Archeological Sites at Kawela are a number of

archeological sites An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and ...

at or near the settlement of Kawela on the southern coast of

Molokai Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length an ...

, the northernmost of the islands of

Maui County, Hawaii Maui County, officially the County of Maui, is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Maui, Lānai, Molokai (except for a portion of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), Kahoolawe, and Molokini. The latter two a ...

. It was the site of two battles in Hawaiian history. Map of Hawaii highlighting Molokai

Early history

''Ka Wela'' means "the heat" in the

Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language o ...

. It was the name of a traditional land division ('' ahupuaa'') of

ancient Hawaii Ancient Hawaii is the period of Hawaiian history preceding the unification in 1810 of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great. Traditionally, researchers estimated the first settlement of the Hawaiian islands as having occurred sporadicall ...

, but the name is also used on several other islands. It is located about east of the town of

Kaunakakai Kaunakakai () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. It is the largest town on the island of Molokai. The population was 3,419 at the 2020 census. It has the largest port on the island and the longest pier ...

. A ''

heiau A ''heiau'' () is a Hawaiian temple. Made in different architectural styles depending upon their purpose and location, they range from simple earth terraces, to elaborately constructed stone platforms. There are heiau to treat the sick (''heia ...

'' is visible at on a ridge between the forks of Kawela Gulch. This is generally thought to be the place of refuge (''Puuhonua'') where the soldiers of Kapiioho o kalani fled during a great battle of about 1737. pp 136–138, 284, 288-289 In about February 1795, women and children escaped to Molokai when

Kamehameha I Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiikui Kamehameha o Iolani i Kaiwikapu kaui Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; – May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii. T ...

had just conquered Maui. In pursuit, the vast fleet of war canoes stretched all along the coast from Kawela past Kaunakakai to the area known as Kalamaula. The army met little resistance this time. Queen

Kalola Kalola Pupuka-o-Honokawailani was a Hawaiian high chiefess. The first Europeans in Hawaii called her ''Rora-rora.'' Biography She was a daughter of King Kekaulike of Maui and Kekuiapoiwa I. She was the full-blood sister of Kamehamehanui Aiʻlu ...

was asked if the two kingdoms could be united by marrying off her daughter

Keōpūolani Kalanikauikaalaneo Kai Keōpūolani-Ahu-i-Kekai-Makuahine-a-Kama-Kalani-Kau-i-Kealaneo (1778–1823) was a queen consort of Hawaii and the highest ranking wife of King Kamehameha I. Early life Keōpuolani was born around 1778 at an area known as ...

, who was considered to have the best royal family background, and thus would be suitable as a mother of future rulers. Her sons and grandsons would rule the

Kingdom of Hawaii The Hawaiian Kingdom, or Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ''Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina''), was a sovereign state located in the Hawaiian Islands. The country was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great, of the independent island ...

as the

House of Kamehameha The House of Kamehameha ''(Hale O Kamehameha)'', or the Kamehameha dynasty, was the reigning Royal Family of the Kingdom of Hawaii, beginning with its founding by Kamehameha I in 1795 and ending with the death of Kamehameha V in 1872 and Lunalilo ...

. In the late 19th century it was part of the vast Molokai Ranch owned by King

Kamehameha V Kamehameha V (Lota Kapuāiwa Kalanimakua Aliʻiōlani Kalanikupuapaʻīkalaninui; December 11, 1830 – December 11, 1872), reigned as the fifth monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Kingdom of Hawaiʻi from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipaʻa": i ...

and managed by the family of Rudolph Wilhelm Meyer.

Recent history

The area now has a few vacation homes along the shore, and one

subdivision Subdivision may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Subdivision (metre), in music * ''Subdivision'' (film), 2009 * "Subdivision", an episode of ''Prison Break'' (season 2) * ''Subdivisions'' (EP), by Sinch, 2005 * "Subdivisions" (song), by Rus ...

of 120 lots that are zoned for agriculture on the hills. Wadsworth Y. H. Yee, in the

Hawaii Senate The Hawaii Senate is the upper house of the Hawaii State Legislature. It consists of twenty-five members elected from an equal number of constituent districts across the islands and is led by the President of the Senate, elected from the membe ...

from the

Republican Party of Hawaii The Hawaii Republican Party ( haw, ʻAoʻao Lepupalika o Hawaiʻi) is the affiliate of the Republican Party (GOP) in Hawaii, headquartered in Honolulu. The party was initially strong during Hawaii's territorial days, but following statehood the ...

proposed the development in the 1970s. Ground was broken on December 20, 1980. Wetlands and an ancient fishpond near the shore are preserved in the

Kakahaia National Wildlife Refuge Kakahaia National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1977 to permanently protect wetland habitat for endangered endemic waterbirds and wintering migratory wetland birds and to maintain the structural integrity of an ancient Hawaiian fishpond ...

and Kakahaia park administered by

Maui County Maui County, officially the County of Maui, is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of the islands of Maui, Lānai, Molokai (except for a portion of Molokai that comprises Kalawao County), Kahoolawe, and Molokini. The latter two a ...

. There are 21 which are separately listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. The names used in the NRHP all start with the words "Archeological Site" and then an optional list of site numbers from a survey done by the

Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, designated the Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, is a museum of history and science in the historic Kalihi district of Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. Founded in 1889, it is the lar ...

when the development was proposed with a letter "T" followed by a dash, and then a state site identifier which four numbers separated with dashes, starting with "50-60" indicating the 50th state of

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

and the county of

, a map quadrant, and site within the state registry. The sites are scattered through the area, and are located on private property so generally not accessible to the public. The sites are:

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kawela, Archeological Sites At Heiau Molokai Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii Protected areas of Molokai Buildings and structures in Maui County, Hawaii National Register of Historic Places in Maui County, Hawaii Hawaii Register of Historic Places