January 21, 2004
Pu 'u koloha (The Hill Where You See Whales)
Woody and I went off yesterday to have an adventure. When one is living in a place like ours its easy to forget what surrounds us...one of those choice spots that everyone wants to visit. So we got in the car and drove up the Hamakua Coast, past the old sugar towns like Honoka'a and on through Kamuela/Waimea, to Kawaihae...(pronounced Ka-why-high). The landscape changes dramatically from tropical to alpine to rolling grassland to desert. Kawaihae reminds me of some of the little towns in Baja California, dry sandy beige. Scrubby brush, with great clean air. We go there to enjoy the best fish taco on the planet, at the Tres Hombres Cantina in the Center there. Surfer feeling and the food is really good. You have a view of the harbor and beach park beyond. On the weekends you can see the paddling clubs out on the water and there are always a fishing boat or two out.
After a great lunch and some nice chat with a few visitors, we decided to go to a place we have talked about stopping at but have not ever and looking around. I am so glad that we did, as the views were breathtaking.
The place is the Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. (pronounced Poo-ooo-ko-ho-la Hey-e-ow) This large structure and
surrounding area was once a place where only Kings could come, a Royal Temple built by the young king Kamehameha I in response to a dream that was prophecied over that should he build the heiau and sacrifice to the war god of hi fathers he would become the overlord of all of the Hawaiian Islands. He began at once, building using only stones no mortar, and the slave labor of thousands, that hand passed the stones from 20 miles away. Rivals tried to stop it and one of them became the first human sacrifice offered there. The anceint temple, Mailekini Heiau, stands below it on the hill. Below that is a Royal Compound called Pelekane, where a number of royal family members were born. Another heiau, this one to the shark god was located in the middle of the tiny but beautiful bay, called Haleokapuni.
Woody and walked all around the structure. Quite a hike for us portly folks but I loved it. When we got to the base of
Puukohola, I chose to climb the path reserved for Native Hawaiians up to near the top if the temple, enjoying the view and trying to imagine how things were then in 1791, when the temple was dedicated and how Cheif Keola Kuahu'ula(Kamehameha's cousin and chief rival) was slain. I know that several times a year ceremonies are held here in honor of those bloody times. I also know that by 1820, those times had ended by the choice of the Hawaiians themselves as they willingly embraced Christianity. and now there are only fruit offerings to not the god of war but to those times of independence. I walked to the stairs that asscend up to the top of the luakini (place of sacrifice) but did not asscend as I heard the Spirit with in me say, " you have no need to see that or think on it, the Price has been paid..." and so it has. The Kingdom of Hawaii, gone from the face of the earth. those who long for it really long for the respect of a people that has long departed this world. I felt the wind on my face and could see the island of Maui in the distance.
I have loaded pictures into my
snapshots and will update the captions when I get a chance.
for more on the history of the area, I found
this on the National Parks website. You might find that this is all you need to know about really old Hawaii. It looks pretty exahustive
I dont want to romance the life of the native peoples here prior to the comming of the English. If you were not a part of the ruling elite, you life was short and sad. This was not the paradise of Michener's "Hawaii"but a brutal place of laws, taboos and rituals, particularly on the Big Island. Christianity delivered these people from savagery, and endless bloodshed. The ruling classes dominated and humans were often sacrificed. Again this is not discussed by the "return to the good old days" folks.
Woody saw whales... they are finishing up their stay here and will be returning to Alaska for the summer. I was glad for him.
And the couple that we met a Tres Hombres? They came to the shop today and spent a bit of money. The chatting yesterday and today was treat enough. let alone that.
Went to the "first hour" Meeting. I am so impressed by these ladies. I will be woring on saturdays for them for a bit. Yippee.
