Photoessay #49 - Pu'u O Mahuka Heiau offering

When we visited Oahu this last March, we stayed for several days at Ke'iki Beach on the North Shore. Lazing in the hammock on the sunny palm-studded beach with the crashing waves (they are rough!!), another beach visitor told me about a nearby temple site.

"It's just above Foodland winding winding up the hill. You can just feel the spirits there, you should go visit. But if you go, be sure to bring an offering. There's an altar there, you'll see. You should leave some fruit or flowers or money or something. It would not be good to visit without an offering"

On the last day, I suggested to my husband and brother that we leave a little early and check out the temple site. They acquiesced as I'm usually the one who plans the itinerary. There's few roads on the North Shore (that we tourists knew about) and few businesses. We turned at the grocery store Foodland and wound up the hill, hairpin turns way above that magical Waimea Valley and the bay, a road that went ... where? Far up in the hills, we saw a small wooden sign by the edge of a dirt road with a State of Hawaii seal "Pu'u O Mahuka Heiau" "That must be it" I say as we characteristically miss the turn. We go down a few miles of meandering dirt road having no idea what we will find. Finally we come to a clearing with some large flat stone covered areas with a majestic view of Waimea Bay. Most definitely something had been going on here, this was a sense that this place had seen high drama, prayer and ritual. And apparently, some brutality. If there was some sacrificial offerings, it was happening right HERE. You could almost hear the chanting and singing...off in the background, but not too far.

We found the altar, it was filled with fruit and leis and flowers. We offered some bananas. Circling the large stone areas, we dared not enter or disturb the spirits. We admired the view and left the North Shore, wondering. What had gone on in the busy place long ago, full of so many voices?