Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau

In the 1500's, Hawaiian chieftain nobles called the Ali'i began centralizing their power and setting up land boundaries on the islands. In the eyes of their subjects (called "Makaʻāinana"), the nobles ruled with "mana"- a kind of divine power derived from the spiritual energy of their ancestors. Since they were considered to be the descendants of deities, the Ali'i heavily relied on spiritual beliefs and practices to maintain their legitimacy as well as create a social order. One of the most integrals parts of this was the kapu- or "sacred law"- system. With the help of the priesthood, who were referred to as "Kahuna", all kapu laws were strictly enforced by the Ali'i. These laws dictated proper protocol for interacting with Ali'i, Kahuna, and the opposite sex. There were also codes of conduct for food, clothing, cleanliness, and killing. In most cases, breaking a kapu- even accidentally- meant immediate execution.

As a result of the kapu system and its often harsh implementation, a tradition of sanctuary land was created. "Pu‘uhonua", meaning "place of refuge", were designated plots of land where anyone who had broken kapu could find safety from retribution or punishment. If an offender was able to escape his tribe and reach a pu‘uhonua, he would be absolved by a priest there and would then be free to go. The pu‘uhonua was also used during wartime by defeated warriors as well as women and children.

Located on the western coast of the Island of Hawaii, Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau is the only surviving site of a former pu‘uhonua. The first and most prominent structure built at the location was the 12-foot-tall, 965-foot-long Great Wall that marks the border of the grounds. The wall was constructed in the mid-16th century at the behest of the region's early Ali'i. Sometime in the prehistoric period, a ruling Ali'i chieftain proclaimed that the Black lava flow southwest of the bay was to be a pu‘uhonua.

Beginning in the 1600's, a section of the Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau enclosure became home to the Royal Grounds. Once marked by large sticks that were stuck into the volcanic rock, trespassing onto the Royal Grounds was one of the deadliest offenses under the kapu system. Also during this time period, the area was developed further with the construction of multiple significant heiau (temples). One of the most prominent of these was Hale o Keawe. Built around 1650 by a Kona chieftain named Kanuha as a resting place for his late father, King Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku, Hale o Keawe housed the bones of every Kona chieftain until 1818. Islanders believed that a great deal of the Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau's strength as a "place of refuge" came from the mana supplied by the bones of the past chieftains in the Hale o Keawe. In 1825, the heiau was looted by Lord George Byron- cousin of the famed English poet Lord Byron. Four years later, High Chiefess Kapiʻolani removed the remains of the former Ali'i, hid them in the cliffs above Kealakekua Bay, and ordered the dilapidated Hale o Keawe to be destroyed. In 1858, the bones were then moved to the Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii.

In May of 1819, King Kamehameha- the founder and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii- died. Although his eldest son, Liholiho, officially inherited the throne, a position of leadership was quickly assumed by Queen Kaʻahumanu- the widow of the former king. Six months into his reign, under the guidance of Queen Kaʻahumanu, Liholiho famously broke the ancient kapu system by sitting down and eating with his mother and the Queen (men and women eating together had been forbidden previously). This historic event, called the 'Ai Noa (free eating), resulted in the end of the kapu system, the dissolution of the priesthood, and the abolishment of the ancient religion. Most ancient temples and sacred sites were destroyed in the wake of this- with the notable exception of Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau, which was seen as an important cultural location.

In 1867, Charles Bishop, philanthropist and founder of First Hawaiian Bank, purchased the entire land parcel of Hōnaunau- including the Pu’uhonua- as a gift for his wife. The 420-acre estate was leased to the County of Hawaii for development and use as a county park beginning in 1921. The park was originally opened in 1955 as the City of Refuge National Historical Park. The property was then officially deeded to the County in 1961. On November 10, 1978, the park was renamed Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park to reflect the traditional Hawaiian name. Today, the park includes a visitor's center, walking trails, the ancient Great Wall, and reconstructions of the Hale o Keawe temple among other structures. Due to its status as a sacred cultural site, the Pu’uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park is one of only four places in Hawaii where the Hawaiian flag is permitted to fly above the flag of the United States.

Hughes, Lara. THE LEGACY: PU‘UHONUA O HŌNAUNAU NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK – CELEBRATING 57 YEARS, Keola Magazine. May-June 2018. Accessed December 6th 2020. https://keolamagazine.com/culture/puuhonua-o-honaunau-celebrates-57-years/.

National Park Service. CHAPTER IX: PU'UHONUA O HONAUNAU NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK (continued), National Park Service. November 15th 2001. Accessed December 6th 2020. https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/kona/history9a.htm.

National Park Service. Pu'uhonua-o-Honaunau, City of Refuge National Historic Park, Natural and Cultural Resources Management Plan and Environmental Assessment . Edition 1st. Hawaii. Department of the Interior, 1976.

National Park Service. Pu‘uhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park Geologic Resources Inventory Report, United States Department of the Interior. 2011. Accessed December 6th 2020. http://npshistory.com/publications/puho/nrr-2011-385.pdf.

National Park Service. The Great Wall, National Park Service. May 26th 2020. Accessed December 6th 2020. https://www.nps.gov/puho/learn/historyculture/the-great-wall.htm.