Waiʻanae (1984) | PBS HAWAIʻI CLASSICS

I was raised in Wai'anae. My grandparents bought property up Makaha Valley Road in the 50s. I came here from California in 1981 when I was 8 years old. Although my early life was rough, I quickly learned and adopted true family values and respect. This beautiful valley and its beautiful people have given me a wonderful experience.

Rell Sunn, sweet lady. May she rest in peace.

Born and raised on the north shore but the Waianae coast was so fun. In the 70s we spent so much time in Nanakuli, Maile, Pokai Bay and Waianae, to me that was the closet you could get to the real old Hawaii, I loved it out there. I miss it so much. This program generated so many emotions. RIP Rell Sun🙏🌴

Oh my gosh it is so beautiful to see the old Hawaii and to learn the names of the different areas of Waianae. It is also so nice to see Rell Sunn. I'm a few years younger than she is and I remember people always talking about her. I've only seen her once walking on the beach with her beautiful sun tan and her Hapa haole looks the surfer girl as she was known by. Gone Young Too Soon. The magnificence of the sugar Kane, and slopes of the mountain tops to the ocean. And all the others in this interview of so long ago. This part of the island needs to be protected from tourism. I understand now that a Korean buyer is purchasing or have purchase the old Chin Ho Resort formerly known as Makaha Golf Course. Supposedly Condominiums are going to be built and of course private investors will be investing into it possibly turning it into another Airbnb investment where tourists will be able to come out there and populate the areas while the investors of these condos sit back and collect their rent money. Hawaii really needs to stop this form of buying from outside investors purchasing land and Condominiums for the sole purpose of not living here but to rent it out. It's a travesty to see that what the new government sees as an improvement the people see as a form of heavy population, leading into local homelessness, and inability to purchase homes because of the high price or cost of living there driven by politicians and investors who cares nothing but to line their pockets with greed. This is the very reason why the beauty of Hawaii is fading. I have also just Googled Auntie Agnes cope to find out that she has passed in 2015 I did not know her but she seemed to have lived a long life. Auntie Agnes thank you for all the love and support you've given Hawaii and its people. We need more people like you Auntie Agnes and all the other Old-Timers not mentioned who contributed by displaying so much love Aloha and respect towards the betterment of Hawaii and it's people. Thank you, mahalo for all your love and support!

Beautiful video.

Wonderful to see this film from my old home Waianae/Makaha. Best wishes from Cambodia.

Ah Rell Sunn to see her so young. Amazing. Rest in peace Rell.

My family and I vacationed in Waianae a few years ago. My sister and her family moved there from the mainland. Beautiful beaches and you get a sense of old Hawaii. You can still feel the history there. Besides the poverty, drugs and homelessness there is still much beauty on that side of the island. We spent most of our time at Pokai Bay and Makaha Beach. So pretty and uncrowded. The Waianae coast is definitely a special place if you can look past it’s flaws. Not too many tourists venture up there which is a good thing.

Excellent upload! My parents, sister and I had just moved to Ma'ili in the summer of 1984 (July I think) from Waipahu. I was four years old, and my sister was eight. We stayed on the coast through high school, with both my parents teaching at the elementary schools in Ma'ili and Waianae respectively. I think I went to Bunky Bakutis's house with my fifth grade class at Waianae Elementary to learn ceramics, but I definitely remember his name as a Honolulu Advertiser staff writer.

This was pretty cool to see. I've recently moved to O'ahu and alot of my work requires me to be on the Waianae coast. So many people bolster the history of Hawaii giving explaination as to the history of Honolulu, Nuuanu, and all the other more densely populated areas of the island, and I had always wondered about history of the Waianae coast and this provided me a little insight as to a history lesson on the leeward coast. It intrigues me to want to know more about it.

Awesome 👏

Thankful for my life. Aloha Ahhh Kapolei oka ehu kai .... Malama Aina Hanna Hau Malama Ke kai....Ke Akua bless our loved ones from the past and the present and the future. Our water and our land. Aloha nui loa Mahalo Mahalo for my beginning being in O'ahu, at Kapiolani. Ke Akua bless the souls of King Kamehameha and his Queen Liliokulauni, and Princess Kapiolani. And IZ...Duke...my Papa San Lucky Alfonso Viloria and Gramma Joyce, and Ewa Beach. God bless O'ahu. Im 50 now, the last time I was there. I flew all by myself from NW Montana, the mainland. To turn 7 at gramma and Grampas. I stung by a Portuguese man o war. At Pok'I Bay. I miss eating limu off the beach. I want to be a Paniola and ride on the beach before I go into the spirit world. Thank you for sharing this. I want to be like Rell Sunn. I want to eat Biko again. And smell the fragrance of plumerias and the ocean again. To 🔥Pele💃🏾Hiaka 🎣Maui 🌈🌤🌴🌴🛖🌴🏇🏻🌺🌴🏞🏖🏊🏾‍♂️🌊🏄🏽‍♀️ 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊

Westside! IMUA HAWAII! DEFEND HAWAII! Like go Tumbleland or Restcamp!

Lord Tally Ho Blears...what a great well known world champion wrestler and his children of great surfers from Makaha. Last saw him working as a substitute teacher at Waianae High in late 80s. Buffalo Keaulana, still going strong, one of a kind waterman who was on the original Hokulea and his children of great surfers and working for movies..Legends!!

Railway from Waianae to Honolulu…. Too bad we couldn’t see the future.

Damn I wouldve loved 75 or even 400 buck price tags for a board, it can get to 1000 easily now. Other than that Waianae has sure changed since those days.

I used to live behind the Waianaes on Schofield 😢

I agree we are a changed island internally , but just know the island filled with aloha still, it lingers in folks that’s still hold on to it and share it, Same we feel in the mainland and our people get high nose since they moved mainland

"plus 4% tax" just killed me.

Waianae means far to drive to.