i was at the Kona airport waiting to catch a flight back to Maui
for the last 5 hours
the airport is open to the elements
wind, rain, and sunlight enter the terminal
passengers huddle under roof overhangs for shelter
3 days ago i was on the island of Maui
80 miles to the northwest
a storm had hit
flights were canceled
a Southwest Airlines flight to O‘ahu experienced severe turbulence
the TV screen showed passenger's phone photos from the flight
when the plane hit turbulence objects went flying
the plastic ceiling was covered in cracks and holes
in the myth, Maui fishes up the islands with a magical hook
an archipelago connected by flight paths
the invisible lines create shapes as they intersect
the hours passed by
i started reading some of the airport signage
FINAL CHAPTER OF PELE'S TRAVEL
PELES SEARCH FOR A PERMANENT HOME FOR HER FIRES TOOK HER TO THE ISLAND OF HAWAI'I WHERE A FEARED FIRE GOD, AILA'AU (EATER OF FORESTS) INHABITED HALEMA'UMA'U CRATER. PELE STROVE TO DWELL WITH HIM, BUT HEARING THAT PELE WAS COMING, AILA'AU FLED HIS HOME. PELE ARRIVED, FOUND THE CRATER ABANDONED AND DUG DEEP FOR HER PERPETUAL FIRES.
THE CENTER OF EACH PANEL SHOWS PELE AND HER UNDYING FIRES IN HALEMA 'UMA'U. TO THE LEFT ARE HER TRAVELS, WITH THE RED "V" DEPICTING DIGGING. THE RIGHT SHOWS HER TRAVELING TO REACH HALEMA'UMA'U WHILE AILA'AU, THE BLACK TRIANGLE, FLEES HIS HOME. THE BORDERS SIGNIFY THE VARIOUS SMALLER CRATERS AROUND HALEMA'UMA'U.
KE KULA O EHUNUIKAIMALINO, CLASS OF 2013
i checked the flight again on the departures monitor
Now at 2:54 PM
delayed again
i walked another loop around the terminal
i took a picture of a No Entry sign
over the speaker i heard my flight being called
it was finally boarding
the boarding process took longer than usual
as i waited i sketched the lettering on the back of the fold down metal tray table in my notebook
Kokua means 'help.' It's deeper meaning, however, is to extend help to others in a sacrificial way, with no intent of personal gain. It means to cooperate and pitch in without regard for self and to have consideration for others. The word kokua may also be used to refer to a person who helps or a caregiver.
it started raining
i took out the in-flight magazine and paged through it
the plane rolled back from the gate
we were finally in the air
it was clear above the clouds
the island of Maui came into view
