John Nauka is Normans younger brother. He lives on Maui as does his sister Haupu. John is my brother Cals age 56.
Check out the photos submitted on earlier posts. Those were originally from Mel Behasa, 1972-73
[quote="$1"]
John Nauka is Normans younger brother. He lives on Maui as does his sister Haupu. John is my brother Cals age 56.
[/quote]
yup, thats the guy. he was over with friends visiting from florida. was talking story with him @ turtles.
aloha akeaE10!
akeaE10,
Awesome for you guys to join in. More of my time on Ewa Beach memories. I remember that Herb Pruse, Lester ,Enemoto, and John Sadowski were the best at the time. I see John out there from time to time and he still has the super smooth confident style like always. He’s a pleasure to watch. Herb was more of the radical showman type. I can remember all the boards that he would come out there with, that John Kelly one,the hydrofoil, he also had a beautiful" Drew Harrison Model" he always had the best boards. Lester was also really smooth. I remember one time walking with him home from EL ( I lived a few houses down from him) and he had a 9’ board from “some shaper on Maui, Richard Brewer” He said that it was short, “don’t get anything shorter” was his advice. Norman Nauka was a classic guy in the water, seems like he always wore long pants when surfing EL. One time when he was paddling out he told me, “eh butch, don’t get in front of me, I don’t feel like cutting back today…” I also remember Frankie Maria and some others sitting on the beach and guys that would surf at EL from outside areas -Waipahu or Pearl City- when their boards would come to shore after they fell off, they would take them and hide them under someones house. When the guy would come in asking if they saw the board they would say . “no”.
Back then was an amazing time, there was a definite “pecking order” in the line up. I was a little younger and on the bottom. Respect was important, if you got out of line, there were plenty of guy 's to staighten you out. Cleigh, Norman, Nathan… Not much of that now. I can remeber, I think it was Doug Kinglsey, inviting me to join the Ewa Beach Surf Club, but first he gave me a talk about dropping in on people, he said that nobody in going to like you if you do that. The older guy’s would watch out for the younger.
Cleigh, do you remember the noseriding contest at ELthat Reno Abellira won? Herb came second I think… also the Ewa Beach Surf Club challenging Kui O Hawaii at Tree Stumps. All the Ewa Beach guy’s came with their long boards and all the Kui O guy’s has short boards.
Mahalo’s for sharing the stories, send some more,
BP
Howzit Gang!
Wow, good history lesson Clay! And thanks for Cal's number. I'll give him a call.
You guys were my heros back in those dazes. Who could forget the classic bottom turn of Norman Nauka on that giant board! It was great times for me, hanging and and surfing with all these good people and rippers. I thank the gods regularly for giving me and my family those many years here on Ewa Beach Road.
Mel, Bolo, Sid Walsh, Shirley Rogers, Yvonne (shirley's younger sister) and others have been hanging out the past few days by the beach here in the old Ferreia house. We rented it for a week; I won;t tell you what vacations rentals go for now on EBR. Wow. But so worth it. Mel and I drove around Ewa Beach yesterday looking for, and pointing out houses of friends and family from 40+ years ago. Things have change, but a lot is still reconizable. We've been talking story about who's where, and who's gone. Mel busted out the guitar lasy night over a few beers and played a couple of originals from the Kane Kiami, George Koholokula, Joe Siliado and Tommy Fernandez band, Flight. I was blow away that he remember! Then he reminded that he help write some of those songs. I remember now.
I haven't been able to reach everyone; now that I live in Bali communication limited to e-mail. But I think there will be quite a few of the old gang here today when we bring my younger brother, Danny's ashes off of Flag Pole this afternoon; he died at 55 in California last November, RIP Dan. He loved Ewa Beach and asked me to scatter his ashes here. So be it! The kokua from everyone is unreal; only in Hawaii do people pour out to help like this; Taco for squid luau and Limu from Molokai, lau-laus, kalua pig, poi, opi'i poki, flowers.. all gathered and prepared by friends and family. Surf boards and kayaks and flowers being dropped off. Tables and chairs being loaned.. And on and on. Our favorite, home grown surfing pastor, Butch P, will be walking down from his family home to say a few words and join in on the paddle-out as well. Mikey V flew in from California. A few of the gang from outer-island as well. Makes me wonder how I ever left Ewa Beach.
Off to try paddling an outriggered kayak Bolo just dropped off. The kayak is an ocean racing kind and easy to flip. So checking out before I take Dan's ashes out. Don't want to make-ass and flip it with everyone watching. On second thought, maybe I'll paddle a board out instead :-).
Aloha to all!
MB, Ewa Beach Road
Mike, please tell Mikey V Harry and Bernie say hi. I haven’t seen him for a long time. I hope you all have a great day and honor your brother with all the aloha he deserves.
Updates: Leeward Estates: Kevin, Rick Johns, Steve, Chris, Mark Garner, George Kaholokua, Jim Oxley, Mel Behasa
Ewa Bch Rd. Louie, John, Bumbum, Stan Sadowski, Butch P. Mike Gionson, Ronald Gioson, Jessie, Charile, youger brother Murakami, Herb Pruse, Michael Pruse (cousin to Herb, older crew), Jack Kahahane (my cousin, passed away 1.5 ago) Barney Silva (Silva Store), Auggie Roback, Albert Gandall, Doug Kingsley, Buddy, Chico, Rocky Kualapai, Bolo,Dave, Julie Cueva,Norman Nauka, Cleigh, Cal Eaton, Mike Steven Kendall, Andy Toothman, Paul Sheppard, Tony Ferreira, Mits, Mouse, Nathan Moody, Vinny, Lester Enomoto, Kani, Chan Kaimi, Alan (sorry forgot Alans last name, age with John S) Wong (not Service station) Chucky Goerer, Danny, Imua and all their brothers Paaina, Freddy Carey, Robbie MacDonald (youger crew,parents lived on Empty Lot). These were guys that surf all the tiome. Remember, tho' everyone went out on bigger swells regardless. The SC crew was covered already.
Yup! Sure do. Herb came in 2nd and was pissed. We heard it from him for long time. Guess he felt he let down EBR Crew. O yeah, Butch, was LB vs SB. I remember Dougie K. prior to that was trying to recruit me to KUI O HAWAII. Even gave me a jackett. Went home told Norman and everyone was asking me I was going join them and leave EBSC. Herb I remember gave me the most pressure. Later he went there for awhile. I forgave him, its all cool. We were young, out there at the end of the road (quite isolated) what Hawaiians call Kuaaina, literally country boys.
Heres a trivia ? What was the originjal name of Ewa Beach? Hint: Think way back like ancient Hawaii. Wow! statring to miss some of you guys with all dis stories.
I remember talking to Harry Ching when we did an oral history about Ewa Beach and vaguely remember him saying that community members wanted to name the high school…was it Wailana or Kupaka High School? after the Hawaiian name for the area but was named James Campbell because they thought the school may benefit from the Campbell Estate. I have to do some digging into our files and transcripts to get the Hawaiian name. Yeah, I think it was Harry Ching the postmaster who named Ewa Beach to differentiate the community from Ewa. I graduated from Campbell’s first senior class and later worked at the library and got involved with an oral history project for Ewa Beach, Ewa, and Honouliuli. I went to school with a lot of the names mentioned above. Nelson Kang was a good friend and spent some time at his house by Hau Bush and during college as art students at UH. Unfortunately, he had demons to deal with and sadly took his life. Stepped in front of a bus is what I heard.
Pu’uloa = Ewa Beach
eh sharkcountry, cyril huddy sends warm regards to you and your brother. also i notice the family name Gionson and Cueva come up alot. i went school with john and jason cueva and felix gionson. prolly sons or nephews of your buds?
~~Aloha!
Thanks Makakilo, I hope Cyril is doing well.
Those names are guys from the east side of Ewa Beach, the Empty Lots gang. Probably the kids of the guys posting here.
Ewa Beach was known as Pu’uloa in old times, and Pu’uloa is home of the shark god.
E Aloha Kle Akea e10,
good to see you got in…good fun remanicing about the ole home town… i was hopeing you would start up on sways… was having a smallkine lull on the the “ewa beach” thread…everytime someone new comes in, there is new light on a same incident, kinda like the saying, “there is two or three or more sides to the story”… be real cool to have John S and Barney S etal. them to sign in since they were like the first generation of ewa beach surfers…before them i think was only the fishermen and the limu pickers that frequented the waters of Puuloa to Keku Point.
i remeber when you first came back from arizona football lineman, one big bugga and G K brought you by the q-hut to shape a board for you… man you was bigger than the boards back then… but it did’t take you long to get back to surfing shape and i remeber us glassing a 6’8" for you. one funny incident i remeber was you and G K ordering customs from Gerry Lopez and i guess he looked at two big Hawaiians and not knowing your abilities, made the boards a lot thicker and wider than what you guys needed. what you guys needed was something that he would shape for himself… G K made this 6’4" that was a board that he striped and reshaped it and glassed it in a couple days and he just ripped sharkcounty with his signiture roundhouse cutbacks…as you said, he was truly underrated…and so were you…but we had good fun anyway and many mind expanding expression sessions to boost… anyway mahalo for your input and hopfully we can get “Mel the historian” to sign in. i’ve been working on him but i think going to double team him to move him…
ike
Yes Sharkcountry, and the name of this famous Aumakua of Puʻuloa was Kaʻahupahau; as the stories of old go, certain families would “malama”, care for and feed Kaʻhapahau and in turn this famous manō would patrol the waters Puʻuloa and keep things pono for the village; pretty good trade off eh!!! times have changed though… mehameha ʻo Puʻuloa ,ua hele aku ʻo Kaʻahupahau!!!
Thanks for the details Ala Moana. The first Hawaiian Legend I learned at Kamehameha was about the Pu’uloa Shark god. I forgot those details. Aunty Nona Beamer was helping teach Hawaiian for the 7th Grade and she taught us that. I believe this shark was a hammer head. Most of the sharks we saw when we were kids were the hammer heads, we rarely saw the tigers. There were a lot of Manta rays back then too, really big ones. They would swim through really close to shore and it would usually be a momma with a couple of keiki. When the fins break the surface they go straight up like a shark fin, but one side is dark and one side is whiter. Maybe they were imitating the shark goddess looking for food from the people on shore?
What I was taught was the east side of Ewa Beach was Pu’uloa. That’s the area near the mouth of Pearl Harbor. The west side where we have Shark Country, Sandtracks, and Johns was called Oneula. There’s a slight bay from Shark Country to Johns, but from Shark Country to Pearl Harbor it’s pretty much a straight line. On the east side of this bay is Shark Country with the lefts breaking into the deeper water. On the right side is Sandtracks with rights. On really big days the 2 breaks meet in the middle where Haubush park was. In between on smaller swells you have 3 different breaks, the spot we called Kuis, which was a small peak between Shark Country and Haubush, then Haubush, and then Chicken Creek. Just inland from Chicken Creek was Joe Park’s chicken farm. Joe’s brother Harry is the man I was named after. During the winter when we had severe rains, there was a stream that flowed through the farm and out into the water. That’s where the name came from. When I was young there were big sand dunes at Sandtracks, so the water flowed between the sand dunes and the Del Monte (California Pine Company) park. There was another stream that emptied into the ocean where Johns is, but it rarely ever flowed. There are 2 or three beach breaks between Sandtracks and Johns. From Johns the land bends back again and heads to Barbers. Johns is another nice right break.
I don't know how many spots there are between Shark Country and Empty Lots, but I bet there are some breaks that are pretty good.
Robbie Husic used to surf outside his house which was about at the half way point. Down by Harry Ching's old house there was a nice sand beach and just east of that was where the Parrish family lived. We used to go down there when we were kids and hang out because they had the Ewa Kai canoe club. I remember bodysurfing over there. I also went out by the fire station. One of my friends lived on the water there and we'd swim and ride paipos there.
There’s a song about Ewa, Pupu a 'o Ewa, that mentions the shark goddess. Here’s the translation.
Shells of `Ewa throngs of people
Beautiful Kaala, sublime in the calm </span></dt><dt><span style="color: #af0000;">Famous mountain of Ewa
Source: Na Mele O Hawaii Nei by Elbert & Mahoe, Olowalu Massacre by Aubrey Janion - The news of the land was the discovery of pearl oysters at Puuloa, the Hawaiian name for Pearl Harbor, that was protected by Kaahupähau, the shark goddess. Kaala is the highest mountain on Oahu and Polea is located in Ewa. Nua and naue in the chorus is often interchanged with nuku (mouth) and lawe (bring). Moae is the name of a tradewind. In 1909, the Navy issued a $1.7 million contract for construction of the first Pearl Harbor dry dock. Kapuna Kanakeawe, a Hawaiian fisherman, told the contractor to build it in another location as the spot they selected was the home of Kaahupähau. Work stopped after 3 months as things kept going wrong. Cement would not pour and the contractor could not pump water out of the dry dock. February 17, 1913, 2 years behind schedule, opening ceremonies were held. Then it exploded. One man was killed, $4,000,000 lost and 4 years of work demolished. Another contract was issued in November, 1914. As work progressed, the early warning given by Kanakeawe was remembered. Mrs. Puahi, a kahuna, was called, and instructed the foreman, David Richards, in the necessary rituals to appease Ka`ahupähau and safeguard the project. After sacrifices were made, prayers chanted and rituals performed, the project was declared safe. When the bottom was pumped out, the skeleton of a 14-foot shark was discovered. Pearl Harbor was also the site of ancient Hawaiian fishponds. Copyright 1962 Criterion Music Corp
E AlaMo, ame SharkCountry!
Ae, pololoi! Puuloa was acutually the ahupuaa that went accross what is now Pearl Harbor to where portions of where the airport is today and ended before Moanalua. You go to the interisland side and you see that there is still a street or rd. named Puuloa. Kaahupahau was infact the benevelot aumakua of the area. She patroled from mouth of Pearl Harbor to Maili Pt. it was well known to the "Ka Poe Kahiko" of that area that children could be seen riding the backs of sharks. She was and still and is a huge Tiger about 25'. It was also well known that no shark attacks happened when the aumakua reigned. Infact it maybe only untill very recent times 90's and 2000's that there may have been shark attacks there. I remember my parents and uncles would joking refer that only Haole would be attacked because they were foreigners. In Hawaiian folklore, pre-Cook times the name Haole was not used as it did not exist yet. Instead, they refered to bad people bad sharks bad anything as from Kahiki (Tahiti). Kahiki also referred to lands south of us. This was probably due to the fact that the last migration of Tahitians who came with Paao (tahitian high priest) forced their religion and extreme kapu system upon the Kanaka Hawaii ame Kanaka Maoli. Prior to their coming the Kanaka did not exprience any wars of that type. The Kanaka Maoli ( Hawaiians) were infact monotheistic. The one true GOD was called 'IO, or IAO. I also learned kela inoa as "Iaonalaninuiamaomao". On Maui Iao needle is known to be a very sacred place. Its name means "Most High". On one side of the mountain cliff its called "Mauna Leo" "the voice of God" and the other side "Mauna Kane" the voice of man". In the center where the Needle is, "Puu Kahili" the standard of God. After Paao subjecgates the Hawaiians, we are forced to take on their religion suffer death or leave.Paao introduces human sacrifice, and preverts many religious practices of Hawaii. this then is what people today think is our history and GODLY beliefs. Aale!! Aohe pono!! My family were caretakers and High priest of "IO as were others. I was taught from a young child the we Hawaiians believed in the one true GOD. HIS NAME could only be whispered because of the HIS sacredness.At the great Heiau on the Big island (not allowed to mention the name to protect the family from curious and others), Paao builds over the original and desecrates the Heiau. We have a friend whose grandfather was told that he would be the one to carry on the true worship of 'IO. Beside my mother, Kupuna Malia Carver (recently deceased) also suported the belief on 'IO as her family were of the same belief too. The Kanaka who left went to Aoteroa and today call themselves "Tangata Maori". We have been in touch with Maori and they seem to have a very intact knownledge of 'IO'. Kauai Island were the last of Hawaiian kanaka to keep 'Io worship. It is said that is the reason why Kamehameha could not conquer them. There is another people whose GOD is monotheistic, They were called the Israelites or Hebrew people, more commonly called jewish today. In this heiau on the Big Island there is a place for circumcision and a place for cleansing much as was practiced by the Isrealites. I remember Kupuna Kahuna Laau Lapaau "Daddy Bray" telling us in the 5th grade at Kamehameha School, that we were decendants of the Isrealites, more speciffically a splintered tribe of Judah. I say all this cause I know that this is quite new to many and that we did not deify any child or relative to become aumakua as is later practiced. For our Ohana, aumakua was relationship not worship. those who say that their aumakua was mano, pueo etc. are usually wrong. unless you fed them and malama then you could call them by name. How many today know the inoa of their aumakua. Thus it wouild be better to say that a family once cherished the aumakua mano etc. Oh! forgot to mention that my mom lived in Puuloa during the late 20's and early 30's. She lived with her Kupuna in a halepili (grass hut). Once i asked her how her kupuna called their mano aumakua. thinking so formally I asked for the chant. She said no, her kupuna kane would whistle and Kaahapahau would come. Auwe! too much perconcieved mana'o from western style thinking, including UHManoa. Not a put down as some has been good, jus olelo the facts. Well nuff said for today. Really enjoyed all of you. Hoomeikei nui kakou!! Blessings to you all.
E Shark, great history about Puʻuloa and the mischief Kaʻahupahau was causing for the contractors until things was made pono; fascinating how legend and reality sometimes collide ; maybe the keyword is Respect for the ways of old and how our forefathers did things; dig deep and we learn plenty stuff; what conditions and swell directions does it take for all those surf spots to go off?? as is the norm with most island surf spots, there are those rare days when all the elements come together and we get those perfect peelers and we remember “lucky we live Hawaii”…A Hui Hou
Mahalo Clay, that is some really great info about Pu’uloa and Ka’ahupahau. I’m so glad you’re posting your mana’o. Really good stuff!
My daughter and Rodney Aiu’s son (Rodney is Auntie Maiki Aiu Lake’s son) are classmates KS '2011. During the last year or so he’s been on community TV talking about when he went on a 40 day water fast and ended up talking to 'Io. I spent this past Ho’olaulea working with Rodney and asked him about some of the stuff he was saying on TV.
He says that the Ka Po’e Kahiko knew 'Io as the creator, this is the same God who called on Abraham, the one in the Bible who created all things. Our ancestors knew and worshipped the same God as Abraham. Rodney says that he asked 'Io about some stuff and one the the things he was told was that Hawaii was called the plains of Ha, and where he left Adam while he created the Garden of Eden. Rodney says that Hawaii was the first place man lived. We didn’t get to deep into the discussion because some of the other parents were getting turned off by the subject. I was fascinated and wanted to hear more.
I find it interesting that you bring up the same information about God. Rodney says something big is coming and we Hawaiians are going to play an important role in the survival of mankind. It has something to do with Aloha. But then that’s what Jesus was preaching… love one another.
About 10 years ago my Uncle gave me a book by Nana Veary called “Change We Must”. Nana was pure Hawaiian born in 1908 and spent a lot of time living with her grandparents in Pu’uloa. I was amazed that there was a connection there with Pu’uloa. She talks about how her grandparents generation lived back when she was young.
If you haven’t read the book, you should. Lots of connections in all that I’m seeing and it all goes back to Aloha, and God.
A Hui Hou!
Eh Ike! Yeah got on. Nate called me today to say he saw the posts. i agree we need to get Mel on. Eh! Mel, gadgada brah! Nelson O gone, George gone, Mitz gone, Nelson Kang gone, Joe Siliado gone, Chris Gardna, Mark gone. Wat u waitin foa?Rememba 2005 when I came visit and we wen spread Georges ashes? DAT WAS REAL SPECIAL!!!. Nah! Mel would really be nice to her your version of some of those stories cuz u was dayah. Memba Left Ovas and wen Kani got stuck outside and da waves was closing out? Das writ. U ws dayah! So.................u wen right som of dose songs dat dat George, Joe, Kani wen sing? See!! U was dayah!! Gadagada Mel.
Mahalo! Read the book got the book and yes Rodney is on que. We did a statewide cleasnsing back in 1998 of all Luakini Heiau! Took 2 yrs of praying statewide. Read Daniel Kikkawa's "Perpetuated in Righteousness" and "God of Darkness God of Light". it will help pull things together. My family hanai Daniel. I met him here on Maui 74. Starting trng. Martial arts again with him and Kenny Tomita. They're my brother Cals age. Later trained guys on Maui, Alamoana was one of my students and good friend. Kevin Johns asked me and would show up every now and then. Alamo was probably one of my better if not best students. mostly surfers bu Alamo was always and still is a gifted athlete and slack key player. His wife is Nana Verys granddaughter. His son is my daughters classmate.