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Kalakaua Park
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PHOTOS |
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Click on a thumbnail to
see a larger version of the photo |
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OVERVIEW |
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King
Kalakaua, who revived the hula, was the
inspiration for Hilo's Merrie Monarch
Festival. A bronze statue, erected in 1988,
depicts the king with a taro leaf in his
left hand to signify the Hawaiian peoples'
bond with the land. The park also has a huge
spreading banyan tree and small fishponds,
but no picnic or recreation facilities. In a
local tradition, families that have had
recent funerals often leave leftover floral
displays and funeral wreaths along the
fishpond walkway as a way of honoring and
celebrating their loved ones.
Several of the trees in the park are said to
have been planted during the reign of the
Hawaiian King David Kalakaua who was a
frequent visitor to Hilo and after whom the
park is named. A bronze statue of King
Kalakaua stands in the middle of the park.
Kalakaua Park provides an ideal starting
point for a stroll through the Old Town. The
Federal Building is situated directly
opposite the northern end of the park and
only a stone's throw away on Kalakaua Street
is the old police station, which now houses
the East Hawaii Cultural Center. Old houses
interspersed with cafés and restaurants
surround the park and exude a very special
charm. |
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DIRECTIONS |
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This small
park lies in the middle of Hilo's Old Town
between Waianuenue Avenue and Kalakaua
Street, Kinoole and Keawe Street. |
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