Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 34, Number 6, 1 June 2017 — The Moʻokūauhau of Kūkaniloko [ARTICLE]

The Moʻokūauhau of Kūkaniloko

By Office of Hawaiian Affairs Staff Kūkaniloko possesses historical, cultural and spiritual mana as the birthplace for some of 0'ahu's highest ranking chiefs. It's a physical representation of mo'okūauahu, or the unending genealogical lineage that binds 'āina, akua and kānaka.

To follow its origins, we start with what the land and its name reveal. Kūkaniloko has no literal translation, but many believe the name might refer to the sounds of the birthing activities that

took plaee there. Samuel Elbert, close friend and colleague of Mary Kawena Pukui, literally translates Kū-Kani-Loko as "Upright-Singing-Within." Members of the Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā interpret it as "to anchor the cry from within." Located in the ahupua'a of Kamananui, Kūkaniloko was designated for ali'i kapu and established as a chiefly birthing site around AD 1000. One of two traditional birthing places for the high ranking ali'i, Kūkaniloko's sacred birthing stones were linked to Ho'olonopahu heiau, a waiahu (temple) where non-human sacrifices were made to the gods. It was there that the legendary temple drum Hāwea was kept alongside its eompanion drum 'Ōpuku. Kūkaniloko is composed of 180 basalt stones. Varying in size and shape with at least one large depression on its surface, these pōhaku (boulders) are living beings known by name and their

relationship to eaeh other. Kūkaniloko was established by Nanakāoko (kāne) and Kahiliokalani (wahine) for the birth of their son Kapawa, the very first ali'i to be born at Kūkaniloko. Ahukai (kāne) and Keakamilo (wahine) then gave birth to La'amaikahiki (kāne). Mā'ilikūkahi (kāne) was the third to be bom at Kūkaniloko and chosen by the people to reign

as king of O'ahu at 29 years old. Mā'ilikūkahi underwent elaborate ceremonies to reenact the cutting of the piko and circumcision for the purpose of cleansing the new chief.

The next known ali'i to be born was Kalanimanuia (wahine), descended from Mā'ilikūkahi through Kaonaiki, who passed away at the age of 91 to end her 65-year rule. The last known ali'i to be born here was Kākuhihewa (kāne), grandson of Kalanimanuia through Ka'ihikapuamanuia. Kākuhihewa was 39 years old when he inherited the rule from his father, and was renowned for the great abundance of food, fish and fresh water on his lands. To protect Kūkaniloko from future development, explore compatible agriculture and other programmatic initiatives, and contribute to Hawai'i's food self-sufficiency goals, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is developing a Master Plan for its 511-acre site immediately surrounding the birthing stones. The planning process will include several opportunities for puhlie input, spaced out over the next two years. ■

Mana'o

OHA will be hosting a community meeting to gather mana'o in the next few months. Stay tuned for meeting schedules at www.oha.org/aina/kukaniloko.