Even the trees of the Royal Grove told a historic story and some will live on — shaped into pahu drums by a master Hawaiian craftsman.

Architect Rob Iopa served as chief designer, master planner and architect of record for the Royal Hawaiian renovation. Iopa is president and CEO of WCIT Architecture. And he is Native Hawaiian and very mindful of the history of that part of Waikiki known as Helumoa.

He was pleased to learn that the owners and managers picked up coconuts that fell from the historic grove and collected them to grow so that the keiki trees could be replanted and the descendants continue to grow.

When Iopa started work on the renovation project, he found that some of the trees in the Royal Grove had grown too tall and diseased to remain.

"The trees had reached their life expectancy, had become a hazard and needed to be removed," Iopa said. He worked with owner Kyo-ya, the Outdoor Circle and others concerned.

"If these descendants of the Royal Grove of Helumoa could be retained and used by Hawaiian artisans, it would be much better than mulching the stumps," Iopa said, as is often the practice for modern tree removal.

With the help of cultural advocate Maile Meyer, Iopa reached Buddy Makaiau, a recognized master pahu drum maker.

Two "of these wonderful pieces of functional art" have come back to The Royal Hawaiian and await a chance to beat in their new-but-old home.

"It's as significant an undertaking as the full renovation of the hotel," Iopa said. "It dates back hundreds and hundreds of years ... in a historic and cultural setting that is very rich and very longstanding."

For Iopa, it was another way to maintain the utmost respect for the history and heritage of the Pink Lady of the Pacific. He said his overall goal of the project was to usher this classic hotel into a modern age.

Since the hotel opened in 1927, various renovations changed the original open character of the hotel and its relation to the gardens and beach.

"Over time, the hotel has been closed in," he said, and he worked to re-open it toward the beach and the grove.

According to legend, Ka'auhelumoa — a phantom rooster — flew from Ka'au Crater in Palolo to Waikiki and appeared before the high chief Kakuhihewa while he was playing Hawaiian games. Ka'auhelumoa landed in front of the chief and began to scratch the earth, so the chief then ordered a grove of 10,000 coconut trees to be planted, the first tree to be planted at the very spot where Ka'auhelumoa scratched the 'aina.

Iopa feels the history being preserved. Through a cultural partnership, he hopes to continue to celebrate living components of that history, through weaving of the coconut fronds that grow there, lei-making, and other sharing.