Waikīkī – Kauhale O Hoʻokipa Scenic Byway – Nomination, State Designation and Preparation of Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan
Waikīkī – Kauhale O Hoʻokipa Scenic Byway is a collaborative effort between the community, business, visitor industry and government to promote and share the special intrinsic qualities of Waikīkī, particularly the role Waikīkī played in Hawaiʻi’s and the island of Oʻahu’s history.
The Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA) (the project sponsor) was founded in 1997 to address concerns about how Native Hawaiians and Hawaiian culture were perceived and represented in tourism. Working to better connect the Hawaiian community and the tourism industry, NaHHA has formed alliances with various Hawaiian organizations and nonprofits, artists and cultural practitioners, and with tourism associations, hotels and private businesses.
First, the name ‐ it is not only descriptive of the meaning and feeling of Waikīkī as we know it today, it is also a metaphor of Waikīkī in traditional (ancient Hawaiian) times, at multiple levels. Literally, ‘Waikīkī ‐ Kauhale O Hoʻokipa’ translates to ‘Waikīkī ‐ Home of Hospitality.’ But, as you will see, the context of “Home” can expand and also represent the community of Waikīkī.
Scenic Byways are roads that “tell a special story”, roads with outstanding historic, scenic, archaeological, cultural, natural and recreational intrinsic qualities, and roads that will benefit from a coordinated strategy for tourism and economic development.
The Waikīkī Historic Trail, a walking tour that traces the history and cultural legacy of this area where chiefs and commoners once lived, forms the foundation to Waikīkī ‐ Kauhale O Hoʻokipa Scenic Byway (these and other Points of Interest and Stories will be added to make up the Scenic Byway.) Bronze cast trail markers in the shape of surfboards describe a Waikīkī that few knew existed. Once part swamp, part playground for Hawaiian royalty, Waikīkī was for centuries a center of Hawaiian hospitality and seat of Oahu’s government.
Through the telling of stories of Waikīkī, Waikīkī – Kauhale O Hoʻokipa Scenic Byway helps to restore Hawaiianness to Waikīkī in a positive, productive and respectful way, and show “Waikīkī’s significance is as a place of history, not destination.”