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Paying Tribute to Ancient Sacred Sites in Wailua, Hawaii
Unlike so many churches, mosques, and other sacred sites of distant ancient worlds, few if any of Hawaii’s heiau (pronounced hey-yow) have been preserved well enough to match their primordial grandeur. Take, for example, the Poli’ahu Heiau nestled above the Wailua River. This esteemed site—where priests once performed rituals in front of the village—is surrounded by crumbling stone. Its interior is filled with nothing but dirt and dry grass. Clues as to what this sacred place may have looked like once upon a time can be found on placards directly in front of the heiau and on those overlooking the river nearby. Show respect. There are some Hawaiians who feel heiau should be an eyes-off area for many curious visitors.
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