Today we visited a place that holds a special place in my heart, Pu’uhonua o Honaunau, or “place of refuge”.
Pu’uhonua o Honaunau is a historical park that preserves the site where, up until the early 19th century, Hawaiians who broke Kapu (ancient laws), vanquished and defeated warriors, and noncombatants could seek safety from all wars and punishments.
Usual Kapu for commoners include looking at a chief, walking in a chiefs footsteps, or touching the chief’s possessions. For women, the laws were stricter, as for example, they could not eat in the presence of a man. However, there were other Kapu, such as harvesting certain fish out of season, stealing, trespassing, and more.
The penalty for Kapu was execution, as ancient Hawaiians believed if they did not, the village would fall victim to natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, famine, and more unless the offender reached the Pu’uhonua.
If an offender reached Honaunau, they would ask for forgiveness from a priest and eventually be granted a a second life from the gods. All Hawaiians respected and honored the sanctity and mana (power) of the remains of the chiefs at the Pu’uhonua, which gave the area immense power.
Ki’i or (wooden statues) guard the temple of Hale o Keawe, which was built in 1650. According to ancient Hawaiians, the bones of deceased Ali’i (chiefs) held Mana ( or spiritual power) and burying the chiefs’ bones at Hale o Keawe would protect the Pu’uhonua. The massive Great Wall marked the boundary between the royal grounds and the Pu’uhonua on the inside.
Honaunau was once a thriving ahupua’a, which stretched from the top of the mountains to the sea, with resources flowing throughout. Honaunau was originally founded in the 13th century; Honaunau was the original seat of the Kona chiefdom and the ancestral home of the Kamehameha dynasty, here in South Kona.
Each ahupua’a has a Pu’uhonua which is a sanctuary protected by Lono, the god of life, and considered to be the most sacred place in Hawai’i. The efforts to preserve Pu’uhonua began in the 20th century, with the Great Wall and Hale o Keawe temples restoration when the site became a national historical park in the 1960s.
Ancient Hawaiian Kahuna (priest-seers) reset the lunar calendar during the Season of the Makahiki Rituals by observing the stars and environment. This period of time (approx Nov – January) is dedicated to the god of Life, Lono, to bring forward a good season of growth. Today, Makahiki is a joyous time to celebrate Hawaiian Traditions (I did this growing up every year), where wrestling and spear throwing matches and games like Moa Pahe’e test skill and accuracy (Sliding darts).
The reason this place holds such a special place in my heart, is because it is where I grew up. I learned to swim, fish, and boat at 2step. I learned basic skills just up the road at Honaunau Elementary, and spent my days at the beach. I even competed annually at Pu’uhonua o Honauanau in La Pa’ani. As a local school child I competed in annual games and celebrated and learned about Hawaiian tradition! Today, our park ranger was my kindergarten teacher, indicative of my connection to Honaunau.