Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 5, 1 May 2001 — NHHPC profile: koʻonapou, ancient fishing village at Makapuʻu [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NHHPC profile: koʻonapou, ancient fishing village at Makapuʻu

Editor's note: This is thefirst in a series of articles submitted by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation Council detailing historically important Hawaiian sites throughout the islands.

By Noa Dettwei!er, NHHPC Life-long residents of Waimānalo readily recall childhood memories of beach days spent at Ko'onāpou. Known commonly as "Baby Makapu'u," this area remains a relic of Hawaiian antiquity. Oral accounts by some Waimānalo residents date the village that onee occupied this peninsula to the pre-contact era. J. Gilbert McCallister, in his 1933 archaeological survey of O'ahu, sites various architectural remains within the Ko'onāpou area. These finds included remnants of housing sites, heiau, fishing shrines and two excavated lava tubes. These tubes, although largely filled in, remain accessible. In addition, middens of various sizes are scattered throughout the peninsula. Post-contact habitation of this site has been eon-

firmed to as far back as the early- to mid-1800s by the Rev. Levi Chamberlain. Unfortunately, proper archaeological excavation of Ko'onāpou was never conducted. Moreover, this site has been subject to serious degradation due to years of use, and - misuse. Sections of the site were first used as cattle pens. Later, they were converted into a public park and campground. In the area that was believed by McCallister to be a heiau, numerous stones (most likely those that were used in the eon-

struction of the original heiau) have been used to create a structure intended to resemble such. Although the original layout of Ko'onāpou has been altered severely, there remain areas within this division that are yet untouched. One of the more notable of these areas is Pōhaku Pa'akikl. This large, partially submerged stone measures 93 inches in length, 79 inches in width and 26 inches in thickness. The most uneommon legend associated with Pōhaku Pa'akikī is one whieh was related to Mary Kawena Pūku'i

in 1939 by Charles Alona. He claims that Pōhaku Pa'akikī was used as a religious altar by two loeal 'uala farmers. Daily, these men would prepare 'awa as a sacrifice for the shark god Kamohoali'i. As soon as the 'awa was placed on the altar, a large shark (presumably Kamohoali'i) would swim up to the stone, partake of the 'awa and depart. A fisherman that resided at Kalaeki'ona observed this unusual ritual and, perhaps in resentment, began catching sharks in the area, severing their tails and throwing their remains into the sea. While fishing one day, he was seized by Kamohoali'i. The shark god began to devour the fisherman, but ceased when he reached the bowels. Kamohoali'i was so disgusted by the smell that he vowed never to allow another shark to partake of human flesh from Makapu'u point to Kalaeoka'ō'io. Ko'onāpou's boundaries are broadly defined as stretching east to the extreme tip of the northeastern peninsula, west to Pōhaku Pa'akikī, south to the mountain base of Ko'olau, and extending to the sea shore in the north. ■

Manana (Rabbit lsland) dnchors offshore of Ko'onōpou. also known as Kaupō.

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