Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park on the Island of Hawaii, a beautiful and mythical place, tells us a story of the interaction between people, nature and the Spirit. Ruins of temples and abandoned villages in the park, as well as the nature that surrounds them are a monument to the ways of people that were before.
It is a place of ancient Hawaii culture, a place where people were aligned with the Spirit that invited them to stay, letting them become inseparable to their environment.
The park includes a lot of things to see, as well as hiking trails on which You can enjoy this part of history. Sights to see on the trails include: heiau (temple) ruins; ruins of homes and other structures; fishponds; a fishtrap; a canoe hale; rock art; a freshwater-fed Queen's bath which is surrounded by mysterious mounds; as well as petroglyph fields.
Image Credits to: https://www.nps.gov/
There are several trailheads for hiking in this national park through which one can start the experience with the beautiful nature as well as an important part of its local history.
Inhabitants of this harsh place didn’t have an easy life, but they found ways to exist in this desolate lava landscape. They succeeded in developing a system of working and living in balance with their environment. Regarding fresh water, it was scarce and food had to be harvested from the sea and aquaculture ponds. The products that they obtained from those sources were traded with their extended families in the uplands for food products such as taro, breadfruit and paper mulberry. This ancient Hawaii system was called Ahupua'a and it included lands from the mountains to the sea. The point of the system is to be complementary with the trading needs of the population living in different areas, as well as for tribute.
It is hard to imagine why the ancient Hawaiians decided to settle in a harsh place like this one. Some say that it was because of the presence of the earlier mentioned Spirit of the place, that they felt in every stone, water, tree and even in the lava flow, that invited them to stay.
So, if one feels the need for a different experience, something more than a daily dose of consumed products and worries, he/she can visit this place, understand and remember what life is all about. It’s about harmony despite difficulties. That’s how ancient Hawaiian people saw it and that’s the best advice someone can give us today.
Because of the hard characteristics of nature mentioned above and the obvious spiritual reasons for settlement of this ancient society, the Kaloko-HonokŌhau National Historical Park is one of the most recommended outdoor places to visit in America by Asians.
Written by: Mislav Zlomislić
References;
https://bigislandhikes.com/kaloko-honokohau-park
https://www.nps.gov/kaho/learn/historyculture/people.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahupua%CA%BBa
https://www.nationalparks.org/explore/parks/kaloko-honokohau-national-historical-park
Mislav Zlomislić is a digital marketing intern of PS Media Enterprise. He is a former student of Zagreb school of economics and management, Zagreb, Croatia
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