Legend of the Gourd

In the district of Ka‘u, spread across the Kama‘oa Plain, live the Children of the Gourd. This magical tale delves into the past to reveal how the people of this region came to be named. During the old days of Hawai‘i, a young man and woman fell in love. Though both were descended from chiefs, their relationship was looked down upon, and so the young couple ran away together, accompanied by many who cared for them. They crossed the Kama‘oa Plain, along the flank of Mauna Loa, where they settled near the shore and thrived. Alas, the people‘s happiness turned to sorrow as the chiefess became ill soon after her pregnancy and did not recover. Follow in the footsteps of the chief as he makes his way from Kama‘oa to Kapu‘a, guided by a tiny green vine sprouting from the burial cave of the chiefess. What he finds at the end of his journey brings him back from the grief of losing his wife and solidifies the future of his people.