WAILUA AHUPUA‘A
The Wailua ahupua‘a (traditional land division) ran
from Mt. Waiale‘ale to Wailua Bay. The Wailua River
runs the length of the ahupua‘a for a distance of 11.8 miles.
The ridges of Nounou and Kälepa divide the ahupua‘a
into the makai (seaward) portion called Wailua Kai and
the mauka (upland) portion called Wailua Uka.
Wailuanuiaho‘ano, translated as the great, sacred
Wailua, refers to the lower portion of the Wailua River
basin and is named for an ali‘i who lived in the 14th
Century.
WAILUA COMPLEX OF HEIAU
The Wailua Complex of Heiau was designated
a National Historic Landmark in 1962. Consisting of
Poliahu Heiau, Hikinaakalä Heiau, Kalaeokamanu Heiau,
and Malae Heiau, these heiau denote the religious and
social significance of the Wailua ahupua‘a to the history
and culture of both Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i. Other sites
within this historic complex are the royal birthsite at
Holoholokü, the petroglyphs at the rivermouth, and the
bellstone.
Wailua River State Park was initially established
in 1954 in recognition of the outstanding scenic and
wilderness character of the Wailua River along with the
significant historical, archaeological, geological and other
scientific values. The heiau sites were included in the park
in 1962 to promote preservation and public awareness of
these important cultural resources.
HIKINAAKALÃ
HEIAU
WAILUA COMPLEX
OF HEIAU
STATE OF HAWAI‘I
Department of Land &
Natural Resources
Division of State Parks
PRESERVE HAWAI‘I'S PAST
FOR THE FUTURE
Wooden
kiçi (image)
from Kauaçi
Artwork by Frank Fellhauer
A
10/97
AWAI
TE
KS
H
I
Traditionally, food items
were left as offerings at a
heiau. Please do not wrap
or move rocks and do not
leave items such as coins,
incense, or candles as they
cause long‐term damage to
this fragile resource.
ST
Wailua and Waimea were the two royal centers on
Kaua‘i prior to Western contact. These royal centers were
the political, religious, and social centers for Kaua‘i's
paramount chiefs (ali‘i nui) who resided at these sites for
much of the year. Certain areas, such as the heiau, were set
aside exclusively for the ali‘i and priests. The maka‘äinana
(commoners) supported this royal compound by farming
the agricultural fields along the river, harvesting the
inland fishpond, and fishing the ocean waters of Wailua
Bay.
The traditional Hawaiian religion was abolished in
1819 and missionaries arrived in 1820. Debora Kapule,
former wife of Kaua‘i's king Kaumuali‘i, was an early
convert to Christianity. When she lived in Wailua in
1830s, she is said to have used some heiau as animal
pens.
Today, these heiau are important reminders of
Hawai‘i's past and a valuable link for the Hawaiian
community to their cultural heritage.
Special recognition is given to
Nä Kahu Hikina A Ka Lä, a
community volunteer group, for
their hard work and dedication
as the curators of Hikinaakalä
Heiau.
PA
R
Wailua River State Park
Kaua‘i
A CHANGING LANDSCAPE
This site area has undergone many changes in the
past 700 years. Believed to be one of the early sacred
sites of Wailua, it was converted to a secular use when
the traditional religion was abolished in 1819.
Hikiniaakalä as it may have looked in the 1700s.
E ala e
Ka la i ka hikina
I ka moana
Ka moana hohonu
Pi‘i i ka lewa
Ka lewa nu‘u
I ka hikina
Aia ka la
E ala e
Awake
O sun in the east
From the deep ocean
From the life in the
ocean
Climb to the heights
To the sky above
In the east
There is the sun
Awake
Pualani Kanakaçole
Hikinaakalä is translated as the rising of the sun. It
is here that the rays of the sun rising in the eastern sky
off Wailua first greet the shore of Kaua‘i. For centuries,
the dawn was celebrated with prayers and chants at
Hikinaakalä.
The walls of this large rectangular enclosure
encompass an acre of land at the mouth of the Wailua
River. The walls were once described as 6 feet high and
up to 11 feet wide on the southern wall. Today, you
see only the parallel row of large, upright boulders that
formed the foundation for these once massive walls. The
labor force required to move and erect these stones attests
to the power and authority of the ali‘i (chiefs) and their
kähuna (priests) who oversaw the construction of such a
site. Traditional history suggests that the site may have
been built as early as the 1300s.
The large size of this site suggests its importance but
little is known about its function. Might astronomers
have come here to mark the changing of the seasons by
the rising of the sun on the horizon? What structures
might have existed within these walls? Was there an
entry through the wall?
A row of wooden ki‘i (images) were placed outside
the walled enclosure and faced the rivermouth. These
ki‘i with their arms of kapa cloth watched over the site
and were said to sway and tilt while being washed by
the waters of Wailua.
HAUOLA
Hauola (dew of life) is the name passed down from
ancient times for this place at the mouth of the Wailua
River. Traditional history records a pu‘uhonua (place of
refuge) located here where one could escape punishment
and find safety during times of war. The boundaries of
this pu‘uhonua may have changed over time and as a
chiefly area, it could have included much of the Wailua
ahupua‘a (traditional land division). The religious center
of Hauola was this site called Hikinaakalä.
NÃ KI‘I PÕHAKU
(PETROGLYPHS)
The river and ocean currents
remove the blanket of sand that
covers the boulders along the
riverbank. When exposed, you can
see the ki‘i pöhaku (petroglyphs)
marked on these stones. Created
many generations ago, the meaning
of these human, fish, and geometric
images is uncertain today.
Sometime after the petroglyphs were
made, the boulders were used as
grinding stones. The smooth surfaces
on the boulders are reminders of those
who came here to sharpen, shape, and
polish their adzes. These stone tools
were lashed onto a handle and used
for woodworking.
In the 1700s, the walls of the site enclosed the sacred
area. These massive walls were 6 feet high and 11 feet
wide. A row of wooden ki‘i (images) known as ka pae
ki‘i o Wailua stood near the river and watched over
Hikinaakalä.
When the traditional Hawaiian religion was
abolished, structures within the walled enclosure would
have been destroyed. Sometime later, a house was built
and a garden of sweet potatoes and coconut trees was
planted within the walls.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many rocks were
removed and used in roadbeds. Only the foundation
stones of the once massive walls remain today as
reminders of the site's importance.
