Hawai'i the Big Island - Hawaii - page 305

Rarely have we seen Christian allegory come so vividly to life; the artwork isn't what
we'd call elegant, but it does possess an undeniable raw energy
Catholic priest John Berchmans Velghe came to Hawai'i from Belgium in 1899. Upon
taking responsibility for St Benedict's church, he moved it 2 miles up from its original
location on the coast near the puʻuhonua (place of refuge). It's not clear whether he did
this as protection from tsunami or as an attempt to rise above - both literally and symbol-
ically - what Christians considered pagan native culture.
Father John then painted the walls with a series of biblical scenes to aid in teaching the
Bible. Sayings in Hawaiian (including the admonishment ʻBegone Satan!' among others)
are painted on columns topped with palm fronds.
Paleaku Gardens Peace Sanctuary GARDENS
MAP
( 328-8084; www.paleaku.com ; 83-5401 Painted Church Rd; admission $5; 9am-4pm Tue-
Sat) Near the church on Painted Church Rd, these tranquil 7-acre gardens contain shrines
to the world's major religions and a frankly staggeringly impressive 'Galaxy Garden,' in
which famous space painter Jon Lomberg has created a scale model of the Milky Way -
in plants. You'll also find yoga and tai chi classes and plenty of general good vibes
SKEA COURSE, ART
MAP
(Society for Kona's Education & Art; ; 328-9392; www.skea.org ; 84-5191 Mamalahoa Hwy)
SKEA is a hotbed of activity, with Pilates, Polynesian dance and Japanese ink-painting
classes, plus pidgin poetry-readings and concerts on the lawn. Check the calendar, and
look for it between mile markers 105 and 106. Around the back of SKEA is the Kona
Potter's Guild MAP , where you can watch potters at work and buy their unique cre-
ations.
Sleeping
Camp Aloha GUESTHOUSE $
MAP
( 328-2304; [e-mail]; 84-5210 Painted Church Rd; r $99; ) This excellent
guesthouse is fantastic value for money. Furnishings are modern and handsome, and re-
laxing by the large pool is a perfect way to wile away South Kona afternoons. The own-
ers are friendly and hip to what's happening in the area, and serve a mean breakfast.