Mokuʻula

Mokuʻula in Lahaina, Hawaiʻi was a small island within the spring-fed pond of Mokuhinia and held deep political, cultural, and spiritual importance. From 1837 to 1845 it was the private residence of King Kamehameha III, and several Hawaiian royals were buried there. Many Hawaiians regard it as a sacred piko, while tradition connected the surrounding pond with Kihawahine. Part of a wider wetland landscape of loʻi kalo and fishponds, the site declined after the capital moved to Honolulu and plantation diversions cut off its water. Buried beneath a park baseball field in 1919, it was later recognized as a historic place and became the focus of archaeological study and restoration efforts.

Lahaina, Hawaii · United States