Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 10, Number 5, 1 May 1993 — Kona community strives to restore Ahuʻena Heiau [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Kona community strives to restore Ahuʻena Heiau

by Jeff Clark The people of Kona, instead of sitting back and watching a significant heiau fuither deteriorate, are taking an active role as kahu (caretakers); the Big Island eommunity is banding together to mālama a pieee of Hawaiian religion, culture and history. Ahu'ena Heiau, on the grounds of the King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel in Kailua-Kona, is part of the Kamakahonu eomplex, King Kamehameha the Great's royal residence, located on the northwestern edge of Kailua Bay. The heiau is a māpele, or thatched temple, dedicated to the worship of Lono. Kamehameha worshiped, ruled, held court, and died (1819) at Kamakahonu, whieh was also the site of the 'ai noa, or abolishment of Hawai'i's ancient kapu system. Before Kamehameha rebuilt it and rededicated it to Lono, god of peaee, prosperity and agriculture, Ahu'ena, whieh means "red-hot heap," was used for human sacrifices. Historian John Papa 'I'i wrote that one of the images present on the platform was that of an ololupe god, one whieh led spirits to death. 'I'i quotes a prayer recited on the heiau:

Ololupe ke alaka 'i 'uhane, Pau ai kamahele, He kanaka he 'kua e Kāne (Ololupe, guide of spirits, Destroying traveler, [Destroy] the man [and] the spirit, O Kāne.) Hawaiians are not alone in assigning the site significance: in 1985 the federal government listed the Kamakahonu complex,

including Ahu'ena, as a National Historic Landmark and designated the heiau a certified historic

structure. The former owners of the hotel, AmFac Ltd., had restored the structures in the 1970s but the site was not regularly maintained and fell into disrepair. Wave action has caused part of the platform's makai wall to eome apart, and a combination of wind, insects and vandals has left the thatching full of holes. Hurricane

'Iniki exacerbated the damage. When HTH Corporation bought the property in 1991, it was

informed by the Historic Preservation Division of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources that the responsibility of ownership included maintenanee of the heiau. Last summer the firm was approached by some members of the Kailua-Kona community who wanted the structures refurbished. HTH and

the community members joined forces as the Ahu'ena Heiau Restoration Committee, representing the Kailua-Kona eommunity, Hawaiian civic organizations, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources (Historic Preservation Division), and businesses. The committee formed a non-profit organization, Ahu'ena Heiau, ine. (AHI), to restore and maintain the heiau. OHA contributes secretarial support. Last fall AHI asked OHA for assistance, and OHA recommended the group go to the Legislature to get funding. Thengovernment affairs officer Jalna Keala drafted legislation (House Bill 1978 and Senate Bill 1902) prior to the start of this year's session, and this year culture officer Pikake Pelekai lobbied at the Capitol. At AHI's request, OHA was to be the state agency to receive, manage and expend the funds. However, presumably because the state is looking at a tight budget, both bills died. But, mueh to its credit, "the community felt it was important enough to go ahead" and begin the restoration, said Pelekai. AHI got support (money, time and effort) from the Kona business

and civic community, various corporations including Bank of Hawai'i, the Hawai'i Visitors Bureau, the Council of Hotels, etc., and the hotel. Consultant David Mauna Roy, a specialist in Hawaiian cultural restoration, was hired to begin work. Members of the Kona Hawaiian Civic Club and Hawaiian stu-

dents from Kona Waena High School have helped by gathering ti leaves and sugar eane for thatching materials. OHA is one of a number of organizations whieh has been approached by the committee to help pay for the restoration. Said Pelekai, "Outside of Hale o Keawe, there is not another heiau with (this type of) structures on it, even though it is only a replica. Because Kamakahonu was where Kamehameha I spent his last days, trained Kamehameha II, and consulted with his chief, it stands to eommemorate those events (and times). "The whole notion is that Hawaiians need (something) tangible to remind them, not just to know the history, but to also give them a sense of pride. If you make someone proud of their eulture, and make them feel better about themselves, you ean only make that person better." Meanwhiie, Daryl Lee, HTH's director of finance and ehaiiman of the restoration committee, said a scaffolding is up and a small crew is performing the work. "We're videotaping some of the key construction techniques that ean be used on other reconstruc-

tions, he added. Anyone wishing to contribute funds or otherwise lend a hand ean write Ahu'ena Heiau, Ine., e/o King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel, 75-560 Palani Rd., Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, or eall the hotel's general manager, Kenneth Ching, at 329-291 1.

Ahu'ena Heiau is being restored by the Kona community.