| North, South, East and West don't have a lot of | | | | It's only when you try to explain it to someone |
| meaning on the island of Oahu. Sure, there are | | | | unfamiliar with the island's directional concept that |
| some references to these points-of-the-compass: | | | | it starts to get confusing. For instance, let's say |
| The North Shore is famous for its big wave surf | | | | that you are standing in the town of Kailua on the |
| and West Oahu is booming with development, but | | | | Windward side (east side) of the island, facing |
| you're much more likely to hear the term | | | | North then clearly Makai would be on your right |
| Windward Oahu than you are East Oahu and we | | | | (or east) and Mauka would be on your left (or |
| haven't even begun discussing the local terms for | | | | West). Ewa would also be on your left (or West) |
| direction of mauka, makai, ewa and Diamond | | | | and Diamond Head would be to your Southwest. |
| Head. | | | | Now let's say that you are at Pearl Harbor in |
| Consider for a moment the geography of | | | | West Oahu and again facing North then ipso facto |
| Oahu--it's an island, surrounded by water | | | | Makai would now be on your left (or west) and |
| (obviously) that rises from sea level around its | | | | Mauka would be on your right (or east.) You |
| coast line to a series of mountain ridges in its | | | | would be in Ewa and Diamond Head would be to |
| middle. Diamond Head is a prominent coastal | | | | your Southeast. Now, let's put you facing North |
| landmark located on the Southern-most point of | | | | while in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu. |
| the island. These features are what are used for | | | | Makai would now be North: Mauka, Diamond Head |
| directions and navigation by those of us who | | | | and Ewa would all be to the South--see how easy |
| grew up on the island of Oahu. No looking for | | | | this is to navigate by? Finally, let's have you |
| moss on the side of the tree. No sun rises in the | | | | standing in Diamond Head Crater on Southern |
| East and Sets in the West nonsense. Directions | | | | Oahu and facing North. Makai is now to the South, |
| are simple and direct. You can go Mauka (towards | | | | Mauka is to the North, you're in Diamond Head |
| the mountains) or Makai (towards the sea). You | | | | and Ewa is to the Northwest. With a little practice |
| can go Diamond Head (towards Diamond Head | | | | and you will be able to get around like you lived |
| crater) or Ewa (away from Diamond Head | | | | on Oahu all your life. If you were to drive around |
| crater). Since no matter where you are on the | | | | the island in a clockwise direction makai would |
| island, you can almost always see the ocean, the | | | | always be on your left but at varying times would |
| mountains and, at least until recently, Diamond | | | | be to the North, South, East and West. Similarly, |
| Head using these geographical markers to get | | | | mauka would always be on your right and at |
| from point A to point B make sense. | | | | varying times would be to the North, South, East |
| To those of us who grew up on Oahu this is | | | | and West. |
| simple, easy to understand and clear to convey. | | | | |