An afternoon at a Hawaiian Place of Refuge

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Yesterday afternoon, Josh and I drove down coast to the State Park called Pu'uhonua, the Place of Refuge.  Imagine yourself as an ancient Hawaiian who has broken Kapu!  Kapu means breaking the sacred laws.  These were tough in ancient Hawaii. For instance, you couldn't walk in the royal chief's footsteps, touch his things, or even let your shadow fall on palace grounds. If you did and weren't punished, a volcano might decide to erupt, or a tsunami could erase your village. So everyone joined in to bring violators to justice. Often the penalty was death!

You might have one chance: an all-out run and swim for Pu'uhonua, the Place of Refuge, pursued by warriors. And another waited to club you to death near the entrance. But if you made it, a priest would perform a ceremony of absolution, and all was well again.  Cool huh?  It certainly meant only the strong would survive!

This historic site was reopened in 1961 and today visitors can walk through imagining it as it was in those long ago times.  I've added photos from our visit there.  We were not charged anything to go in yesterday as entrance to all state parks was free, being Martin Luther King day.














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