Faith
2
A heiau at Puʻukohola was built long before Kamehameha began construction on the heiau seen today, reflecting the vision and strategy of the kahuna. Physically prominent and imposing on the landscape, it gained spiritual power from its commanding presence. Entry was restricted to male kahuna, male aliʻi, and other royalty, while women of all status were forbidden from entering the heiau proper. The structure was designed so that no one could see into it from the land side or look up into it from the water, and wooden fencing along the edge of the platform further blocked visibility. Early written accounts describe numerous structures and large carved images on the platform. The heiau remains about the same shape and size as when Kamehameha constructed it in 1790-91, with a platform footprint 200 feet long and 80 feet wide and surrounding stone walls ranging from 10 to 20 feet high depending on the ground surface.
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Puako, Hawaii · United States
