Hawaii’s most sacred sites flow with legends and mana
From birthing sites to godly realms, the islands of Hawaii have perpetually stored spiritual energy called mana in places of cultural significance, according to information from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. These wahi pana are celebrated until today for the feats of power, wonder and admiration within them.
Papahānaumokuākea, the beginning and end
Some150 miles northwest of the main Hawaiian Archipelago is an isolated cluster of low-lying islands and atolls spanning some 1,200 miles with its vast ocean called Papahanaumokuakea, as reported by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. According to the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, traditional Hawaiian songs and artifacts point to Papahanaumokuakea as the primordial darkness from which all life originated from and will return to after death.
Kūkaniloko, the cradle of mana
According to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, this domain of stones was once used as a birthing site for the royal families of O’ahu. A chiefess would lay down on a ‘birthstone’ at the center while chiefs would surround her to witness the childbearing. Traditionally considered as the island’s spiritual center, anyone of royal blood who is born in Kukaniloko with the proper rituals was described as a chief, a god, and a blaze of heat.
Haleakalā, the house of the sun
The legendary achievements of Maui are marked across all the islands of the Pacific, but it is in Haleakala where he performs one of his greatest feats—snaring the sun. Literally meaning the house of the sun, Haleakala is said to be the place where the great demigod caught the sun to make it go slower using 15 strong cords, according to information on the National Park Service website.
Maunakea, the bridge to the heavens
This snow-capped dormant volcano, serving as the highest point in Hawaii, is home to the legendary origins of Hawai’i. Based on information from the Center for Maunakea Stewardship, Maunakea is the first-born mountain son of Wakea and Papa who are the forerunners of the Hawaiian people. It serves as the piko, or the umbilical cord, of the island-child Hawai’i, and the connection between the land and the heavens. Today, the summit hosts the largest astronomical observatory in the world, per information from the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy.