What Is Puʻuhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park?
This park preserves a historic refuge for lawbreakers, a ritual center for chiefs, and a road connecting coastal villages!
What Makes It Historical?
When Polynesian voyagers first arrived in Hawaiʻi between 1219 and 1266 CE, they brought along Tahitian taboo laws, which, over time, morphed into kapu. These laws codified seasons for harvesting and fishing, behavior of chiefs and commoners, and roles of men and women, and they were super strict! The penalty for breaking kapu was death, unless you could make it to a puʻuhonua, or refuge!
The focal point of the puʻuhonua at Hōnaunau Bay is a special mausoleum for chiefs, or aliʻi, called the Hale O Keawe! It was founded by an aliʻi named Keawe-i-kekahi-aliʻi-o-ka-moku around 1700 CE and housed the bones of 23 aliʻi, which gave this place extra special mana that enabled resident kāhuna to absolve crimes! The Hale was surrounded by wooden kiʻi depicting important gods of protection and peace, offering sanctury to kapu breakers, defeated warriors, and conscientious objectors until 1819 when Kamehameha I died. While grieving, his wives, Kaʻahumanu and Keōpūolani, ate with his son, Liholiho, a grave violation of kapu, but since the new Kamehameha II was aliʻi, the holes in kapu only grew until the system was no more!
Ten years later, Queen Kaʻahumanu had the bones removed from the puʻuhonua, and it fell into disrepair. Then, from 1902 until 1967, different teams under W.A. Wall and Edmund J. Ladd excavated the puʻuhonua and reconstructed the Hale O Keawe, which now serves as a modern bridge to centuries-old Hawaiian customs!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
- Donate to Puʻuhonua O Hōnaunau National Historical Park!
- Become a member of the Hawaiʻi Pacific Parks Association!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
Hōnaunau Beach Road
0.4 miles south of Keala O Kiawe Road
Captain Cook, HI 96704
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
The park is open daily from 8:15 AM until sunset, while the visitor center is open from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM!
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