KAWAIHAE — Very early in the morning on Aug. 13, people will gather before Puukohola Heiau and wait for the first spark of sunlight to break across the tall temple walls. At that moment, the first slap of a pahu
KAWAIHAE — Very early in the morning on Aug. 13, people will gather before Puukohola Heiau and wait for the first spark of sunlight to break across the tall temple walls. At that moment, the first slap of a pahu drum will echo from high above, and an approaching voice will begin to chant.
Behind the chanter will come a procession from the past, as throngs of men and women dressed in authentic costume descend the steep stone path to the wide clearing below. Kahili bearers, attendants, red and gold clad alii and the moi (king) in feather cape, will all take their places at the foot of the heiau.
In the wide clearing below, a lele (altar) will display the hookupu, gifts offered in tribute. Representatives of various Hawaiian organizations from all the islands will present their gifts to the heiau: baskets of offerings, green plants and food items.
For the next three hours, skilled dancers, martial artists and other cultural practitioners will share ceremonial proceedings: powerful hula kahiko and weaponry demonstrations. At the conclusion, each group will follow the king back up the pathway into the temple.
This is how Establishment Day at Puukohola Heiau begins. “Hookuikahi I Puukohola,” meaning to unify at Puukohola, starts with a ceremony before sunrise at 6 a.m. From 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, the cultural festival called “Ke Kulana Noeau O Ka Wa Kahiko,” meaning the culture of ancient Hawaii, will take place along the beach at Pelekane that fronts the sacred site.
“What we are celebrating this year, along with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, is the 225th anniversary of the completion of the heiau in 1791,” Ben Saldua said, director of interpretation with Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site. “It is also the 44th anniversary of the heiau becoming a National Historic Site on August 17, 1972.”
Cultural workshops and demonstrations at the festival include 20 hands-on learning experiences like ancient hula, ancient lei making, quilting, weaving, nose flute, net making, poi pounding and canoe rides.
“The only thing we ask is that, when you come, please learn at least one craft before you leave to help perpetuate the Hawaiian culture,” Saldua said.
The event includes everything from Hawaiian food tastings and traditional games to music and information booths on topics such as Rapid Ohia Death, the Army Corps of Engineers’ Unexploded Ordnance programs, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and Ke Kai Ola Marine Mammal Center.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their own water and refreshments. Comfortable clothing, footwear and sunscreen are also recommended.
The free public event is made possible through the sponsorship and cooperation of the Hawaii Pacific Parks Association, Na Aikane o Puukohola Heiau, Na Papa Kanaka o Puukohola Heiau, the National Park Service and many friends of the park.
Considered one of the most important heiau in Hawaii, the temple at Puukohola was ordered to be built by King Kamehameha I, and completed in 1791 as a tribute to the war deity, Kukailimoku. Kamehameha’s chief rival, Keoua Kuahuula, was killed within sight of the towering rock walls, making way for the eventual conquest of Maui, Lanai and Molokai. Kauai voluntarily joined in 1810 establishing the Hawaiian Nation with Kamehameha The Great as its absolute monarch.
Establishment Day events were canceled in 2015, because of a summer brushfire that burned more than 4,650 acres in Kawaihae, soon followed by a watch for Hurricane Hilda. Soon after, heavy rains and flooding deposited debris across the site, temporarily closing the park. Organizers have been working ever since to ready the grounds for this year’s activities.
For more information, call the Visitor Center at 882-7218 or visit www.nps.gov/puhe.
