Just steps from the turquoise shimmer of Mermaid’s Cave on Oʻahu’s west side, you might notice something unexpected — a scattering of old headstones embedded directly into the volcanic rock. They’re weathered by salt and time, some with pipes or metal tubes rising from the sand. They aren’t decorations or markers for Mermaid lore. They’re graves.
This stretch of coastline near Nānākuli Beach Park holds deep cultural significance. For generations, Native Hawaiian families lived, fished, and buried their loved ones here. Coastal and cave burials were once common — a way to return the body to the elements while keeping the spirit close to the land. The graves you see may belong to local families from the early 1900s or possibly even earlier. Some include what look like pipes, which may have been part of drainage systems for burial vaults or remnants of flower holders, now rusted and exposed.
Today, June 28, 2025, our dear friends laid to rest the beloved patriarch of their family, Dave Willis. We are 5,000 miles away and unable to attend the services, but somehow, it felt appropriate to find ourselves at this quiet place of remembrance. We stood on this sacred ground — where others have been remembered for over a hundred years — and said a few words in his honor. We think he would have loved the quiet strength of this place.
I didn’t take any pictures of the stones. It didn’t feel right. This is sacred ground, and photographing it would have been disrespectful.
It’s easy to be enchanted by the surreal beauty of Mermaid’s Cave. But just above the rocks, these humble markers offer a quiet reminder: people lived full lives here. They loved and were loved. The land carries their memory. And today, in our own small way, we added our memory of Dave to that gentle chorus of love and loss. He is deeply missed.
Who We Are and How We Got This Way 
❤️🙏Sent from my iPhone
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