Wahi Kapu
Sacred Places Where the Physical and Spiritual Merge
Written by a Cultural Expert
Leilani AkoWahi Kapu - Sacred Places
In ancient Hawaiʻi, the spiritual and the physical were not separate. Religion permeated every aspect of daily life, from planting a crop to building a canoe to catching a fish. The success of all human endeavors depended on maintaining a proper relationship with the gods and spirits who inhabited the land, sea, and sky. This relationship was nurtured through prayer, ritual, and the construction of sacred places, or heiau.
At the southern end of the park, standing guard by the ʻAiʻōpio Fishtrap, is Puʻuoina Heiau, the most significant temple within this settlement. This impressive 50-by-145-foot stone platform is considered the finest example of its kind in Kona. Its location is no accident—it is a deep statement about the Hawaiian worldview. Here, the place of worship stands directly beside the source of sustenance.
Here, the place of worship stands directly beside the source of sustenance. The temple was not a separate, distant place visited only on special occasions—it was an integral part of the daily, life-sustaining process. Here, faith and food were one and the same.
Puʻuoina Heiau: The Fishing Shrine
Puʻuoina is believed to have been a koʻa, or fishing shrine. Its purpose was to oversee the vital fishing activities of the region and to conduct the rituals necessary to ensure a plentiful harvest from the sea. Imagine the fishermen, after pulling their nets from the trap, bringing a portion of their catch directly to the heiau as an offering. It would have been a prayer of thanks to the gods and the ancestral spirits who provided for them.
The heiau is sometimes referred to by another name: Hale o Manō, the "House of the Shark." This name connects the temple to the powerful shark ʻaumakua that were revered and worshipped along these coasts. These were not just animals but powerful protectors and helpers. Even today, manō are often seen swimming in the waters just offshore, a living link to the temple's ancient purpose.
As you view Puʻuoina Heiau, please remember you are in a wahi kapu, a sacred space. The structure itself is a complex of platforms, pavements, and even a small brackish pool to the south that may have been used for ceremonial cleansing. Nearby lies a large burial platform, a reminder that this was also a place of passage between the world of the living and the realm of the ancestors. You are standing at the spiritual center of the Honokōhau settlement, a place where the community came to balance its relationship with the divine powers that governed their world.
🏛️ Puʻuoina Heiau
50 x 145 foot stone platform - finest koʻa (fishing shrine) in Kona, overseeing vital fishing activities and offerings.
🦈 Hale o Manō
"House of the Shark" - connected to powerful shark ʻaumakua, spiritual protectors still seen in these waters today.
💧 Ceremonial Pool
Small brackish pool south of the heiau, likely used for ritual cleansing and spiritual preparation.
🪦 Burial Platform
Large burial platform nearby - place of passage between the world of the living and realm of ancestors.
Discover Wildlife & Conservation
Learn about your kuleana (responsibility) to protect the endangered species that call this sacred place home.
Explore Wildlife & Conservation🏛️ Heiau Details
- Size: 50 x 145 feet
- Type: Koʻa (fishing shrine)
- Also Called: Hale o Manō
- Status: Sacred site
🙏 Respectful Viewing
- Never walk on heiau walls
- Don't touch or move stones
- Observe quietly from distance
- Stay on designated trails
📖 Navigate This Guide
← Ancient Community
Life & petroglyphs
Sacred Places
Wildlife & Conservation → Current page
Honu & endangered species
The Living Connection
What makes this heiau especially powerful is that it represents a living connection between the ancient past and the present. The sharks that were honored here still patrol these waters. The fish that sustained this community still swim in the nearby ocean. The spiritual relationship between the Hawaiian people and this place continues to this day.
The temple was not a separate, distant place visited only on special occasions—it was an integral part of the daily, life-sustaining process. Here, faith and food were one and the same.
When you stand before Puʻuoina Heiau, you are witnessing more than ancient architecture. You are seeing the physical manifestation of a worldview that understood the interconnectedness of all things—the land, the sea, the people, and the divine. This understanding is what allowed a complex civilization to flourish in what appears to be a harsh and unforgiving landscape.
Learn About Your Kuleana
Discover the endangered species that call this sacred place home and your responsibility as a visitor to protect them for future generations.
Explore Wildlife & Conservation
