Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 4, 1 ʻApelila 1988 — 12th Century Monument Given New Life [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

12th Century Monument Given New Life

Communitv Concern Saves Pahukini from Dump

By Kenny Haina, Editor Ka Wai Ola O OHA "We now have the obligation of keeping a site like Pahukini alive for our future generation." This was the closing statement made by Nanette Napoleon Pumell; one of the many driving forces behind the Pahukini heiau project whieh held a restoration program Saturday, Feb. 27, at its Kapaa landfill site. Pumell, in her closing remarks, lamented the fact that Pahukini has been referred to as a "pile of rocks." "What do you eall the famous Pyramids in Egypt?" she asked. "A pile of rocks," she responded.

She noted that other cultural ruins, notably in South America, have been called the same name but that preservationists and volunteers have rallied behind their causes to repair and preserve them as part of their culture and history. It is for the same reason Pahukini is being restored. lt took several months of hard work by preservationists and Kailua area residents to clear overgrown weeds and alien plants. Decades of neglect left the site choked with such vegetation as haole koa and java plum, hiding the site from public view. Pumell, director of The Cemetery Research Project who served as mistress of ceremonies for the Pahukini program, thanked the many hundreds of people who helped restore the heiau in a voice that sometimes was filled with emotion. "It took a tot of effort to bring the heiau back to us," she noted.

She gave special recognition to Dr. Jocelyn Linnekin, Denby Fawcett and Ramona Mullahey as co-founders of the restoration project. Linnekin, who is with the Oahu Heritage Council, noted that the project was "a good example of grassroots in cultural preservation." "When it (the heiau) was falling apart, it was symbolic of the neglect of our archaeological sites," she explained.

lt took nearly 100 volunteers organized by the Oahu Heritage Council and the Historic Hawaii Foundation to clear away the brush. This happened on two Sundays in 1987 when Pahukini's decline officially ended. City and county crews helped take away the debris and inmates from the Oahu Community Correctional Center and workers from Ameron (HC&D) helped with additional cleaning and landscaping. According to a brochure handed out by the restoration committee, Pahukini was chosen because its location in the middle of a dump seemed to symbolize society's tragic neglect of Hawaii's historic past.

Following clearing of the site, volunteer archaeologists drew the first detailed map of Pahukini. This work was never done for many decades. The Lani-Kailua Business and Professional Women's Club and Ameron HC&D are the eocurators of the heiau through an agreement with the City and County of Honolulu.

The two groups will be responsible for the longterm maintenance and restoration of the site, including preparing a landscape design, developing and erecting interpretive signs and, depending upon the funds raised, restoring damaged portions of the structure.

Pahukini, whieh means "many drums," is described as a luakini heiau, the highest class of temples in the ancient Hawaiian religion where ruling chiefs offered sacrifices for success in eonquest. The heiau is a tribute to early Hawaiian engineering prowess and religious dedication. It is reputed to have been built by the high chief Olopana at the beginning of the 12th century. Pahukini is similar to a Tahitian marae in design, a rectangular stone enclosure type heiau measuring about 120 by 180 feet. There is a second enclosure measuring 32 by 38 feet whieh was probably of later construction. It abuts the north side. Inside are several terraces where onee stood grass sanctuary houses, the oracle tower and wooden carvings of the gods. Regularly placed stone mounds ean be seen in the interior, indicating that Hawaiians may have used the heiau as a cemetery. Pahukini was not used for major religious ceremonies following the kapu abolition of 1819.

While the site eventually became abandoned, early photographs show that the structure remained intact. Major damage as is known today occurred first in the 1950s when quarrying carved away portions of Pahukini's hill, leaving the heiau perched atop a precipitous, 200-foot cliff. As a result of this work, one side of the heiau nearly

toppled. When the heiau was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, the City and County opened the area surrounding Pahukini as a main garbage dump for the island of Oahu. As a result, the contours of the surrounding landfill eonstantly changed due to dumping and earth moving.

Also addressing the estimated 200 people who attended the program were Keoni Nunes, education specialist at Bishop Museum who spoke on the pahu; Dr. Rubellite Kawena Johnson, who spoke on the significance of Hawaiian heiau; and Earl (Buddy) Neller, cultural specialist with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs who gave a history of Pahukini. Hula and chant performances were given by Halau o Kekau'ilani; Na Puakea o Ko'olaupoko; Aunty Elaine Kaopuiki's Na Hula O La'i Ke Aloha from Lanai and Manu Kai'ama. The Rev. Abraham Akaka gave the closing pule after whieh there was a ho'okupu placed at a large boulder containing a designation plaque.

lhere was a pahu making demonstration and display by Cioci Dalire, a professional knife dancer who also specializes in the pahu. He is director of the annual Polynesian Festival held as a fund raiser for Kumu Hula Aloha Dalire's Keolaulani Halau Olapa 'O Laka of Kaneohe. Some members of the halau were on hand to assist her husband with the display and demonstration. A luau sponsored and prepared by Ameron HC&D at the company's luneh room was held following the program. Entertainment was provided by Aunty Irmgard Aluli and Puamana.

Dancers from Na Puakea o Ko'olaupoko do "'O Kailua" and "Pu'u Onioni." Note portion of heiau wall in background.

The many drums of Pahukini Heiau sounded onee more on Feb. 27 as the restoration project committee held a restoration ceremony at the Kapaa quarry site.

Those who spoke at the ceremony included, from leftto right, Earl (Buddy) Neller, Dr. Rubellite Kawena Johnson, Keoni Nunes, Dr. Jocelyn Linnekin and Nanette Napoleon Pumell who handled mistress of ceremonies duties and welcoming remarks.