Kalapana 1970's Photography

Black and White Original Photography of Kalapana Hawaii and her people by Mary Ann Lynch. Kalapana is a town that was taken by lava. These photographs capture a sacred time and place that provide an opportunity to virtually connect with what the land was like and who lived there. Starting in the summer of 1969, photographers Mary Ann & Jack Lynch visited the village of Kalapana as part of a University of Hawaii program looking into the history of oral tradition or story telling by the residents. Mary Ann was assigned local people who without their help she would not have been able to gain the trust of the people of Kalapana. Wayne Roberts, Momi Kaawaloa and Mike Aina were her initial assistants. They directed her to Samuel Oulu Konanui, the son of David Marshall Konanui. Uncle Oulu was indeed the story teller of the village as can be shown by the many hours of myths, legends and truths that were recorded over the six summers they visited Kalapana. I am the daughter of Mary Ann and Jack and was brought along on many visits where the Hawaiians also took me in. Aunty Daisy Pai gave me a Hawaiian name. I helped my Dad make this video. The audio is from the '70's at a community gathering with music and a town hall meeting. At the time, the Hawaiians were protecting their fish ponds from development.