History
On Hawaiʻi Island’s west coast, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau preserves a major sacred and political landscape that served until the early 19th century as a place of refuge, where people who broke kapu could seek absolution and return to society, and where defeated warriors and non-combatants could find safety. The site also centered chiefly authority, with archaeological remains including temple platforms, fishponds, sledding tracks, and village traces. At its heart, Hale o Keawe was a burial heiau for ruling chiefs whose mana was believed to protect the refuge. The park’s history reflects the intertwined roles of law, religion, power, and Hawaiian sovereignty.
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Honaunau-Napoopoo, Hawaii · United States
