Winter Solstice at The Place of Refuge

Nani is a Priestess here on the island and she invited us down to Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau, or The Place of Refuge. She was performing a ceremony marking the solstice and since our van is still enroute, we took her up on the offer of a ride. The Refuge is in a National Park and, might I say, on the beach.

Pu`uhonua O Hōnaunau is the place where you went if you had just broken the sacred laws, the Kapu and the only punishment was death.  Your only chance of survival is to elude your pursuers and reach the Pu'uhonua, a place of refuge.  The Pu'uhonua protected the kapu breaker, civilians during the time of war and the defeated warriors.  No harm could come to those who reached the boundaries of the place of refuge. A priest would absolve you of your crimes in a ceremony, and you would be free to leave the refuge and go home.

Lava right down to the water.

 If you got over this wall, you were safe!

 Royal fish pond.

 Where the Royal Boat arrived. Now, it is a place where the green sea turtles come ashore to bask in the sun.

A turtle in the water.

 This is the Hale O Keawe, a temple and a mausoleum which holds the bones of 23 of the ali'i, or ruling class. Ho okupu, or offerings are placed at the temple door. The carved wooden images are called ki'i.

Our feet in the ocean! The water is warm!

Kirsty taking a swim. Nice to be in the water and not worry about hypothermia!

Happy woman!

The lava formations are very cool!

Love this view my friends!

Maluhia to you all!