Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park
History on the Big Island
Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is one of the most significant and sacred places in the Hawaiian Islands, where the history, culture and spiritual traditions of the ancient Hawaiians are uniquely intertwined. This national historical park protects a place that once served as a „refuge“ (puʻuhonua) for those who violated strict laws called kapu. Refugees who managed to reach here were pardoned and were able to start a new life. Surrounded by lava fields and the turquoise ocean, the area still retains a strong atmosphere of peace and sacredness. Visitors can admire traditional Hawaiian buildings, carved wooden ki'i statues, royal ponds and the remains of heiau temples.
Sacred ponds
Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park is located roughly in the middle of the west coast of the Big Island. It is one of the three national parks in the Hawaiian Islands. Which is a bit funny because compared to the other two, it is really a „small“ place. It is basically a sacred place where you can get acquainted with the architecture of the indigenous people. Of course, there are also a few photogenic places here.
National Park Coast
The coast is volcanic, no classic beaches. But you can snorkel in Honaunau Bay just outside the park.
The Hall of Keawe
The main attraction of the entire historical park is: Hale o Keawe, which is a sacred royal mausoleum (heiau). This structure served as the final resting place for 23 high-ranking chiefs (aliʻi), including Keawe-i-kekahi-aliʻi-o-ka-moku, the great-grandfather of King Kamehameha. The original structure was unfortunately destroyed in the 19th century and the bones removed, but the present appearance is a faithful reconstruction based on contemporary sketches
Statues of Kiʻi
Around the entire structure are many wooden Kiʻi statues, representing Hawaiian deities and guardians.
The Hall of Keawe from the other side
Although the building is just a replica, you can still imagine what it looked like here a few hundred years ago.
Lava Coast
The Big Island and its volcanic heart
View inland
The interior of the Big Island is certainly not as breathtaking as that of the other islands. It is filled with gigantic shield volcanoes that slowly rise to enormous heights.
The park itself is interesting but you only need a relatively short time to see it. It's actually just a short walk
