The Islands (11 page)

‘Seems like all the cottages are named after Hawaiian royalty,' said Bradley. ‘Mrs Lang is obviously keen on the old traditions as well as the architecture.'

‘Well, let's go to the evening torch ceremony tonight then,' said Catherine.

Eleanor Lang, dressed in a brightly coloured muu-muu and a fresh lei, greeted her guests at sunset. They were offered complimentary fruit juice or the evening's special cocktail and directed from the terrace along the pathway beside the row of interconnecting man-made lagoons to chairs set up at the edge of the grove of coconut trees that had been stripped of their coconuts.

Catherine and Bradley chatted to some of the other guests, many of whom were returnees who swore that there was no place anywhere in the Islands like the Palm Grove and it was all because of Eleanor.

‘What happened to her husband?' wondered Catherine aloud.

‘He died very suddenly just after they bought this place about twenty years ago. It was a run-down old hotel and Eleanor has transformed it. It's her life,' confided one woman.

Catherine wished she had their little camera with her at that moment. The last rays of the sun streamed through the hundreds of coconut palms, gilding the waters of the lagoons silvery gold.

Everyone suddenly fell silent as a wooden canoe slid into view on the furthest lagoon. Standing in its centre was a tall, well-built Hawaiian with a red and orange cloak over his naked shoulders. He wore a short red lava lava around his waist and on his head was an elaborate feather headdress. He carried a large conch shell.

The canoe was paddled by an older man wearing just a lava lava and a shell lei around his neck. Catherine recognised him as the man she'd seen earlier tending the gardens. He guided the canoe into the centre of the lagoon and stopped, steadying it carefully as the other man, standing stiffly, lifted the conch shell and blew a long deep musical note. The sound of the conch shell rang through the darkening grove and was followed by one more haunting call.

There was a murmur from the guests as flickering lights emerged through the palms. And then Eleanor's voice echoed from a microphone on the terrace.

‘As the sun slips from day to welcome the stars of night, we rejoice in the passing of the day and the release of the spirits of the moon. These are the spirits of days past who protect and watch over the land, its creatures and all who shelter here. Enjoy this special part of Kaua‘i as all who have shared the bounty and beauty of the place that was once the kingdom of kings, queens, princes and princesses and which we now know as the Palm Grove.'

Drum beats rang through the grounds and from out of the grove came two young men, lean, brown, bare-chested and smiling. They each carried a flaming torch and darted between the palms, and along the canal and lagoon as far as the hotel terrace, sprinting to light the flame torches speared at intervals into the ground. Within minutes the grove had become a twinkling fairyland. To the rapid beat of the drums, the runners, the drummers and the canoe with its heroic conch shell caller, all disappeared. Later they were to reappear in the guise of waiters, bellhops and gardeners.

‘Well, that was pretty spectacular,' admitted Bradley as everyone rose and headed for pre-dinner cocktails, or to other parts of the hotel.

‘Let's go for a walk around the lagoon. It's so pretty,' said Catherine. She didn't want to break the spell of the brief ceremony and the strong emotions it had aroused in her. Nor was she ready to make small talk with strangers.

They wandered into the heart of the palm grove and in the fading light saw there were plaques at the base of many of the coconut palms. Some of the trees were tall, old ones, others were young, more recently planted. In the fading light Catherine and Bradley read the names and the dates on the plaques. Some names they recognised, others they didn't – but all commemorated a tree planting here in the last twenty years.

‘There must be hundreds of trees planted in here,' said Catherine. ‘By everyone from movie stars to mavericks by the look of it.'

‘A lot of big Hollywood movies were filmed at this hotel in the fifties,' said Bradley. ‘In fact lots of films were shot on this island. Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams, they all stayed here.

‘They all seem to have contributed something to Hawaii or had a connection to the island,' said Catherine. ‘Who's Duke Kahanamoku?'

‘Duke was an American hero, as much for who he was as for his prowess in popularising the sport of Hawaii's kings. He was a great Hawaiian gentleman. You should know about him, he's the father of modern surfing. I thought all Australians surfed,' said Bradley.

‘I wouldn't know. I'm a bush girl,' said Catherine. ‘How come you know about him? Were you a surfer?'

‘Not at all. But living in California, surfing has become huge in the last few years. The Beach Boys, surfing music, that kind of thing.'

They held hands as they walked from the grove back towards the hotel dining room. As they reached the terrace Eleanor appeared with one of the young torch bearers.

‘Good evening to you both. Did you enjoy our evening ceremony?'

‘Wonderful. A great idea,' said Bradley.

‘Do you do it every night?' asked Catherine.

‘Haven't missed since we started,' replied Eleanor. ‘Even when there was a hurricane! Isn't that right, Kane?'

The torch bearer beside her nodded vigorously. ‘I was trying to run through water past my knees. But da torches no go out.'

Eleanor Lang looked at Catherine and said seriously, ‘I like to think of it as the spirit of our island, lighting the way no matter what happens around us. I hope while you're in the Islands you learn something of our Hawaiian culture.'

Catherine studied the American woman who spoke with a cultured accent and whose bright blue eyes seemed to take in everything around her at a glance. That probably accounted for the attention to detail at the hotel that Catherine had already observed. The Palm Grove proprietor had an air of authority and a firmness in her manner which commanded respect.

‘Yes, I'd like to do that. I feel very ignorant about my new home,' said Catherine. She suddenly realised that this would be something she'd really like to pursue. Hawaii intrigued her.

Eleanor studied her for a moment. ‘Make the most of your time here. I can introduce you to some of our staff, you'll learn a lot from them.'

Bradley gave a small laugh. ‘Darling, it is our honeymoon, don't forget.'

Eleanor glanced at him with a polite smile. ‘Of course it is. Catherine, when you return to Oahu, spend time with Kiann'e. She's a very special person. Now, I do hope you'll be joining us for dinner this evening. Our chef has prepared his famous kalua pig on the spit and coconut cream pie.'

‘Looking forward to it,' said Bradley.

‘And tomorrow evening, I hope you'll come to my cocktail party after the torch-lighting ceremony.'

‘Thank you, we'd be delighted,' said Catherine.

‘Why did you accept her drinks invitation?' said Bradley in a low voice as they walked away. ‘We might want to do something else. Or just be together.'

‘Come on, Bradley. You're always telling me how important it is to socialise and meet new people.'

‘Well, you're probably right about Mrs Lang, she's a legend, isn't she? But we'll never see any of these other people again. And you're not really interested in hearing some gardener's story of his family or whatever, are you?'

‘You make it sound like this is a one-off experience and we'll never come back here,' said Catherine.

‘Oh, you mean you want to come back here for our anniversary? I'd rather explore another of the Islands. The Big Island is great, you'd like it.'

She took his arm. ‘Let's enjoy being here and make the most of it, eh?'

He grinned. ‘Okay. Want to forgo dinner in the Palm Palace?'

Catherine laughed. ‘No way. I'm starving. Let's try the Lagoon Room.'

The main dining room was crowded. On the little stage near the dance floor an Hawaiian band played, dwarfed by the soaring peaked ceiling of thatched palm fronds and hung with coloured lights. The conch shell caller, now dressed in the hotel staff uniform of a bright aloha shirt and a lei made of shells and seeds, greeted them and showed them to their table.

‘Welcome, Mr and Mrs Connor. So glad you are joining us this evening.' He gave Bradley a broad smile, showing large white teeth. ‘I'm Abel John. Any time you have any request, want to go anywhere, see the island, join in our hotel activities, please, you call me.'

‘Thank you. We enjoyed the torch ceremony tonight,' said Catherine.

‘It's a tradition at the hotel. Mrs Lang has made the Palm Grove a very special place by paying tribute to old Hawai‘i.' He gave the islands' name its traditional pronunciation. ‘Enjoy your time on our beautiful island. This is Narita – she will look after you this evening.'

A short plump waitress of Japanese descent bustled around them, pouring water into glasses, unfolding their napkins, handing them menus.

As Bradley studied the menu, Catherine asked her, ‘Have you been working here a long time?'

‘Five years only. Many people have been with Mrs L much longer. Except the young ones. But they part of da family too. The Palm Grove family,' she explained.

‘Is everyone from Kauai or do people come and work here from the other islands?' asked Bradley. ‘There seem to be plenty of staff.'

‘We are all from Kauai, this hotel has helped many families. Wherever possible Mrs Lang uses local people to do things. My mother make all da staff uniforms, even Mrs L's muu-muus,' she said proudly. ‘If you want some made, I can ask for you,' she said to Catherine. ‘And you get one special cheap price.'

‘Thanks. I'd love that,' said Catherine. ‘I'll talk to you after dinner perhaps.'

‘You enjoy your dinner. We have delicious ahi caught today.'

As Narita bustled away Bradley shook his head. ‘Surely you're not serious, Catherine?'

‘About the ahi? Here it is . . .' She read from the menu. ‘Seared ahi with okra and ginger.'

‘About the dresses. It's like aloha shirts – an impulse buy you never wear when you get home.'

Catherine glanced at Eleanor Lang who, dressed in her muu-muu with long sleeves, was making her elegant way around the room, greeting people at each table. ‘I know, but they are very practical, flattering, you don't have to think what to wear. Add sandals or high heels and you're casual or formal. I love them. And the flowers . . .' Catherine patted the hibiscus she'd pinned in her hair.

‘I like what you're wearing now,' said Bradley.

Catherine glanced down at her simple sundress, but just the same she decided that she'd buy an aloha shirt for Bradley and order a muu-muu for herself.

The meal was fresh and delicious, much of the produce was grown and brought in by local farmers, Narita told them.

During dinner there were performances by a singer nicknamed Mouse and his band and a hula dancer. Abel John acted as the MC and he called out the names of those celebrating a birthday or an anniversary and introduced Bradley and Catherine, ‘Who are here on their honeymoon. We wish you many years of joy and hope you will celebrate every anniversary with us here at the Palm Grove. And bring the little keikis with you too!'

There was a round of applause and laughter and Bradley cringed and said he didn't want to dance after dinner and they left soon after their coconut cream pie was served.

It was almost their last day . . . the ten days had melted away too quickly. They had succumbed to many enticements: a waterfall picnic in the high lush hills. Abel John had given them directions to Secret Beach, where they hiked down to a pristine empty beach save for a few surfers riding the long breakers off the point; they had gone snorkelling in a beautiful bay; and Catherine had beat Bradley at a game of tennis. He was a bit put out, saying he hadn't been trying.

‘You underestimated a female opponent,' laughed Catherine.

When Catherine spotted a sign ‘Horse Riding' she couldn't resist the chance to go for a ride. Mouse, whose cousin owned the horses, offered to go with her as Bradley refused to sit on a horse.

Catherine was elated to be riding again and it was the perfect way to explore the ravine rising above the fields of pineapples and sugar cane. Mouse told her a little of his family history. ‘Me a mix of Hawaiian Portugee and Chinese'. The latter had come to the Islands as indentured workers and they still worked the same land as their ancestors. Mouse told Catherine that he had been hired to work in the gardens and to care for the coconut palms at the Palm Grove and one day while he was singing as he worked, Eleanor overheard him and asked if he sang in public.

‘I tell her, my family, we all sing,' he said. ‘So she got me singing to the guests. Sometimes my sisters sing, too. Mrs L, she even get me on a record. I made three now. We have a Palm Grove choir. Do shows and make big concert at Christmas for guests. It good fun.'

The horses broke out of the heavy foliage and picked their way along a lava rock path where Catherine stopped to admire the breathtaking views from the peaks across to the ocean.

‘This island is so beautiful, so tropical and unspoiled,' said Catherine. ‘No wonder it's called the Garden Isle.'

‘We get plenty rain, so there are many rainbows, mists and flowers. Some of the places around here are sacred places. There's a special heiau, a temple, I could show you. Abel John knows much stories 'bout this place. He tell Mrs Lang all the old stories and she use them in the shows. She's always putting on some Hawaiian story for the guests.'

‘The local people, do they know the stories, the history?' asked Catherine. This outer island, where the landscape was so untouched, made her realise there was a society with a mixed cultural heritage linked to old Hawaii that appeared to be very vibrant.