Kona, Hawaii

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kona is the name of a moku or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the
State of Hawaii. In the current system of administration of Hawaii County,
the moku of Kona is divided into North Kona District (Kona 'Akau) and South
Kona District (Kona Hema). The term "Kona" is sometimes used to refer to its
largest town, Kailua-Kona. Other towns in Kona include Kealakekua, Keauhou,
Holualoa, Hōnaunau and Honalo.

In the Hawaiian language, kona means leeward or dry side of the island, as
opposed to ko'olau which means windward or the wet side of the island. In
the times of Ancient Hawaii, Kona was the name of the leeward district on
each major island. In Hawai'i, the Pacific anticyclone provides moist
prevailing northeasterly winds to the Hawaiian islands, resulting in rain
when the winds contact the windward landmass of the islands - the winds
subsequently lose their moisture and travel on to the leeward (or kona) side
of the island. When this pattern reverses, it can produce a Kona storm from
the West. Kona has cognates with the same meaning in other Polynesian
languages. In Tongan, the equivalent cognate would be tonga; for windward,
the associated cognate would be tokelau.

Kona is the home of the world-famous Ironman World Championship Triathlon
which is held each year in October in Kailua-Kona. The Kealakekua Bay State
Historical Park marks the place where Captain James Cook was killed in 1779.
Puuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park and Honokohau Settlement and
Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park are in Kona.

The volcanic slopes of Hualālai and Mauna Loa in the Kona district provide an ideal microclimate for growing coffee. Kona coffee is considered one of the premium specialty coffees of the world.