The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-30
THE Old HEIAUS.
Of HAWAII-NEl
MIR. Thrum Writes More on
This interesting but
Obscure Topic.

Editor Advertiser: The Information
sought by your Kohala correspondent
relative TO the heiau of Mookini, are
natural queries that arise in the mind
Of intelligent observers in visiting any
of the prominent temple ruins of these
islands, but unfortunately nothing
complete is TO be found of record to
satisfy, and those who were able TO
explain the purpose Of the various
divisions, lodges, crypts, platforms, or
other characteristic features of sacrifi-
ciaI heiaus have all passed away.
It seems strange that but fragment
airy accounts are to be found in the
voyages and writings of early visitors
descriptive of the temples, or temple
services. and none at all by any of the
early settled missionaries. though We
are indebted to Ellis, in his Tour Of
Hawaii for the fullest description ex-
tant Of the heiau of Puukohola. at
Kawaihae and the city or place of ref
uge at Honaunau, Kona.
OF the hefau ceremonial that by King
who accompanied Captain Cook at his
participation in the temple service of
Hikiau at Kealakekua. given in Cook
Voyage. furnishes perhaps the best ac-
count to be met with, but how much Of
this service was special for the &C.
casion. or would apply TO the regular
service of this or other heiaus, needs
further light. Upon this and kindred
points the experience of Chamisso. who
attended the temple services in one Of
the Honolulu heiaus, and that of Van
couver-if written--of his visit at the
ceremonies during a period of "Tabu
Pule'' at one of the Kona heiaus, may
supply important data.
But of Mookfni itself, it has had
partial description by several visitors,
no two of whom agree upon its d.
mansions The result of my search
and enquiry thereon FOR the second in
the series of Tales from the Tenn
pIes.'' covering the island of Hawaii
that you refer to, embraces the OBJ
servations of Fernandez and the ac-
count of Rev. z. Bond (not DR.. Bond
as you state). is in brief as follows;
..Close TO the northern point of the
island on the land of Puuepa, stand
the ruins Of the heiau of Mookini.
credited by Kamakau, and Fernandez.
as the second temple built by the high
priest Paao upon Hawaii, and where
he officiated. II was probably one of
the largest on the island. an irregular
paralIelogran1 in form, with walls even
now measuring 267 feet on the west
wall. $50 feet on the east walls the
north end being 135 feet and the south
end 112 feet wide. The height OF its
walls have been over 20 feet. with
width on top of eight feet and 80 feet
at their base.
The stones of which it is built are
said to have come from Poiolu valley
some ten miles distant, which, accord
ing to tradition were passed by hand
from man TO man the entire distance.
a feat requiring at least 5000 men
Fernandez Gin 1879, says, when l Wis
tied the place ten years ago. the waits
of the heiau were unimpaired,
and 7 was shown a secret well or crypt
in the south side of the walls, east OF
the main entrance. several feet deep.
bur now filled up with stones anu
bouIders like those composing the wall
which on removal revealed two malKa
stones of a fine white grain OF ex-
traordinary size, said 10 nave peeh
brought by Paao from foreign ianos.
from 900 10 1000 years before the tune
of Kamehameha. Many points of IN
terest in its vicinity are assoelaten
with Paao.
nor found eIvewhere. we quote from
an account given BY Rev E. Bond IN
1eSs tbe then resident missionary or
tba district. and the same popular be-
1iefs were current during our residence
+bara in the latter part of the sixties:
NV first visit to the heiau tof Moo
,-.,41 ,,-as made in 1871 The
r,onuIsf fan in the vicinity was tneh
-rr,,avrbs+ numerous From an old man
y-bo claimed 70 have been priest m
Z the establishment I learned much OF
10 internal arrangement OF the en-
/ olosuta. the deposit for the bones OF
| -ocrifses not consumed, and that the
/ zas{ca+ton OF the heiau took place
re, - was young man; that ten
/ t,,,roan victims were moreover oHerea
- +ba dedica-ory service. THESE state
/ ,.an+s we're fully corroborated by oid
( ,-aa-1a IN the vicinity and in otneF
ror+s Of the district. many of Whom de-
/ gtana5 themselves to have been eye
--s+.o-zss or me ceremony. The stones
- - enclosure. thy assured me, were
,,,,,e,bt from Polelu valley; the peo-
- ,,oI-ing heen gathered by the ch1eLs
| - 49,, v-arrfo11s parts of the isIahds
z IN line from Polola TO Puuepa
80 -asSa5 the stones from nano q
hand +z - far as
,.,ovrn uncontroverted, / had seItlso
sarrr IN the conviction that the Pau,
80 ba;au was not a very ancief'
et~,,o+nre II is. however. quite pos.
49, +r,ar II NAV have been begun lo.s
s- l9,1 in the past, and also that gu,
= he stones were taken from
- --a1-ax .
In 1s4s I made thorough exam am
.natior taking measurements go
on the northeast corner, ou1-
-+aa i the large fiat stone on wn ,l-L
~ 30 victims we're hoIeholed when taNs axe.
nom the lele, which which, s,ooa al the '''
nam ~, cave IS said TO have run from fn a
80 - the heiau. and the lua-pa Il
s sea ~ corner Of the pat
s g. connected with IL
I should De pleased to have oegn = p -
-rae+ al the points of enquiry ..
BIS subject by Rev R. A bueheiia. !. 4
bnt nv research on the nelsus % w. az,
. Fa Z