HONOLULU — The state Board of Land and Natural Resources recently approved Senate Resolution 106 to rename the Russian Fort Elisabeth State Historical Park in Waimea as Pa‘ula‘ula.
HONOLULU — The state Board of Land and Natural Resources recently approved Senate Resolution 106 to rename the Russian Fort Elisabeth State Historical Park in Waimea as Pa‘ula‘ula.
Pa‘ula‘ula is the traditional place name for the eastern bank at the mouth of the Waimea River, and was the location of the royal compound of Kaumuali‘i, the ali‘i ‘ai moku of Kaua‘i.
The name change comes almost 15 months after an eight-foot-tall bronze statue of King Kaumuali‘i was unveiled at Pa‘ula‘ula.
“I am pleased that the Board of Land and Natural Resources has adopted SR 106,” said Senate President Ronald Kouchi, the Westside native who introduced the resolution. “The community has asked that the mo‘olelo of this wahi pana is shared and the ‘aina that cares for the iwi kupuna is honored. As leaders, we have a responsibility to preserve and promote our native Hawaiian culture, history and language.”
SR 106 also asks the BLNR to develop new interpretive signs, brochures and websites for the site that are available in Hawaiian and English and primarily reflect the ‘aina of Kaua‘i’s ali‘i nui, as well as the rich, multicultural history of the site, a press release said.
