Kūkaniloko Birth Site, also known as the Kūkaniloko Birthstones State Monument, is one of the most important ancient cultural sites on the island of Oahu. In 1973 it was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places and its boundaries were increased in 1995, after of land which included the site became a

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

in 1992. The site was the location for some of Hawaii's royal births. The Kukaniloko birth site may have served as astronomical function.

Geography

Kūkaniloko lies in the Wahiawā Plateau between Oahu's two mountain ranges: the Waianae to

leeward Windward () and leeward () are terms used to describe the direction of the wind. Windward is ''upwind'' from the point of reference, i.e. towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is ''downwind'' from the point of reference ...

, and the Koolau to windward. It also lies at the intersection of two major paths of overland travel: the Waialua Trail between the

North Shore North Shore or Northshore may refer to: Geographic features Australia *North Shore (Sydney), a suburban region of Sydney **Electoral district of North Shore **North Shore railway line, Sydney *Noosa North Shore, Queensland * North Shore, New So ...

and ʻEwa Beach, and the Kolekole Trail through the Waianae Range. The site is not only the piko of the island, but its placement across from the Waiʻanae Range could have been used as a calendar. The sun could be observed at Kūkaniloko by using certain markers. The present day location is near the intersection of Kamehameha Highway and Whitmore Avenue just north of Wahiawā, Hawaii.

History

Kūkaniloko, meaning "to anchor the cry from within," is the geographic ''piko'' ( navel) of Oahu. Kūkaniloko was symbolically the most powerful birth site for the island's high chiefs, among whom Kakuhihewa and

Maʻilikākahi Chief Maʻilikūkahi (Hawaiian: ''Aliʻi Maʻilikūkahi''; Hawaiian pronunciation: ''Mah-eeleeh-kah-kah-heeh''; also known as Maʻilikukahi) was a High Chief (aliʻi nui) of the island of Oahu in ancient Hawaii around 1480 A.D. He is known today fro ...

were perhaps most famous. At this site, women gave birth to aliʻi (royal) children, surrounded by ali'i witnesses. In the Kūkaniloko birthstone, when children are born they are required to learn the tradition and leaderships of their ancestors in the sites and surroundings. The Hoolonopahu Heiau associated with the site was later destroyed, as were many others in the area, to make room for

sugarcane Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...

and pineapple fields in the rich soils where

sweet potato The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the Convolvulus, bindweed or morning glory family (biology), family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a r ...

and

yam Yam or YAM may refer to: Plants and foods *Yam (vegetable), common name for members of ''Dioscorea'' * Taro, known in Malaysia and Singapore as yam * Sweet potato, specifically its orange-fleshed cultivars, often referred to as yams in North Amer ...

once grew in abundance. Chiefly families lived along the slopes of the Waianae overlooking the plateau and along the shores of Waialua to the north, and many key battles between rivals for control of Oahu were also fought on the central plains surrounding Kūkaniloko. In 1925, a group called the Daughters of Hawaii recognized and protected the Kukaniloko Birthstones site. In 1960, Kūkaniloko was passed to Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawa.

Births at the site

From as early as 1100 until the mid-1600s, the father and 35 other chiefs would witness the birth of a chief at Kūkaniloko, which was announced by the playing of sacred drums. These 36 witnesses are symbolized by 36 stones in the complex. The newborn chief would then be taken to a nearby temple for purification, severing of the umbilical cord, and a reading of the newborn's genealogy.

Astronomical use

The wide view of the skies from Kūkaniloko might also have made it a sort of Hawaiian

Stonehenge Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, west of Amesbury. It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around high, wide, and weighing around 25 tons, topped by connectin ...

. In April 2000, a team from the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy recorded designs and shapes on the stones that could have been used to track the movements of celestial objects for calendrical purposes.

Gallery

Image:Oahu-Kukakaniloko-entrancestones-to-centralstones.JPG, View from entrance stones to central stones Image:Oahu-Kukaniloko-tiplants-on-platform.JPG, Ki plants on raised earth platform Image:Oahu-Kukaniloko-shape-of-Waianaes.JPG, Shape of northern Waianae Range Image:Oahu-Kukaniloko-centralstones&palms.JPG, Central stones and coconut palms Image:Oahu-Kukaniloko-plant-offerings.JPG, Plant offerings at central stones Image:Oahu-Kukaniloko-corrugated-stone.JPG, Corrugated central stone Kukaniloko Entrance

References

External links

* HCCW (Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawā Nonprofit) Kukaniloko Website: https://kukaniloko.weebly.com * Barron, Kamira
Kukaniloko: A Living Legend

Archived Official website
{{authority control Heiau State parks of Hawaii Protected areas of Oahu History of Oahu Archaeological sites on the National Register of Historic Places in Hawaii Archaeological sites in Hawaii Buildings and structures in Honolulu County, Hawaii Protected areas established in 1973 1973 establishments in Hawaii National Register of Historic Places in Honolulu County, Hawaii