Six Sacred Sites of Hawaii
Take a tour of the idyllic sites across the many islands where native Hawaiians have longstanding spiritual connections
- By Megan Gambino
- Smithsonian.com, November 16, 2011
(Photo Resource Hawaii / Alamy)
On the western coast of Hawaii, in Kealakekua Bay State Historical Park, there is a large, raised platform of stacked lava rock. The terrace, a sacred temple called Hikiau Heiau, has been restored several times after surf damage but originally dates to the 18th century, if not earlier.
According to Martha Yent, an archaeologist with Hawaii’s state parks interpretive program, the temple’s purpose and the god it honored probably varied over time. “One chief could have dedicated it to the war god Ku, while another dedicated it to Lono, associated with fertility,” says Yent. When associated with Ku, it likely served as a human sacrificial temple, and in honor of Lono, it would have figured into Makahiki, a festival celebrated to ensure an abundant agricultural season.
It was actually during Makahiki, on January 17, 1779, that British explorer Capt. James Cook arrived at the spot on Kealakekua Bay. It is thought that the timing of his visit and the appearance of his ships’ masts, with sails that resembled an image of Lono made from a pole with bark cloth attached to it, led the local Hawaiians to believe that Captain Cook was Lono. In a ceremony at Hikiau Heiau, they honored the explorer. While docked in the bay, Cook and his crew kept journals documenting their observations of Hawaiian culture. Then, the explorer set sail again on February 4, only to return a week later, after his ship’s mast had broken. Though relations between the Europeans and Hawaiians had been pleasant, on this second visit, tensions flared. When the Hawaiians swiped a rowboat from one of Cook’s ships, Cook, in turn, tried to take Kalaniopuu, the community’s ruling chief, hostage. Cook was killed near the site on February 14, 1779.
Comments (6)
I have been to Hawaii five times, four during WWll and again in 1996 on vacation. I failed to do proper research before visiting in '96 and failed to visit some most interesting sites. Thanks for these sites.
Posted by Louie Hornsby on February 7,2012 | 11:21 AM
I sure hope one day to go and visit in person that magnificent place and feel its spirituality and splendor. Merci-Thank you again for sharing.
Posted by Lucien Alexandre Marion on December 21,2011 | 01:13 PM
Mahalo for the knowledge you have shared. Maybe to share about sacred sites listed on each island and do an educational featuring cronilogical hstory, or the specific time periods about each moku would be appreciated. I don't remember this ever been done. That would be exciting. There is so much history, and sacred sites are referred to as wahi pana. Education and knowledge shared excites academic intrest of that unique culture.
Posted by Casina Waterman on December 7,2011 | 01:53 PM
One more reason to visit these paradise islands...
Posted by Lucien Alexandre Marion on November 24,2011 | 03:41 PM
Thankyou for showing the 6 sacred places in Hawaii. I didn't realize there was the sacred place on Molokai with the sacred rocks. I've been to all the other places except the 6th place. What about the 7 sacred pools in Hana, Maui or the Old Pali Lookout on the island of Oahu where Hawaiian battles were fought, or the Hawaiian fishpond at Koolau Ranch on the island of Oahu.
Posted by Chieko Higuchi on November 23,2011 | 10:44 AM
these petroglphs are so amazing, you can wander around for hours and get so lost in the stories they still tell
Posted by joani morris on November 18,2011 | 02:23 AM