Mauna Kea Oral History Appendix - Office of Mauna Kea Management

JY: See, he got to block the place to make the sheep cross the gulch. He was the leader.
Then hina pü.
KM: Hmm. Your papa was the first Japanese Cowboy on the ranch
JY: Yes, the first.
KM: Was papa born here, or did he come from away
JY: He was born here. He was born right across from the Paniolo Kitchen, the restaurant.
Right across. Used to have a big house there, and I was born there too.
KM: Oh! Has this ‘äina out here changed since you were young, working the land
JY: Yes, this has really changed. You look at the mau‘u, we didn’t have that kind mau‘u here.
We had good grass.
KM: Hmm. Was it still pili out here, or was it the good pasture grasses they introduced
JY: Pili was up mauka. Down here was mostly wild oats, rye, orchard and red top.
KM: Yes.
JY: Before, in summer, red top, oh was nice over here. Ke‘ämoku, all red top.
KM: Hmm.
[turn onto Saddle Road]
JY: It was really nice. You look that pu‘u, before, köko‘olau on top of here.
KM: On Nohonaohae nui
JY: Yes, Nohonaohae, all köko‘olau.
KM: And had ‘a‘ali‘i and some trees out here
JY: Yes, my time had ‘a‘ali‘i.
KM: Hmm. Now this is the same route that went up to Waiki‘i when you were young, working
JY: Yes, this is the same road.
KM: Not paved though, when you were young
JY: No, all gravel. Like an ‘auwai for the water.
KM: Hmm. Now, uncle, right below the Saddle Road, there used to be a prison
JY: Yes, right there.
KM: So you heard about that
JY: I heard about that. That’s where they used to lock all the prisoners up.
KM: What were the prisoners doing there
JY: I don’t know.
KM: So, was before your time
JY: Way before my time.
KM: So, there wasn’t a prison when you were a young boy
JY: No, it was pau already.
KM: You know, when we were at Uncle Sonny’s house, across, has the memorial, Camp
Tarawa
JY: Yes.
Mauna Kea– “Ka Piko Kaulana o ka ‘Äina”
Kumu Pono Associates LLC
A Collection of Oral History Interviews (HiMK67-050606) A:553