What are two types of heiau?
Types of Heiau
- Types of Heiau.
- · Heiau po’o kanaka: used for human sacrifices, luakini, in honor of Kūkā’ilimoku, the God of War.
- · Heiau ho’oūlu: usually erected near a bay or overlooking reef to perform rituals to improve fishing.
- · Heiau ho’oulu ‘ai: offerings for food or crops.
What is the meaning of heiau?
Hawaiian temple
Definition of heiau : a pre-Christian Hawaiian temple or other place of worship (as a stone platform or an earthen terrace)
What is one basic rule of going to a heiau?
You’ll find the remnants of these temples across the Hawaiian Islands, and while all are sacred, there is one heiau, in particular, that is so revered no one is allowed to step foot inside or on the grounds surrounding it.
Who built the heiau?
Later oral tradition says that the current heiau was built on the older temple between the 13th and 14th centuries by Pa’ao, a legendary priest from either Tahiti or Samoa who is said to have introduced the Hawaiians to human sacrifice, the walled heiau, and several types of kapu – the system of religious, political.
What happened at heiau?
It took 11 years for Kaʻahumanu to proclaim laws against indigenous religious practices. All heiau were officially abandoned; most were destroyed over the years. Often they were broken up and plowed under to make way for fields of sugar cane.
What type of heiau was only found in Hawaii?
Mo’okini Heiau is located in Kohala Historical Sites State Monument near the town of Hawi on the Island of Hawai’i. It is one of the oldest and most sacred heiau (places of worship) in the Hawaiian Islands and is one of the first luakini heiau in the islands.
What is a heiau?
The heiau most commonly preserved are war temples of the later period of history (e.g. Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site ). They are composed of large stone platforms with various structures built upon them.
Are heiau sacred in Hawaii?
Heiau are still considered sacred by many of the inhabitants of Hawaii, and some are not open to the public. In ancient times, only chiefs and priests were allowed into some of these heiau. There are even stories from Hawaiian folklore attributing the creation of these temples to the menehunes, a group of legendary dwarf people.
What is the significance of Kaneaki heiau?
The Kaneaki heiau was built in the 17th century, containing grass and thatched huts that were chambers used for prayer and meditation. The ruins of a healing heiau, Keaiwa (“the mysterious”), are located at the entrance to Keaiwa State Park in ʻAiea.
What were the heiau and altars used for?
There were also altars (Ahu) on which to offer sacrifices (plant, animal and human). The heiau were sacred places; only the kahuna (priests) and certain sacred ali’i (high chiefs) were allowed to enter.