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Pu‘uhonua o HönaunauNational Historical Park / HawaiiSpirit, Power, and SafetyIn the time of ancient Hawai‘i, this placepossessed extraordinary mana (spiritualpower). It came in part from 23 ali‘i(chiefs) whose bones were protectedin Hale o Keawe, the heiau (temple)shown above. The Royal Grounds werea center of power, open only to ali‘i andthose serving them. Beyond the GreatWall, the Pu‘uhonua served as a placeof refuge for those who broke kapu,the sacred laws and beliefs by whichall lived. These wahi pana (legendaryplaces) and ancient Hawaiian cultureendure here as Pu‘uhonua o HönaunauNational Historical Park.Royal GroundsThe sound of a pū (conch) announcesthe approach of ali‘i. Skilled paddlersmaneuver wa‘a (canoes) around the lavarocks to land at Keone‘ele Cove. Ali‘istep onto the Royal Grounds with theiradvisors and priests. For the next severalmonths, they will hold ceremonies andhost gatherings. They might engage innegotiating war or peace, meeting inthe shade of a hälau (thatched shelter).They participate in amusements likekönane (a board game) or the sporthe‘e hölua (sled riding). Attendants andservants perform daily tasks, hurryingbetween hale (houses), serving the ali‘ior perhaps preparing fish taken fromthe royal fishponds. Priests consult withthe ali‘i on matters of spirituality, andconduct rituals here, at Hale o Keawe,and in the Pu‘uhonua.Guardians Two ki‘i(wooden images ofHawaiian gods) stand onshore to alert everyoneof the great mana here.Pu‘uhonuaPlace of RefugeIn the time of kapu, a woman eats witha man. A maka‘äinana (commoner) castshis shadow on an ali‘i. Someone catchesa fish out of season. Break these or anyother kapu, and you face the ultimatepunishment of death. Your only chance ofsurvival is to elude your pursuers on foot,make your way to the coast, and swim tothe Pu‘uhonua. If you make it — and manydo not — you may be absolved by a priest.During times of war, the Pu‘uhonuaserved another role — as sanctuary forchildren, elders, and other noncombatants.Defeated warriors could also seek safety inthe refuge. When the battle ended theywere free to return home and resume theirlives regardless of the battle’s outcome.The Pu‘uhonua o Hönaunau, like allpu‘uhonua in the islands, served Hawaiiansfor hundreds of years until kapu ended in1819. It remains a sacred place of peace,calm, and refuge to Hawaiians, opento all who find their way here.11

KĪPAIPAI ‘IA I KA ‘OIA‘I‘OBecome Inspiredby the AuthenticToday the Hale o Keawe,Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau, RoyalGrounds, and surroundinglands remain a center oftraditional Hawaiian life.This long tradition has beenperpetuated by the NationalPark Service since 1961. At thepark’s cultural festival, heldevery summer, you can becomeimmersed in Hawaiian culture.Hawaiians maintain ancienttraditions today. A girlmakes kapa (below).A man carves wood(bottom left). A manprepares to gather fishwith a net (below right).2A woman chants andbeats a drum to lead ayoung dancer in hula.

Exploring Through Time900 – 1100 CE (Common Era)1779 – 1810Polynesians arrive in the Hawaiian islands,likely from the Marquesas Islands 2400miles south. Their voyaging canoes carryplants, animals, and supplies needed tolive here. People settle in hereditarygroups led by a chief. Their farming,hunting, and gathering begin to changethe land.In 1779, English explorer Captain JamesCook sails into Kealakekua Bay, northof Hōnaunau. His is the first recordedcontact with Hawaiians on this island. In1782, Kalaniopu‘u dies. Kamehamehadefeats his rivals and rises to power. Heunifies the Hawaiian islands by 1810through treaty and conquest.1100 – 14001819Tradition tells of ali‘i (chiefs) voyagingback and forth between Hawaii andancestral Kahiki (eastern Polynesiaand Tahiti). They bring new ideas andtraditions like temple drums, woodenimages, and ritual human sacrifice.Tradition also says voyaging ends by 1400.Afterward, Hawaiians live in isolation forseveral hundred years.Kamehameha dies. During the mourningperiod, two of his wives — Ka‘ahumanuand Keōpūolani — and his son Liholiho(Kamehameha II) defy kapu by eatingtogether. Their action begins the collapseof the kapu system. More profoundchanges in Hawaiian society follow asChristian missionaries arrive along withother Europeans and Americans.1400 – 1600Today, the Hawaiian story continuesto evolve through the sharing oftraditions and the work of archeologists,anthropologists, and other specialists.As the population expands, ali‘i establishland boundaries and centralize theirpower. They begin enforcing kapu(sacred laws), which separates them fromthe maka‘äinana (common people) bycontrolling all aspects of life. During thistime, people settle Hōnaunau, establisha pu‘uhonua (place of refuge), and buildthe first heiau (temple) here.Only ali‘i wore helmets and capesembellished with feathers.1600 – 1778Hawai‘i island is united under one ali‘i inthe early 1600s. Hōnaunau becomes aroyal center. Hale o Keawe heiau is builtto house the bones and mana (spiritualpower) of the ruling ali‘i, Keawe-‘Ī-kekahiali‘i-o-ka-moku. Ali‘i continue to expandtheir power and influence. In the mid1700s, Kamehameha is born. His uncleKalaniopu‘u was the ruling chief of theisland by the late 1770s.ALL PHOTOS NPS / PUHO3

Explore Two Sides of Hawaiian LifeFollow numbered posts on a half-mileself-guiding tour through the RoyalGrounds and the Pu‘uhonua.Red stops in theRoyal GroundsPicnic AreaYellow stops inthe Pu‘uhonua1 Royal Grounds Here, in ancient times,you would have seen workers pound kalo(taro), take fish from the ponds, or preparethe grounds for ali‘i. On the far side of theRoyal Grounds is the Great Wall (stop 7), theboundary of the Pu‘uhonua.Follow the sandy path to the right.2 Temple Model This structure is a smallreconstruction of Hale o Keawe, the heiau atstop 8. This model shows details of the heiau.Its frame is öhi‘a wood, the roof is thatchedwith kï leaves, and the trim is of ama‘u (fern).3 Kōnane This Hawaiian strategy game isplayed with black and white pebbles on apapamū (stone playing surface). Papamū canbe any size and are carved into a lava surface.If you would like to play kōnane, ask for rulesat the visitor center.4 Känoa These bowls, carved into rock, mayhave been used for dying kapa (bark cloth),tanning fishing nets, or pounding ‘awa root tomake a ceremonial drink.5 Tree Mold When hot lava surrounds a livingtree, moisture in the tree causes the lava toharden before it burns. Sometimes this leavestree molds like you see here. Many molds inthe park are of loulu palms. Loulu were onceabundant, but now are endangered.6 Keone‘ele This protected cove was kapu;only ali‘i could land canoes here. At times,honu (sea turtles) rest on the shore. Pleasewatch them from a distance; they areprotected by law.4Check the regulations and safety tips atthe end of this brochure before you begin.Please be respectful of this sacred site.P U “U H O N U AThe Great WallCoastal Access RoadAla KahakaiNational Historic Trail (1871 Trail)7 The Great Wall Up to 12 feet tall, 18feet wide, and over 950 feet long, this walldefines the sacred space of the Pu‘uhonua.The wall was constructed over 400 yearsago using uhau humu pohaku (dry-setmasonry)—stones fitted without mortar.8 Hale o Keawe This heiau was a royalmausoleum housing bones of 23 ali‘i,including s great-grandfather. Thesebones give the heiau immense mana.Hawaiians still revere this place andsometimes leave ho‘okupu (offerings) onthe lele (tower). The wooden images are ki‘irepresenting Hawaiian gods.9 Pu‘uhonua Imagine scrambling out ofthe waves onto the rough lava. Althoughexhausted and out of breath, now you aresafe. In a few days you will be absolved bya priest and can go home.10 Keöua Stone According to localtradition, this was a favorite resting placeof Keōua, a high chief. Holes in the lavasurrounding the base may have supported acoconut leaf canopy.

Could someone swim to safety?Coming by ocean might seemeasy—but the distance is great,the currents strong, the wavespowerful, the lava sharp.‘Äle‘ale‘a14101113912Hale o Keawe8715ROYALGROUNDS6Keone‘ele Cove3516412Visitor CenterAmphitheaterWalk back to the sandy path to continue thewalking tour.14 Old Heiau Site Long ago, another heiauwas built here. It may have been the firstheiau for the refuge. Ravaged for centuriesby ocean waves, only remnants remain. Theyare among the oldest structures in the park.11 ‘Äle‘ale‘a This may have been a principalheiau long before Hale o Keawe (stop 8).The platform was built in seven stages.After Hale o Keawe replaced this heiau, oraltradition describes ali‘i relaxing and watchinghula on the platform.The path now leads back toward the RoyalGrounds. Just before the Great Wall, you passa pond on the right. It is an anchialine (ankee-uh-line) pool, fed by a freshwater springand the ocean. The tour continues through amodern opening in the wall.12 Ka‘ahumanu Stone Legend holds thatQueen Ka‘a hu manu, a favorite wife ofKame ha me ha, swam to the Pu‘u honua afterthey quarreled. She hid under this stone,but her barking dog revealed her location.Fortunately, she and her husband reconciled.15 Royal Fish Ponds These anchialine poolsheld fish to be eaten by the ali‘i.13 Papamü Small poho (depressions) werecarved into flat lava rock to create thissurface for playing kōnane (stop 3). The skillsmastered in this game could be used in battleor other pursuits.The next stop is the large thatched shelter.16 Hālau In ancient times, this structurewould have been made of ōhi‘a wood tiedwith cord and thatched with pili grass. Todayit serves as a hälau wa‘a, or canoe house.Artisans work in the smaller hälau.5

UA OLA NO O KAI IA KAILife Comes from the SeaFrom ocean to shore, Hawaiians foundplenty to eat. They fished from canoes.To catch he‘e (right), they used lūhe‘e(above right)—a lure of shell, stone,wood, and bone. Uhu (below left) wasone of many reef fish they harvestedwith nets and spears. Along shore, theygathered delicacies like hä‘uke‘uke and‘opihi (bottom). And they prized honu(right) for its meat and beautiful shell.He‘e(octopus)lühe‘eHonu(green sea turtle)Uhu(parrotfish)Hä‘uke‘uke(sea urchin)‘Opihi(limpet)UA OLA NO O UKA IA UKALife Comes from the LandNiu(coconut palm)Food, medicine, clothing, ritual —Hawaiians had many uses for canoeplants brought by their ancestors. Niu(right) provided food, drink, and fiber forcord. Kalo (bottom left) and ‘Ulu (center)were staple foods. The stiff leaves ofhala (the tree below) were made intomats, baskets, and sails. Noni (below)was one of many medicinal plants.Noni(Indian mulberry)‘Ulu(breadfruit)6Kalo (taro),the source of poiHala(pandanus) JUPITER NIELSEN