Communication No. 2021-08- Simmy McMichael Testimony

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USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form H61ualoa 4 Archaeological District NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section 7 Page 1 H61ualoa 4 Archaeological District name of property OMB No. 1024-0018 Hawai'i County. HI county and state Page 6 The archaeological and cultural sites within the ahupua`a of H61ualoa 4 (Palau'eka) are located in the district of North Kona on the island of Hawaii (Map 1). The H6lualoa Royal Center at H61ualoa Bay comprises one of the seven royal centers that existed along the Kona Coast, circa A.D. 1600-1800. The other chiefly residences of Kona were located at Kamakahonu, Kahalu'u, Keauhou, Ka'awaloa, Kealakekua, and H6naunau (Map 2). Traditional histories record the lands of Keolonahihi in H61ualoa as a chiefly residence and royal center during the reign of at least five consecutive generations of paramount ah'i (high chiefs) in the dynastic line of Hawaii Island: "Kalaniopuu then returned to Kau, but he left Kamehameha with his mother, Kekuiapoiwa II, and his guardians, Keaka and Luluka, at Puu in Holualoa, a place inhabited in Alapai's time and before. It was in the Holualoa lands of Kona that the chiefs dwelt in olden times, from the time of Keakamahana, the great kapu chiefess of Hawaii, and earlier. Where the large stone wall is located above Keolonahihi was Keakealaniwahine's dwelling place, for her parents, Keakamahana and Iwikauikaua, resided there. These were lands occupied by the chiefs because the surfing there was good, and the food abundant in ancient times. There Kamehameha learned to surf and to glide with a canoe over the waves, guarded by kaikunane of Keaka, in accordance with her commands." (John Papa 'Pi 1959: 6). The royal centers were areas selected by the ah'i for their residences and ah'i often moved between several residences throughout the year. The royal centers were selected for their abundance of resources and recreation opportunities, with good surfing and canoe -landing sites being favored. Holualoa offered a wealth of agricultural products from the Kona Fieldsystem, offshore marine resources, and the surf site off Kamoa Point in H61ualoa Bay. Structures associated with the royal centers include heiau (religious structures) and sacred areas, housesites for the ah'i and the entourage of family and kahuna (priests), and activity areas for burial, bathing, games, recreation, and crafts. Oral traditions suggest that the H61ualoa royal center was constructed as early as A.D. 1300 by the Chiefess Keolonahihi and her husband, Aka (Pinehaka 1974). However, much of the site's history relates to the occupation of the royal center by Chiefess Keakamahana and her daughter, Chiefess Keakealaniwahine, in the 17th Century. These two women were the highest ranking ah'i of their dynastic line and generation. Kamehameha I is said to have learned to surf and canoe in the waters of Holualoa Bay, circa 1760s to early 1770s. After his rise to power, he stored his war god, Kukailimoku, at Hale O Kaili within the Holualoa Royal Center. The H6lualoa complex was first recorded in 1823 by missionary William Ellis during a tour of Hawai'i Island. Ellis makes reference to the village of Kaluaokalani: "Shortly after, we reached a village called Kaluaokalani (the second heaven), where was a fine heiau in good preservation. It is called Pakiha; its dimensions were two hundred and seventy feet by two hundred and ten. We could not learn the idol to which it was dedicated, but were informed it was built in the time of Keakealani, who, according to tradition, was queen of Hawaii about eleven generations back." (Ellis 1969: 117). Individual sites in the H61ualoa 4 ahupua'a were sketched by John Stokes in 1906 and John Reinecke in 1930. Henry Kekahuna and Theordore Kelsey gathered information on place names and site use from Naluahine