Kainaliu, Hawaii: A Historical Town South of Kailua-Kona

There is a little town in Hawaii called Kainaliu. It is situated fifteen miles south of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. The most outstanding feature of this town is the Aloha theatre, built in 1929 It was the main theatre in the days of the depression, when plantation workers, and would be job seekers, gathered to see silent films and "talk story." Although the theatre has remained, the stage is now primarily used for live shows, concerts and special community events.

Outside the theatre is a cafe and restaurant called the "Aloha Angel Cafe." The cafe is situated on a deck overlooking pastures leading down to the sea. The old gift store has been converted into the fine dining room. Theatre goers come dressed in high heels, a rarity in Hawaii, and show off their fine silk clothing, before the stage curtain goes up.

Legend has it, that a former worker in the gift store was broken hearted, and hung himself, when a beautiful woman who cooked in the the cafe spurned his love. Some people say they can hear him, or feel his gentle spirit still walking around looking for his lost love. Others say it is a made up farce, because a building that old deserves to have a myth. No matter, he has become part of the family now, and family tradition is rooted in this town.

For fifty years, on the first Friday after Thanksgiving, Kainaliu closed its streets for a Christmas parade. Children, and their children, and their children, looked forward to that time during the parade ,when Santa threw out candy. The mayhem and peals of joy when children chased after Santa did not change, no matter how many years went by. Music rang out as they filled their bags with candy, and parents looked on with fond memories etched upon their faces.

It was sad the year the parade stopped. Many people still showed up, but there was an eeriness as the streets stayed open and the excitement of a parade never materialized. No one understood why the parade stopped. Some people said lack of funding, others said the population had grown too large, and the parade was not allowed to hold up traffic anymore. Gone were the decorated shops along the boulevard ,competing for best Christmas parade decor, gone were the sounds of the high school bands, and the mayor sitting on a convertible, while all eyes were on Miss Coffee Queen behind him.

Galleries and boutiques popped up over the years. They sat side by side with a bakery, coffee shop, realtor's office, and hairdresser's shop. Some of these businesses were there for over thirty years. Business owners who got mad at each other, no longer remembered what they argued about. There is a sense of tradition and family in this town. The old bowling alley still has its sign up, and newcomers wonder where they can bowl. They can't. Like the silent movies, the era is over. The sign remains for its own sake.

There are two sidewalk cafes in this town. One cafe was a bar for many years. Then it was taken over by a kind man who made Philly Steaks. Can you guess where he was from? He had a poker game every week in the cafe, and young and old, retired and overworked ,showed up for the laughs and fun. Then one day, not long after his birthday party, this Philly Steak man ,with a twinkle in his eye, died suddenly. Gone was his tradition of making Christmas Eve dinner for all his customers and friends at his shop. Gone was his tradition of giving presents out to the kids Maybe he was Santa, and that's why the parade stopped. There was not a kinder, fun-loving man around, and his presence is still missed in Kainaliu.