We stopped at a National Historic Park I had been to on my trip here in August 2008. That was on my first trip alone since Holly was born and if you want to see the photos again, the link is at My Kona Trip. This is where the Queen Lili'uokalani Outrigger Race ends. It's a sacred place of refuge from ancient times where people could seek sanctuary and a second chance if they did something to violate the kapu (sacred laws).
No blood could be shed here so during war, non-combatants (those to old, young or unable to fight) found safety, along with defeated warriors who came to wait until the war was over. Those who violated the kapu also made their way here - anyone who broke a kapu faced the penalty of death, otherwise the gods might react violently (with volcanic eruptions, tidal waves, famine or earthquakes). To protect themselves from the wrath of the gods, people would pursue the kapu breaker until he was caught and put to death or made his way to a pu'uhonua. If he reached it, a kahuna pele (priest) would perform a ceremony of absolution and the offender could then return home safely.
Holly playing an ancient game - she had to sit in each of the seats and get me to take her picture!
Because the royal chiefs used this as one of their residences, there had to be guards and lookouts for trespassers. What a scary pair of ki'i (guardians of the place of refuge)!
Holly standing in front of a reconstruction of a temple & mausoleum (Hale o Keawe), which housed the bones of 23 ali'i (royal chiefs).
