Hilo - How It Got Its Name

The Legend: Once, before King Kamehameha realized his dream to rule all the Hawaiian Islands, he camped near the mouth of the Wailuku River called Kaipalaoa. He told his servants to stand watch over his canoe so it would not be carried away by the tide or stolen while he went alone to visit a special friend who lived on what is now known as Reed's Island.

As time passed, Kamehameha's men became worried for his safety. They dared not leave the canoe unattended. One of the men taught the others to make a ti-leaf rope by twisting the leaves together. Such twisting is called "hilo". They took this rope and and tied the canoe and set out to look for Kamehameha. A short way up the river, they met Kamehameha returning unharmed. At first angered that his men did not keep their promise to watch the canoe, Kamehameha was surprised that they knew how to make such a rope that only people from Waipi'o knew how to do. The man who had taught the others said he came from Waipi'o. Pleased, Kamehameha declared that this place shall be called Hilo - meaning to twist. This is the story of how Hilo got its name.