WAILUA AHUPUA‘AThe Wailua ahupua‘a (traditional land division) ranfrom Mt. Waiale‘ale to Wailua Bay. The Wailua Riverruns the length of the ahupua‘a for a distance of 11.8 miles.
The ridges of Nounou and Kälepa divide the ahupua‘ainto the makai (seaward) portion called Wailua Kai andthe mauka (upland) portion called Wailua Uka.
Wailuanuiaho‘ano, translated as the great, sacredWailua, refers to the lower portion of the Wailua Riverbasin and is named for an ali‘i who lived in the 14thCentury.

WAILUA COMPLEX OF HEIAUThe Wailua Complex of Heiau was designateda National Historic Landmark in 1962. Consisting ofPoliahu Heiau, Hikinaakalä Heiau, Kalaeokamanu Heiau,and Malae Heiau, these heiau denote the religious andsocial 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 thebellstone.
Wailua River State Park was initially establishedin 1954 in recognition of the outstanding scenic andwilderness character of the Wailua River along with thesignificant historical, archaeological, geological and otherscientific values. The heiau sites were included in the parkin 1962 to promote preservation and public awareness ofthese important cultural resources.

HIKINAAKALÃHEIAUWAILUA COMPLEXOF HEIAU

STATE OF HAWAI‘I
Department of Land &Natural Resources
Division of State Parks

PRESERVE HAWAI‘I'S PASTFOR THE FUTURE
Woodenkiçi (image)from Kauaçi

Artwork by Frank Fellhauer

A

10/97

AWAITEKS

HI

Traditionally, food items
were left as offerings at aheiau. Please do not wrapor move rocks and do notleave items such as coins,incense, or candles as theycause long‐term damage tothis fragile resource.

STWailua 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 formuch 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 theinland 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 animalpens.
Today, these heiau are important reminders ofHawai‘i's past and a valuable link for the Hawaiian
community to their cultural heritage.

Special recognition is given toNä Kahu Hikina A Ka Lä, acommunity volunteer group, fortheir hard work and dedication
as the curators of Hikinaakalä
Heiau.

PARWailua River State ParkKaua‘i

A CHANGING LANDSCAPEThis site area has undergone many changes in thepast 700 years. Believed to be one of the early sacredsites 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 eKa 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 eAwakeO sun in the east
From the deep ocean
From the life in theocean
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 andup to 11 feet wide on the southern wall. Today, you
see only the parallel row of large, upright boulders thatformed the foundation for these once massive walls. Thelabor force required to move and erect these stones attests
to the power and authority of the ali‘i (chiefs) and theirkähuna (priests) who oversaw the construction of such asite. Traditional history suggests that the site may havebeen 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 anentry through the wall?
A row of wooden ki‘i (images) were placed outside
the walled enclosure and faced the rivermouth. Theseki‘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 fromancient times for this place at the mouth of the Wailua
River. Traditional history records a pu‘uhonua (place ofrefuge) located here where one could escape punishment
and find safety during times of war. The boundaries ofthis pu‘uhonua may have changed over time and as achiefly area, it could have included much of the Wailua
ahupua‘a (traditional land division). The religious centerof Hauola was this site called Hikinaakalä.

NÃ KI‘I PÕHAKU(PETROGLYPHS)The river and ocean currents
remove the blanket of sand thatcovers the boulders along theriverbank. When exposed, you cansee the ki‘i pöhaku (petroglyphs)
marked on these stones. Createdmany generations ago, the meaningof these human, fish, and geometricimages is uncertain today.
Sometime after the petroglyphs weremade, the boulders were used as
grinding stones. The smooth surfaces
on the boulders are reminders of those
who came here to sharpen, shape, andpolish their adzes. These stone tools
were lashed onto a handle and used
for woodworking.

In the 1700s, the walls of the site enclosed the sacredarea. These massive walls were 6 feet high and 11 feetwide. A row of wooden ki‘i (images) known as ka paeki‘i o Wailua stood near the river and watched over
Hikinaakalä.

When the traditional Hawaiian religion wasabolished, structures within the walled enclosure would
have been destroyed. Sometime later, a house was built
and a garden of sweet potatoes and coconut trees wasplanted within the walls.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many rocks wereremoved and used in roadbeds. Only the foundationstones of the once massive walls remain today asreminders of the site's importance.