Pololū Valley to close temporarily to honor passing of beloved Kohala tūtū

The Pololū Trail will be closed temporarily on Friday for cultural and ceremonial protocols to honor the passing of Tūtū Cheryl Sproat, a pillar of the North Kohala community.

Sproat died on May 31. She was 74.

Known as Tūtū Cheri, Sproat was well-respected in the community and was an integral part of developing and assisting with the Pololū Trail Steward Program. She graciously allowed her home, adjacent to the trailhead at the end of the road, to be used by the stewards.

She also volunteered her time as a trail steward, telling visitors stories of the area and sharing historic, black-and-white photos.

The closure starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.

According to an obituary posted on Hawaiian Memorial Mortuary website, Sproat was known for sharing “deep aloha and warm smile.”

Though she had no children of her own, Sproat helped to raise many kids from the area, from grandchildren related to her husband, Clyde Kindy Halemaʻumaʻu Sproat, to her godsons, including her very close friend’s son.

Caring for Kohala was something Sproat did and preserving Niuliʻi was an important focus. She and Kindy wanted to make sure the area stayed rural so they purchased acreage long ago to keep it undeveloped.

Sproat also spent years working with a group of friends to create North Kohalaʻs Kamehameha Day Celebration. She loved the culture of these islands and of her family.