Hawaii has five National Historic Parks including: Volcanoes, Haleakala, Kaloko-Honokohau, Pu'ukohola Heiau, and my personal favorite - Pu'uhonua o Honaunau. The last three that are nearly impossible to pronounce are all located on the Big Island of Hawaii and showcase the lifestyle of early Hawaiians.
Kaloko-Honokohau depicts the peaceful side of the native Hawaiians. This park preserves the coastal sections of two traditional land divisions - Kaloko and Honokohau. Hundreds of Hawaiian families, fishermen, and farmers lived here.
You will see piles of lava rock all over that once marked the locations of various Hawaiian structures including a mark of formal boundaries, agriculture, fishing and religious structures.
What you want to see here is the 'Ai'opio fishtrap
Hawaiians had many different methods of fishing, this one is the Kaloko fishpond where fish were raised to sustain the people. Fish swam into the bay at high tide and were trapped inside the walls as the tide fell.
Honu or green sea turtles like to bask in the sun here. They are endangered and therefore protected by law. It is not permitted to bother them or get within 10 feet of them
Pu'ukohola Heiau shows another time of Hawaiian history - war. By 1790, many believed that Kamehameha was destined to rule all of the Hawaiian islands. However, he only conquered Maui, Molokai, and Lana'i, because his cousin and rival king sought opposition. One day Kamehameha learned that his cousin King Keoua was invading his territory, so he went to a prophet. The prophet said that he would rule all of the Hawaiian islands only when he built a temple atop Whale Hill dedicated to his family's war god Kuka'ilimoku.
Kamehameha went to work immediately. The builders had to follow strict guidelines in order to please the war god. The prophet served as the royal architect to ensure perfection. The temple had to be built from lava sea-worn rocks. Workers created a human chain 20 miles long to transport the rocks to the top of the hill from the ocean.
The temple took one year to build, and King Kamehameha labored with his people. During this time, King Keoua tried to stop him and all of the islands that Kamehameha conquered were taken back by the chiefs. Kamehameha counterattacked and finished the temple in 1791. Upon completion, Kamehameha invited his cousin King Keoua to the dedication ceremony. It would have been unheard of for him to decline, so he came knowing that he probably wouldn't make it out alive.
When Keoua's bought docked, he was killed in a squabble. By 1810, Kamehameha was the revered king of all the Hawaiian islands.
This is a neat site to go and visit. You cannot enter the temple as it is a sacred place to native Hawaiians, but you can walk around the outside of it. In addition, you can visit the site of John Young - a British sailor who was a trusted advisor to Kamehameha.
There is also a sunken temple dedicated to the shark gods. The temple was last seen in the 1950s when the rock platform was visible during low tides. In addition, there is another set of ruins of a Heiau (temple) that was turned into a fort by John Young. There are plenty of walking trails, and spots for whale watching here as well.
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau rests on the black lava plats of the southern Kona coast. It preserves aspects of traditional Hawaiian life. Honaunau Bay is the place where royal chiefs established their residences and is separated from the rest of the village by a massive 10 foot high 17 feet thick wall. This was also considered a place of refuge for defeated warriors, noncombatants in time of war, and those who violated the kapu or sacred laws. It was not the wall that granted refuge, but the bones of chiefs. Blood could not be spilled here as the spiritual power of the bones of chiefs protected people who sought refuge.
This is a fun park to come and visit. You do a self walking tour with a park map that you pick up. It takes you to 16 different sites where you get to learn about the royal grounds, temples and life within a Hawaiian village.
Konane - a traditional Hawaiian game similiar to checkers.
Kanoa bowls carved into lava rock that were used for dyes, to evaporate ocean water to make salt, or pound the 'awa root to make juice.
Hale o Keawe (ki'i or tikis) stand watch over the rebuilt temple and mausoleum that once held the bones of 23 noble chiefs. Offerings were placed on the tower.
There are many other sites here that will give you insights of what life was like as a commoner, a wife of the king and so on. I recommend that you definitely come to this National Historic Site over the others.
Kaloko-Honokohau depicts the peaceful side of the native Hawaiians. This park preserves the coastal sections of two traditional land divisions - Kaloko and Honokohau. Hundreds of Hawaiian families, fishermen, and farmers lived here.
You will see piles of lava rock all over that once marked the locations of various Hawaiian structures including a mark of formal boundaries, agriculture, fishing and religious structures.
What you want to see here is the 'Ai'opio fishtrap
Hawaiians had many different methods of fishing, this one is the Kaloko fishpond where fish were raised to sustain the people. Fish swam into the bay at high tide and were trapped inside the walls as the tide fell.
Honu or green sea turtles like to bask in the sun here. They are endangered and therefore protected by law. It is not permitted to bother them or get within 10 feet of them
Pu'ukohola Heiau shows another time of Hawaiian history - war. By 1790, many believed that Kamehameha was destined to rule all of the Hawaiian islands. However, he only conquered Maui, Molokai, and Lana'i, because his cousin and rival king sought opposition. One day Kamehameha learned that his cousin King Keoua was invading his territory, so he went to a prophet. The prophet said that he would rule all of the Hawaiian islands only when he built a temple atop Whale Hill dedicated to his family's war god Kuka'ilimoku.
Kamehameha went to work immediately. The builders had to follow strict guidelines in order to please the war god. The prophet served as the royal architect to ensure perfection. The temple had to be built from lava sea-worn rocks. Workers created a human chain 20 miles long to transport the rocks to the top of the hill from the ocean.
The temple took one year to build, and King Kamehameha labored with his people. During this time, King Keoua tried to stop him and all of the islands that Kamehameha conquered were taken back by the chiefs. Kamehameha counterattacked and finished the temple in 1791. Upon completion, Kamehameha invited his cousin King Keoua to the dedication ceremony. It would have been unheard of for him to decline, so he came knowing that he probably wouldn't make it out alive.
When Keoua's bought docked, he was killed in a squabble. By 1810, Kamehameha was the revered king of all the Hawaiian islands.
This is a neat site to go and visit. You cannot enter the temple as it is a sacred place to native Hawaiians, but you can walk around the outside of it. In addition, you can visit the site of John Young - a British sailor who was a trusted advisor to Kamehameha.
There is also a sunken temple dedicated to the shark gods. The temple was last seen in the 1950s when the rock platform was visible during low tides. In addition, there is another set of ruins of a Heiau (temple) that was turned into a fort by John Young. There are plenty of walking trails, and spots for whale watching here as well.
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau rests on the black lava plats of the southern Kona coast. It preserves aspects of traditional Hawaiian life. Honaunau Bay is the place where royal chiefs established their residences and is separated from the rest of the village by a massive 10 foot high 17 feet thick wall. This was also considered a place of refuge for defeated warriors, noncombatants in time of war, and those who violated the kapu or sacred laws. It was not the wall that granted refuge, but the bones of chiefs. Blood could not be spilled here as the spiritual power of the bones of chiefs protected people who sought refuge.
This is a fun park to come and visit. You do a self walking tour with a park map that you pick up. It takes you to 16 different sites where you get to learn about the royal grounds, temples and life within a Hawaiian village.
Konane - a traditional Hawaiian game similiar to checkers.
Kanoa bowls carved into lava rock that were used for dyes, to evaporate ocean water to make salt, or pound the 'awa root to make juice.
Hale o Keawe (ki'i or tikis) stand watch over the rebuilt temple and mausoleum that once held the bones of 23 noble chiefs. Offerings were placed on the tower.
There are many other sites here that will give you insights of what life was like as a commoner, a wife of the king and so on. I recommend that you definitely come to this National Historic Site over the others.
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