Just as Hawai`i is so much more than awe-inspiring sunsets draped upon dramatic landscapes, Waikoloa Beach Resort is more than its luxury hotels, dreamy beaches, tempting restaurants and shopping centers.
If you want to delve deeper in the area’s history, sig-nificant landmarks can be discovered throughout the sprawling property — everything from ancient petroglyphs etched into lava rock by the area’s earliest residents to tributes commemorating the Hawaiian kings and queens who reigned in the islands for more than 150 years. More recently, paintings, sculptures and murals added throughout the resort tell its storied history.
Petroglyphs
Long before the land was developed, early Hawaiians etched pictures into the pāhoe-hoe lava rock that is spread across the land. Many theories have been proffered about the meaning of these carvings, but one that is most widely accepted suggests that these rock carvings may be a historical record of families, commemorative of births and other significant events.
Some of the best petroglyphs in the state can be found within Waikoloa Beach Resort on the Kings’ Trail, also known as Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail, easily accessible between the Kings’ Golf Course and Kings’ Shops. Complimentary guided tours are offered Thursday through Sunday.
Royalty
Between 1758 and 1917, Hawaiian kings and queens ruled the islands with `Anaeho`omalu as part of the royal inheritance passed down from King Kamehameha I to his descendants. The 14 kings and queens who ruled here have been memorialized on descriptive bronze plaques at various locations around the Kings’ Shops and Queens’ Marketplace shopping centers.
Connecting the Past and the Present
Also on permanent display at the Kings’ Shops are “living history” murals created by local, internationally acclaimed artist Calley O’Neill. These resulted from her ongoing study of life in old Hawai`i and Hawaiian cultural values.
Shown in the mauka (upland) mural is Keanakāko`i Quarry, located at 12,000 feet just below the summit of Mauna Kea, which is an important ancient sacred site where Native Hawaiian artisans quarried dense basalt to roughly craft stone tools to take back to their settlements. The mural honors famed Micronesian master navigator/teacher Papa Mau Piailug, who came to Hawai`i in 1976 to guide the historic sailing canoe Hōkūle`a’s first voyage to Tahiti. In the mural, Mau is using a ko`i (adze), the primary tool master wood carvers used in ancient times to carve wa`a (canoes).
“The murals symbolically represent Hawai`i and its rich history,” O’Neill says. “I was always interested in studying ancient Hawaiian life, the values — the spirit of aloha — that I could capture. The murals are not a look back, but a reminder of what we need to learn from the indigenous people.”
The second mural is titled E Mau Na Waiwai O Hawai`i, which means ‘Long Live the Ancient Treasures and Timeless Wisdom of Old Hawai`i’ – “the wisdom that we need now for life to survive and thrive on Earth,” O’Neill says. “The treasures are the land, the forest and the timeless wisdom to live sustainably on the land.” In a tribute to the native Hawaiians, Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa constructed an authentic imu (underground oven) that is used at the weekly sunset luau to make kalua pork (roasted pig) in the same method that has been done for centuries on the land. “The imu is a work of art,” says local publicist Jaisy Jardine. “The unique setup is not found anywhere else on the Kohala Coast.”
Art as Environment
Renowned hotel developer Christopher B. Hemmeter had a different vision for art at The Hyatt Regency Waikoloa (now the Hilton WaikoloaVillage) when it opened in 1988. Seeking a com-bination of art, elegance and downright fun, his goal was to fill the public spaces with authentic Polynesian, Asian and Western art.
“My dad was a dreamer,” says Hemmeter’s son, Christopher R. Hemmeter, who was given the task of procuring the art collection for the hotels. “He had seen some Chinese Imperial art when he was on a trip, and he wanted me to go to Asia to collect and commission works we could display around the resorts.”
From the artisans of Bali to the bronze foundries of Bangkok to the marble quarries of Yang Ping — a small village near the Mongolian border where green, black, rose and white marble has been carved for more than 2,000 years — the Hemmeters traveled, often negotiating prices with sign language. The 1,800-piece art collection at Hilton Waikoloa Village is a popular attraction for visitors meandering along the museum walkways’ four sections in the main lobby, Palace Tower and Ocean Tower where paintings, carvings, massive sculptures, statues and other rare pieces are plentiful. Two favorites are the larger-than-life Buddha sculpture at serene Buddha Point near hole 6 on the Beach Nine golf course, and the chariot with driver and horses found outside the meeting rooms.
“The Chinese horses and carriage down by the meeting rooms at the Hilton is an oversized replica of a small sculpture my dad had seen,” the younger Hemmeter recalls. “Can you imagine what it took to not only create that piece, but to transport it from Asia to Hawai`i?” O’Neill’s painting The Three Hawaiian Graces (and The Four Elements) is a favorite in the Hilton’s permanent museum walkway collection. The 6’ by 4’ Politec glaze work was created using the labor-intensive glaze painting technique of the Renaissance masters. “It is the most well-known of my works,” she says. “Chris Hemmeter Jr. commissioned the painting.
Sandro Botticelli’s Three Graces — the central detail from his Primavera (c. 1482) —was my inspiration. The grace, strength and beauty of Hawaiian women, rooted in the land, guided this work.” It was equally important, O’Neill explains, to bring in the deeper story of nature. “Pele, the force of fire, is depicted on the lower right, creating the Earth. Water flows in the center and air moves through the figure on the left.”
“It’s easy to sit back, relax, and enjoy the sheer beauty and serenity of Waikoloa Beach Resort,” says Scott Head, vice president of Resort Operations. “But for anyone interested in finding a deeper meaning or delving further into the fascinating and inspiring culture of Hawai`i, there’s a whole lot to be discovered.”
Eat Well in Waikoloa
Whether you’re a visitor seeking a taste of authentic Hawai`i, a full-time resident committed to shopping locally or a professional looking to elevate your client experience, Kohala Food Hub makes it easy to eat well, shop consciously and support more than 150 Hawai`i Island farmers and food artisans through their convenient weekly pick-up service.
More than 400 seasonal products are featured on their Online Market website, with everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to pasture-raised meats, eggs, baked goods, pantry staples, coffee, chocolate, body care items, nursery plants and artisanal gifts. Simply select the items you want and one of the four locations available for pick up each Wednesday. It’s that easy! All produce is harvested within two days of delivery, ensuring peak freshness, longer shelf life and higher nutritional value.
“Thanks to our direct relationships with producers, Kohala Food Hub is able to offer premium food at prices that often fall below those of traditional grocery retailers — delivering strong value while deepening connections to place, food and community,” shares Kohala Food Hub’s sales and marketing representative Kat Cuzma.
Residents can also subscribe to the weekly or biweekly CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Box for a rotating mix of produce. The new in-property delivery service, available for homes from Mauna Kea Resort to Four Seasons Hualālai, can make preparations much more convenient for property managers, guaranteeing a fully stocked kitchen for guests upon arrival.
Orders can be placed online between noon Friday and midnight Monday. Pickup is available each Wednesday at four locations along the coast.
- The Shores | Waikoloa Beach Resort | 2:45 – 4 pm
- Fitness Forever | Waikoloa Village | 3 – 7 pm
- Juice 101 | Mauna Lani Resort | 2:45 – 4 pm
- Blue Dragon | Kawaihae | 3 – 7 pm
Go to https://kohalafoodhub.localfoodmarketplace.com/Products to start a free new account, then shop and select the appropriate pickup or delivery location. For questions email [email protected] or call/text (808) 896-3179.