Active volcanoes, lava fields and the world's most powerful telescopes: a trip to the island of Hawaii

Welcome to the southernmost point of the United States of America! And don't let them tell you that she is in Florida. Key West, Florida is the southernmost point of the continental United States. The southernmost point of the United States is here on the Big Island of Hawaii, reports "Voice of America".

Photo: IStock

It all started with that. Lava flowing from the fault at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, gradually, layer by layer, built this island, the most massive and the youngest of the 137 islands of the Hawaiian archipelago. They call it that: Big Island, or the island of Hawaii.

On this island, not only the weather, but also the landscape is constantly changing. For example, this site was recently home to the Ahalanui Natural Pool, surrounded by palm trees, with water heated by a hot spring. The roads that led to the beach now come to a dead end - a wall of solidified lava that completely covered the pool. But a new black sand beach appeared nearby, which was not in any guidebook at the time of our visit.

The eruption of Kilauea, the most active volcano in the world, began in 1983 and lasted for three decades. The last massive eruption was here in the spring of 2018. A lava flow destroyed over 700 homes.

“We were 15 meters from the stream when it came,” says a survivor. “Everyone said that we had to get out.” We could have thrown a stone and hit it, we were so close. There were branches, trees, cars in the stream.”

The consequences of the eruption are unpredictable. After the eruption of 2018, part of the crater just sank inside, and with it part of the roads of the Volcanoes National Park.

From May to August 2018, more than 80 thousand earthquakes were recorded in this area. The Halemaumau crater has become approximately 400 meters deeper. If you look closely, the road that used to run along the edge of the crater ends in nowhere. And even where it is preserved, you won’t go far. At first it is not at all clear that this is a volcano. The Kilauea crater is 4 kilometers in diameter. Lake Lau once raged here, striking Mark Twain in the 19th century. Now here and there smoke is rising from the crevices and there is a smell of sulfur.

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They say that it is under this crater that the goddess Pele lives. When she is in a bad mood, an eruption begins. But, apparently, her mood has recently improved, which is very frustrating for visitors to the Volcanoes National Park.

“We don't know when the next eruption will happen,” said National Park public affairs specialist Jessica Ferracane. “It could happen on Kilauea, on Maunalua, on one of the two active volcanoes. But that doesn't mean there's nothing to see here. We have a whole history of eruptions here that have occurred for more than a hundred years.”

Some visitors collect volcanic pebbles as souvenirs.

“There is a belief that the goddess Pele curses the stones that are located here. This is absolutely not true. First of all, you can't take anything from a national park - not rocks, not twigs, not animals, because you're taking away a piece of history for future generations, says Ferracane. - You don’t come to visit, open the refrigerator and take what you want. You don't have to do this in a national park either. Some people send stones back out of superstition, but we are trying to convince them not to take them in the first place.”

The most surprising thing is to discover how fragile lava is. When lava flows from a crater, the top layer hardens fairly quickly, forming tubes or tunnels through which the lava continues to flow. When the source dries up, these tubes remain hollow and can easily collapse. But on the Big Island, people continue to build houses, including directly on solidified lava. If necessary, on stilts.

Just as the Eskimos have dozens of names for different types of snow, the Hawaiians have names for different types of lava. Smooth lava, similar to black egg white whipped with sugar, is called “pahoyha”. But the much less picturesque lava with sharp edges is called “aa”. One guidebook joked that the name was invented by a man who was the first to try to walk along it barefoot.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

It is rare where a person can boast that he is older than the earth he walks on. There are many such places on the Big Island. The first to grow on the volcanic soil are ferns and the ochea tree - an unpretentious plant that does not need soil. There is a beautiful local legend associated with this tree. It is said that the goddess Pele once met a handsome young hunter named Ochea. She proposed marriage to him, and when she was rejected because he was in love with another girl named Lehua, she rashly turned him into an ugly tree. And his girlfriend Lehua cried so much that the gods took pity and turned her into a red flower that blooms on this tree.

According to local legend, if you pick a flower from this tree, it will certainly rain on that day, because heaven will mourn the separation of two lovers.

Another unique phenomenon of Hawaiian flora is the giant banyan tree. In order to hold onto the ground, this tree produces hundreds, if not thousands, of giant roots that grow directly from the branches. It turns out to be a tree-grove. An entire street of banyan trees is named after the celebrities who planted them: one tree was planted in 1934 by 32nd US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, another by King George V. There are trees of former President Richard Nixon and the famous aviator Amelia Earhart.

To avoid confusion: the youngest state of America is also called Hawaii, but its capital is located on another island of the archipelago, Oahu. There is the infamous Pearl Harbor Bay, which was attacked by the Japanese Air Force, forcing the United States to enter World War II. But on the Big Island, aka the island of Hawaii, was the first capital of Kameamea the Great. Associated with this is a legend suspiciously reminiscent of the story of King Arthur. In the center of Hilo there is a volcanic cobblestone weighing more than 3 tons. It was believed that one who manages to turn this stone over will be able to unite the Hawaiian Islands. And supposedly the future king of the Hawaiian Islands Kameamea turned this stone over when he was only 14 years old.

And in 1810, Kameamea united the seven inhabited islands into one kingdom with strict laws. The list of bans was impressive: for example, men and women could not eat together. Women were not allowed to eat bananas and pork. A terrible crime was to get your shadow inadvertently falling into the shadow of a representative of the local aristocracy. There was a special shelter where the violator of the sacred kapu prohibitions could ask the clergyman for forgiveness of sins and escape from the persecutors. True, for this it was necessary to cross the bay teeming with sharks. Today it is the national historical park Puuhonua o Honaunau.

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One of the reasons for the destruction of the kapu system in Hawaii was the arrival of Cook. It is believed that Captain James Cook was the first European to arrive on these islands. In 1778, he arrived on the island of Kauai. He did not expect to discover these islands at all: he was looking for the northern route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. But when he didn’t find it, a year later he returned to this archipelago, which he called the Sandwich Islands, and landed already here on the Big Island. A misunderstanding complicated by the lack of a common language led to Cook's death. Local residents stole a boat from the team due to metal nails.

“It was a misunderstanding,” says University of Hawaii at Hilo professor Larry Kimura. “He died because of metal, because the hardest material the locals had at that time was solidified lava. And one of the small leaders decided to seize the boat and dismantle it into pieces. Then Cook went ashore to take hostage the leader of this island, and such things are not done.”

Cook tried to take the local ruler hostage in the hope of getting the boat back. As a result of a brawl, Cook and 4 sailors from the ship were killed. Now the Cook Memorial, erected at the place of his death, is considered an excellent sign for a diving site.

If you felt sorry for the unlucky Cook: as a result of infections introduced by Europeans, from which the locals did not have immunity, by the end of the 18th century, about 300 people remained from the 000 population. When sugar cane was grown here and workers needed hands, in the mid-30th century foreign workers began to come to the islands: Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, Koreans. Today, Hawaii is the only US state with a predominantly Asian population.

In August 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state of America. True, Hawaiian sovereignty activists still meet here. However, not all supporters of the revival of the monarchy are native Hawaiians. Among them are, for example, Woodstock veterans. But some Hawaiian families also believe that Hawaii could exist as an independent state.

By the way, only the indigenous population of the archipelago is called Hawaiian. Even if you were born here, you are simply a “kamaaina”—local (“child of the land”). Now you can become a kamaaina in 10-15 years. Native Hawaiians call themselves “kanaka,” which means “the people.”

The Hawaiian Islands are located in the center of the Pacific volcanic Ring of Fire. Over 200 years, four dozen tsunamis have hit Hawaii, and almost everywhere you can come across signs warning of evacuation zones. Hilo is even called the tsunami capital of the world. But the southwestern region of the island, sunny Kona, is more protected from natural disasters. Ocean waves are the main source of entertainment here.

Surf in English is a surf wave. And surfing was invented right here in Hawaii. Only royalty could surf in Kahala, and women were not allowed to surf. But over the years, knowledge has been passed on from generation to generation and now surfing is available to everyone. Children begin to learn from the age of 3, and in families of surfers - from 8-9 months. But, as surf school founder Captain Rick Green says, not everyone who comes to Hawaii with the goal of realizing their dream and opening their own small business succeeds. Most leave after 3 years, going bankrupt and losing everything. This is a beautiful place, but the difficulties of doing business and the cost of transportation are expensive. Many people have to work 2-3 jobs just to survive.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

Hawaii has its own dialect, and if you try to copy it, you can become the butt of jokes. Here it’s called “brother is trying.” But you certainly won't be judged for trying to show off the "shak" gesture. It's kind of like giving a thumbs up, but Hawaiians add a little of their own. So you can say “mahalo”, “aloha”, “thank you” - this is all positive.

The Big Island has 10 of the earth's 15 known climate zones, ranging from tropical heat to freezing temperatures. It's coldest at the top of White Mountain. They say this is where the snow goddess Poliahu lives. And also, if you count from the base on the ocean floor, this is the highest mountain in the world, higher than Everest. At the top there is the largest astronomical observatory with 13 impressive telescopes, operated by scientists from 11 countries. The total power of these telescopes is 60 times greater than the power of the Hubble Space Telescope.

These include the world's largest optical infrared telescopes and the world's largest submillimeter telescope. At sunset, the telescopes are turned around and opened for night work.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

Using Hawaiian telescopes, unknown moons of Jupiter and Saturn and galaxies that were not previously visible were discovered. From here, a search is being made for exoplanets and asteroids that could put Earth at risk.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Voice of America

One of the major astronomical discoveries with the participation of Hawaiian telescopes occurred in 2019, when scientists were able to image a black hole for the first time. It was even called by the Hawaiian name Pouehi - “the decorated bottomless source of endless creation.”

The Hawaiian language, in the alphabet of which only 12 letters, is one of the most melodic in the world.

Luau - Hawaiian party
Lanai - veranda
Mahalo - thank you
Aloha - greeting

“Aloha is love. But there’s a lot more to it than that, says a local flower seller. “It’s what you share, what you give.” This is the joy you give. It is humility in dealing with other people.”

“For me it’s empathy,” says Professor Kimura. - The ability to understand situations through empathy. See not with your eyes, but feel them. This is what is called Aloha. You can say this in a bad situation or, conversely, in a very good one. It can also mean "what a nightmare", but in the tourism industry it is more often used as "you're welcome".

The real Hawaii is unthinkable without hula - this traditional dance will be shown to you in any self-respecting resort hotel. But real hula is danced not to the accompaniment of a ukulele, but to the rhythm of percussion instruments made from dried pumpkins. Hula is almost like a sign language: every movement in the dance is a symbol.

Hawaiians love flowers very much, everyone knows the famous lei flower necklaces. You can buy them, like bouquets of flowers, for a birthday, for an anniversary, simply as a sign that you are glad to see the person. The correct way to part with everything that was given is to return it back to the earth. Don't throw leis in the trash. Some people place them in a special place in the yard as an offering.

The yellow hibiscus is the state flower of Hawaii. In fact, in Hawaii, flowers are also cultural codes. A flower behind your left ear, like a ring on your finger, means you have a soul mate. Behind the right ear means you are free.

Even if you've never been to Hawaii, you've probably tried poke. Basic poke is diced pieces of raw fish in a marinade and seaweed. "Poke" means "diced" and doesn't have to mean fish, it can be anything. This seemingly inconspicuous establishment, Da Poke Shack, was awarded the title of the best restaurant in the United States in 2014 according to recommendations from Yelp users. It was in this restaurant that the poke bowl, so popular today, was invented, which turned poke from an appetizer into a full-fledged dish with the addition of a rice base.

To get to one of the most beautiful valleys in the world - Waipio - you have to follow a steeply sloping road. The drive is a little scary, but it’s worth it - the valley contains one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Hawaii and a lot of secret corners that only locals can take you to. This valley is called the Valley of the Kings. In ancient times, leaders met here when important decisions had to be made. Tens of thousands of people once lived in this valley. in 1946, after the devastating tsunami, Waipio was deserted. Now about 50 people live here.

What would you take with you to a desert island? The Polynesians, who arrived here about one and a half thousand years ago from the Marquesas Islands, brought pigs, dogs and taro root. Before this, a lot of beautiful things grew on the islands, but little edible. This root vegetable is also called tropical potatoes or elephant ears for the specific shape of the leaves. Beef, fish or sweet potatoes are wrapped in the leaves and steamed to form lau-lau. And from the tubers they prepare a viscous, sweetish mass, which is eaten as a side dish or dessert.

For 150 years, sugar cane plantations were the main source of income on the Big Island. The last cane processing factory closed in 1996. Now Hawaii earns money from tourism, develops the state budget thanks to military facilities and exports macadamia nuts, pineapples and coffee. Hawaii is the only American state where coffee is grown commercially. Coffee from Kona County is considered one of the finest and most expensive coffees in the world. Coffee trees planted over 100 years ago still grow here.

The Hawaiian Islands are the exposed peaks of a massive underwater ridge that was formed by lava from a hot spot in the mantle of the Earth's crust. Puu Loa, the Mountain of Long Life, is a sacred place for the people of Hawaii. People came here to paint icons on basalt slabs: people, animals, canoes, circles, spirals.

Over 23 thousand images were discovered on the frozen lava here. These petroglyphs tell about birth, about death, about important events in human life. And since the Pacific plate continues to move, in the distant future, the volcanoes of this island will go out and it will turn into an atoll, and then completely go under water.

But just south of the Big Island in the Pacific Ocean, at a depth of about a kilometer, a new island of the Hawaiian archipelago, Luihi, is already growing. And it will come to the surface in just about 100 thousand years.

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