_La‘au (Plants)

As you walk through Lapakahi, you will see
plants which are sources of food, building materials,
medicines, and various implements. Many of theseplants were brought to Hawai‘i on the Polynesian
voyaging canoes and are called canoe plants. See how
many of these plants you can find.
Ma‘o. The native cotton plant grows
well in arid coastal areas. The seeds
are covered by reddish-brown fibersthat resemble cotton. It has a brightyellow flower and the leaves are used
to make dyes. What you see in the parkis a hybrid created to improve disease
resistance and drought tolerance.

Marine Life Conservation District

The 146 acres offshore of Lapakahi were designateda Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD) in 1979
because of the rich diversity of coral and fish along
this North Kohala coast. The boundary of the MLCD
extends 500 feet from the shoreline and an abundanceof coral and fishes are found near this boundary at adepth of about 60 to 80 feet. The Lapakahi shoreline
is mostly rocky lava outcrops with a few coral rubble
beaches.
Swimmers and snorkelers should stay within
Koai‘e Cove as strong currents exist just beyond theMLCD boundary. Always use caution in the ocean anddo not touch or take any marine life, coral, or sand.

COMMON FISH & CORAL AT LAPAKAHI
Lauwiliwili nukunuku ‘oi‘oi

Milo. This is a popular shade tree

Forcepsfish

planted around Hawaiian homes
on the coast. It has heart-shaped
leaves and yellow flowers that bloom
throughout the year. The round fruit
contains the woolly seeds. The woodis polished and made into bowls andcanoe paddles.

These butterflyfish are recognized bytheir long snouts used for probing
crevices for small invertebrates. They
can sometimes be seen swimming
upside down on cave ceilings.

Lau‘i palaYellow Tang

Hinahina kahakai. Grows close to

One of the most iconic fish in Hawai‘i,these brightly colored surgeonfish areseen as individuals or in schools. Theygraze on algae, including algae on theshell of the green sea turtle.

the ground on rocky surfaces. Theleaves are grayish green with finesilky hairs. The tight rosettes of leaves
contain small white fragrant flowers.
The hinahina is used in lei-making
and also has a medicinal value.

Ko‘aCauliflower Coral

This coral is found in high energy
environments where it thrives due to
its rugged skeletal structure. When alava flow reaches the sea it is typicallythe first coral to colonize the new lava.

‘Ilima. Found on all islands, this low-

growing shrub is common in coastal,
dry areas. The small leaves can reflect
the harsh sun and tolerate salt spray.
‘Ilima flowers bloom year round.
The buds and bark of the root havemedicinal values.

Photo Credit: William Walsh & Linda Preskitt

USE CAUTION IN THE OCEAN!

Niu (Coconut). The niu is one of themost important plants brought on thecanoes because of its many uses. Thefronds are woven into baskets andmats while the nut is a source of foodand drink. The husk fibers are spun
into cordage and bowls are made fromthe inner shell.

SHARP CORALS!
Corals are alive andfragile. Never stepon coral as theywill die.

STRONG
CURRENT!

You could be swept
away from shore andcould drown.

DANGEROUS
SHOREBREAK!

Waves break in shallowwater. Serious injuries
could occur, even insmall surf.

E Komo MaiCome inside our village and experience life on
this leeward coastline of Kohala. Let the beating of
the waves against the shore and the feel of the windblowing down the slopes, take you back in time.
You are discovering Lapakahi as the early settlers
did more than 700 years ago. As they sailed into Koai‘eCove, they rejoiced at the opportunity to safely land
their canoes. The rolling hills and gulches sheltered
this cove from the strong Kohala wind. The sea wasrich in food and the soil nurtured their crops. Blackstone walls and golden thatched roofs soon appearedon the landscape. Smoke from cooking fires filled theair. Canoes sailed from the beach and returned ladenwith fish.
As the village prospered, the‘ohana (families) moved inland
to grow their crops of kalo(taro) and ‘uala (sweet potato).
‘Ohana along the shore (makai)
traded fish for kalo from theuplands (mauka). Pa‘akai (saltfrom the sea) was taken mauka
while olonā plants were broughtmakai to make nets and fishingline. A trail curbed with stones
connected mauka and makai andthe people of Lapakahi travelled this trail exchanging
the riches of the land and sea. This connection madeLapakahi a true ahupua‘a (traditional mauka to makai
land division).
Lapakahi was a place of the maka‘āinana, thefishermen and farmers. They worked hard to sustain
the resources and support their ‘ohana. We will neverknow everything about these people of Lapakahi, butwhat they left behind gives us an insight into their
daily lives.

PARK HOURS: 8:00am to 4:00pm
No park entry after 3:30pm
Closed State Holidays
FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:Dept. of Land & Natural ResourcesDivision of State Parks(808) 327-4958 (Kona Parks Office)(808) 961-9540 (Hilo District Office)Website: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp

LAPAKAHI
STATE HISTORICALPARKNorth Kohala,Hawai‘i Island

15. Heiau. This religious site with its impressive

The trail through Lapakahi village consists of 2 loops.
Starting at the trailhead, the main 0.5-mile loop takes
you to a canoe hālau, salt-making pans, and the major
walled habitation complex along the shoreline ofKoai‘e Cove. Learn more about life at Lapakahi bycontinuing on the second 0.3-mile loop to the north.

retaining wall is located on a promontory
overlooking Koai‘e Cove. The walls have been
recently restored.

16. Hale. The floor of these houses are pavedwith ‘ili‘ili (rounded basalt pebbles) thatwould be covered by lauhala mats.
In the wall is a waihona kukui (lampstand). The oil from the kukui nut wasburned in a stone bowl for light.

1. Curbed Trail. A stone-lined trail begins here andruns upslope. It links the the mauka (upland) andmakai (seaward) portions of the ahupua‘a.

2. Burial Site. This large rock-filled platform
contains multiple burials.

17. From this bluff, the fishermen watch the changing
signs of the ocean. The presence and movement of
every bird, fish, and marine mammal is important.
When schools of akule
were spotted, nets werelaid from the canoes tosurround and catch thefish.

3. House Site. Originally built as a housesite, thissite was abandoned in the early 1800s and later
used as a burial site.

4. Hālau Wa‘a. A thatched roof covered this long,walled enclosure where the canoes were stored.
The canoe landing is located nearby.

18. Hale. The scatter of marine shells on the floors

5. Historic House. This is a reconstructed housesiteof these houses are from past meals. A variety ofshellfish complemented the diet of fish and poi.

built with a bamboo frameand pili grass thatching.
The house was
occupied into
the early 1900s.

19. Rock Shelter. At various times, rock shelters wereused for habitation and protection from the windand rain. The early settlers probably lived in such
shelters before building their thatched hale.

6. Ku‘ula. Whether his catch waslarge or small, the fisherman
always gave a portion to thefishing god who lived in thisstone. In return, he received
fish in abundance.

7. Well. A well was dug to provide a dependable

supply of water. The lowering of the water tablein the late 1800s may be one reason the people left
Lapakahi.

8. Salt Making. Sea water was poured into hollowedout stones and the sun evaporated the water,
leaving pa‘akai(salt crystals).
Salt was used
to preservefish and seasonfood.

9. Hale (house). These stacked rock walls are theremnants of a large residential complex that housed
many ‘ohana.
The walls
supported apole framestructure
and a roof of
thatched pili
grass.
Hawaiian Historical Society

10. Papamū. The gameof kōnane (checkers)
is played on this stoneboard. Game pieces
are black and white
pebbles.

11. Shoreline Fishing. At Koai‘e Cove,the fisherman launched and landed
their canoes. They used the luhe‘e lure
made with a cowry shell and rocksinker to catch the he‘e (octopus).

12. Hālau Wa‘a. Only the rock walls

remain from this structure where additional
canoes were stored near the shore.

13. Mua (Family heiau). This religious site was whereprayers and offerings were made by an ‘ohana.

14. Ko‘a (fishing shrine). Offerings were left at thissite to ensure an abundance from the sea. It may
have also served as a marker for fishermen to line
up their fishing grounds with places on shore.

No one remembers when these walls
were built or the people who first lived
here, but they probably came for theabundance of the sea.
As the population grew,
people moved to theuplands to grow kalo (taro)that was pounded into poi
Hawai‘iState Archives
and traded for fish.

Help preserve Hawai‘i’s past for the future.
E mālama no kēia mua aku
Follow in the footsteps of those who came before.

Enjoy your visit to Lapakahi, but please showrespect and help us preserve this special place.
• Do not move rocks.
• Stay on the designated trail and donot short-cut.
• Do not climb or sit on the rock walls
as they can collapse.