Thursday, November 06, 2008 Wai Momi By Jinggoy I. Salvador
IT TOOK one invite from Philippine Airlines and I was off to this island in the Pacific with Davao's ace travel agents (who makes sure that you get to see the world -- traveling is the best teacher indeed). If there was anything that lured me into this trip, it was the chance to dip into another beach, a famous one at that -- the Waikiki Beach.
Like in any other new place I visit, the must do is to visit and check out the local church architecture and immerse into the culture. The latter would involve visiting the sights that somehow molded the citizens into what they are now.
There is, of course, more to Oahu than stretches of immaculate shorelines and riding the exciting waves. Oahu is where you find Honolulu and this spot is one of the world's most visited tourist destinations.
More than the beach, surfing, wonderful year round weather, shopping and more, this place is close to the hearts of the locals and fellow Americans. Here in Honolulu, the past and its memories are enshrined in Pearl Harbor.
If we had the Aguinaldo Pearl Farm that is now a famous chic world-class resort, Hawaii has Wai Momi which means "harbor of pearl" or Pu'uloa to the locals. This place was teeming with pearl-producing oysters until the late 1800s and today, a memorial with a history of a war torn bygone era.
Pan Asiaworld made sure a visit to this place is made part of the "musts" itinerary of this PAL familiarization tour for the Davao travel agents.
The "harbor of pearls" was regarded as the home of the shark goddess Ka'ahupahau and her brother (or son) Kahi'uka. In Hawaiian legends, Keaunui, the head of the powerful and celebrated Ewa chiefs, is attributed the honor of having cut a navigable channel near the present Puuloa saltworks to admit vessels in and out of the estuary, otherwise known as "Pearl River."
Navigable enough but to Captain James Cook, Pearl Harbor was not considered a suitable harbor due to its shallow water.
But throughout the 1820s and 1830's, when many American warships visited Honolulu, there was American business in the Port of Honolulu, missionaries, and eventually, a US Naval Station that afforded them an opportunity to explore into territorial outposts. So, it is safe to say that more than the pearls, this island in the Pacific has been a much-coveted territory because of its strategic location.
Before Pearl Harbor became a US Naval Shipyard in 1908 that lead to the enlargement and dredging of the Pearl Harbor channel to admit the largest ships, it was a coaling and repair station grant exclusively to the US in the 1870s as granted by King Kalakaua during his reign.
In 1941, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan on December 7 brought the United States into World War II.
The battleship Arizona suffered the most casualties during this attack and today a shrine stands aove the sunken ship. One wall lists all the names, all 1,177 of them, who passed away during this tragic incident.
Pearl Harbor is one of the most visited sights when tourists make it to the island of Oahu in Hawaii. The museum in the memorial park tells the story of the past as well as the 75-minute program that includes a film show and a boat ride to visit the Memorial.
When I say traveling is the best teacher, this was one of the classrooms that can teach us more what the books tell. To visit the actual sight that shaped the history of the world is truly an awesome experience. And if you get this same chance I got, I suggest you grab it. All you have to do is hop on in one of Philippine Airlines' direct flight to Honolulu and bask in a one of a kind Polynesian experience.
Surf, tan in the beaches of Honolulu and check out the spot that changed the course of the world's history...Then it was a harbor of cultured pearls, Wai Momi, Pu'uloa. Today, it is the USS Arizona Memorial.
