South Cave (see below).
Each month, we will advertise a guided hike from the public beach access area at the Grand Hyatt Regency Hotel on the east end of Poipu Beach, to visit shearwater colonies, the Ho`ouluia Heiau, a WWII bunker, important fossil sites, and sea turtle grazing shallows, thence down to the Makauwahi Cave Reserve. We will also make at least one day per month a “Work in the Lo`i Day” for anyone who would like to work alongside our native Hawaiian employees in their taro pondfields on the Reserve. We also plan to expand our tour offerings in connection with Koloa Plantation Days.
On a date soon to be scheduled in the early spring, and again in the fall, the Reserve will host music and hula performances in the sinkhole’s natural amphitheatre, featuring the beautiful singing of our Ni`ihau friends and hula performances by Sabra Kauka’s hula halau from Island School. We welcome suggestions for performers to include and good dates for the events — probably Saturdays so that local visitors as well as tourists can attend.
Burney describes the island’s volcanic birth to a group of hikers on the Makauwahi Cave Trail.
Photo by Lida Pigott Burney
As the New Year and its many fiscal challenges unfold, we are keeping our fingers crossed for other grant proposals and donations being sought, in hopes that we can continue to expand and improve the Reserve offerings. There’s plenty to be done in terms of improving the facilities and providing staffing and volunteer opportunities – a whole year’s worth of stuff to do!