Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Big Island of Hawaii - Ali'i Drive and Kealakekua Bay

Driving south of Kailua-Kona, we followed Ali'i (chief) 
Drive along the Kona coast to Kealakekua Bay.


Imagine plugging Hawaiian names into GPS!


The Kuemanu Heiau is dedicated to surfing.


The heiau represents the old religion.
Next to it is a symbol of the new religion,
The Chapel By the Sea.




Above are the Hapaiali'i and Ke'eku Heiau (the Hawaiian language does not have the letter s so words are not plural).   From www.to-hawaii.com,


Located in Keauhou near Kahalu'u Beach Park and the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort, these two heiaus have been reconstructed by Kamehameha Schools in 2007. Hapaiali'i Heiau is believed to date back to the 1400s (carbon dating indicates that it was built between 1411 and 1465). 

During the restoration process, archaeologists discovered that Hapaiali'i Heiau served as a solar calendar. One can accurately mark the passing of the seasons when standing behind the center stone on the heiau's top platform and aligning it with various other points on the heiau.

Historians believe it took thousands of commoners about a decade to maneuver the rocks into place and build the platform. When Hapaiali'i was reconstructed in 2007, with the help of modern machinery, it took just four month to recreate the heiau.

At the adjacent Ke'eku Heiau, it is believed that it is the place where invading Chief Kamalalawalu of Maui was sacrificed after being defeated by Chief Lonoikamakahiki in the 16th century.





Ali'i Drive ends at the Lekeleke Burial Grouds, the sight of the a fierce battle in 1819 between the new king, Kamehameha II and his cousin, Chief Kekuaokalani.    King Kamehameha II sought to adopt modern ways, so he ate with women.  His single act broke the ancient kapu (taboo) system.   The king angered the chief, a religious leader.   The chief challenged the king in battle.  Both were armed with Western weapons but the king defeated the chief.  The dead were buried in here.




South of Ali'i Drive is Kealakekua Bay, where Captain Cook came ashore on this third voyage to Hawaii in 1779.  Although he was initially welcomed, a dispute between the local chief and Cook's crew lead to his death.  Notice the white piller along the coast about inch from the left edge.  In 1874, Princess Likelike (lee-kay, lee-kay) erected the white stone monument to recognize Captain Cook.  The plot was deeded to the United Kingdom.

It is a challenging hike to the Cook Monument with no formal path.  Many visit it by kayak.  An added bonus - dolphins are plentiful in the bay!

www.govisithawaii.com

Have you visited a historic temple, church, or battlefield?  One seems to go hand in hand with the other.  One randomly selected commenter from this week's blogs will win a book choice from my convention stash.  This giveaway is open to all readers.  Comments are open through Saturday, March 17, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Saturday, March 18.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

March Madness continues here at SOS Aloha! All commenters in March will be entered into a special drawing for prizes from RT in Chicago. 3 US, 3 Canadian, and 3 international readers will win a package with books and goodies.

Comments can be made at:

- SOS Aloha, sosaloha.blogspot.com
- Aloha On My Mind, alohaonmymind.blogspot.com
- My guest posts at the Reading Reviewer (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday) at marygramlich.blogspot.com

I'll post the winners of March Madness on Monday, April 2.







17 comments:

  1. I've never been to a battlefield. I'm not sure if St. Patrick's Cathedral is considered a historical church, but I've been there a couple of times.

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  2. No, I've never been to a place like that. I love the pictures you keep sharing with us. I'm living vicariously though you. lol

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  3. I have visited historical temple in my country , the place located in my hometown . Imagine , how lucky am I ! I love to visit historical places and read the history how and why the place has been created :). Cheers Aretha zhen

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  4. I went to Culloden in Scotland. It was impressive. Shrines I Have visited also. Hawaii is so very beautiful and so much to see.

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  5. i never visited a historic temple, church, or battlefield.

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  6. We have a temple, Tempio Ossario. It houses the remains of 25 000 soldiers who died in WWI. Their names are inscribed on the marble walls of the underground hall, and it's the biggest church underground hall in Italy. Unfortunately I hadn't chance to visit it yet, but I plan on doing so.

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  7. Your pictures are like a moment of ahhhhh. Thank you!

    I have visited Valley Forge in PA, the usual suspects in Rome, Greece and a few other places. I'm sure there are a lot of areas I've been to that I haven't realized he history.

    I really wanted to do that cruise through the South Pacific that "they" had about 10 years ago, visiting several of the WWII sites, but alas I haven't seen it offered in the last decade.

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  8. We’ve visited lots of churches and battlefields. Last summer on a trip to Europe, Hubby and I visited numerous churches. The most famous are Notre Dame (Paris) and the Cologne Cathedral (Germany.)

    Hubby and I are history buffs, and have been to several Civil War battlefields: Shiloh, Vicksburg, Chickamauga and Chattanooga, and Manassas.

    Great pics, Kim. Thanks.

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  9. I haven't been to any historic temples. Visited a lot of churchs when I was growing up, but don't remember anything about them. I have been to the Alamo a couple of times.

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  10. I visited a historic abbey in North England and I love to visit churches my favorite is the minster in York

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  11. Culloden in Scotland the most moving place I have visited Just knowing the field where I stood was soaked in the Blood of my ancestors.
    Bannockburn My nephew in law is a wonderful story teller he had me weeping the day he took us there. Falkirk My Mother told me stories of the guardian of Scotland ( Wallace) she always said it was the fall at falkirk that changed the history of Scotland.
    Ann/alba

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  12. I can't think of any that come to mind right now. I know I have not been to any temples. I'm sure we've seen some historic churches during our travels but right now I'm at a loss as to where they were!

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  13. Grreat pics, would love to go
    Kimh

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  14. I've visited historic churches and battlegrounds.

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  15. Historic battlefield yes the Van Riebeeck castle in Cape Town and man there are some seriously spooky corners and rooms in there !

    Desere

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  16. In Stoney Creek, Ontario, there is a site where the War of 1812 was fought. It is a lovely area with the escarpement in the background.

    You pictures on both blogs are just fantastic. Thanks for sharing them.

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  17. lived in ga, and love going to the old civil war sites. graveyards., battle fields. about every kid had a ton of old muskets balls

    blackroze37

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