About this property
Kohala Historical Sites State Monument includes the National Historic Landmark Moʻokini Heiau and the birthplace of Kamehameha I. It is located in remote North Kohala on the Island of Hawaiʻi. Moʻokini Heiau is one of the oldest historical sites in Hawaiʻi and among its most sacred. Moʻokini means "many lineages" or "many Moʻo" in the Hawaiian Language. Moʻo are large reptile goddesses honored by Hawaiians since before the time of Paʻao. This heiau is a living spiritual temple and not just an historic artifact of the Hawaiian culture. Oral histories indicate the original temple on the site may be 1500 years old: the genealogy chant of the heiau's kahuna tells of Kuamo'o Mo'okini arriving here in 480, not from Samoa or Tahiti, but from the Persian Gulf of Middle East. Evidence suggests the current temple was built on the site of this smaller older one by Paʻao, who brought the Hawaiian Religion to the islands sometime between 1100 and 1300 A.D. The current site includes the remains of the heiau measuring 250' x 130' with an open stone paved court enclosed by 20'-high stone walls, and the sacrificial stone. The heiau is constructed of stones that are said to have been passed from hand to hand from the Pololū Valley, over 12 miles (19 km) away. One tradition states that the heiau was completed by the menehune (mythical Hawai'ian little people) in one night. For centuries a strict set of rules (kapu) were enforced at the heiau. It was a closed heiau reserved exclusively for the Aliʻi Nui (the highest chiefs) for praying and offering human sacrifices, primarily to the war god Kū. In Kohala Moʻokini Heiau was the focus of religious life and order. In November 1978 Kahuna Nui Leimomi Moʻokini Lum rededicated the Moʻokini Luakini to the "Children of the Land" and lifted the restrictive kapu. In doing this she made the site safe for all persons to enter the heiau and created a place of learning for future generations to discover the past. Her family has been taking care of the temple for centuries. A few hundred yards away is Kamehameha Akahi ʻĀina Hānau, the birthplace of Kamehameha the Great. He is said to have been born here in 1758 as Halley's Comet passed overhead. The entrance to the site is on the south side. A rock is said to mark the precise place of the birth of Kamehameha. Kohala Historical Sites State Monument can only be reached by a dirt road from Upolu Airport and is located about 1½ miles off the Akoni Pule Highway. Turn North on Upolu Point road near the town of Hawi, and West at the small air strip. A four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended, especially if it has been raining.
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Mookini Heiau listed on the National Register?
Mookini Heiau was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.
What type of historic resource is Mookini Heiau?
Mookini Heiau is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Mookini Heiau a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Mookini Heiau has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Mookini Heiau?
The period of significance for Mookini Heiau is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Mookini Heiau?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Mookini Heiau will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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