Story~ Pākuʻi Heiau – The Sacred Stand at ʻUalapuʻe

Pākuʻi Heiau

Located within the historic Hōkūkano-ʻUalapuʻe temple complex on the southeastern coast of Molokaʻi, Pākuʻi Heiau stands as one of the most spiritually and politically significant heiau in all of Hawaiʻi. It was a dual-purpose site: a luakini (sacrificial heiau) dedicated to the god Kū, and also a puʻuhonua (place of refuge) dedicated to the goddess Hina, symbolizing both power and compassion.

In 1819, when Kuhina Nui Kaʻahumanu commanded the abolition of the kapu system and the destruction of heiau across the islands, the kāhuna (priests) of Pākuʻi made a radical choice: rather than comply, they hid the sacred images and ritual objects in a cave, defying the edict.

As Kaʻahumanu’s soldiers approached, the kahuna issued a prophecy:

“Hāʻule ka lani” – The fall of the aliʻi.

“Hōʻala ka lepo pōpolo” – The rise of the people.

These phrases hold powerful meaning:

   •   “Hāʻule ka lani” foretold the collapse of chiefly power and cultural disconnection.

   •   “Lepo pōpolo” refers to the mud-darkened feet of the makaʻāinana (the common people)—those who worked the kalo fields and lived close to the land.

   •   “Hōʻala” means awakening—a call for the people to return to the earth, their ancestry, and spiritual traditions.

Through this prophecy, Pākuʻi became a sacred site of resistance, remembrance, and renewal. It represents a turning point where the ancestral ways were protected, not erased, and where the call to return to pono (balance) still echoes.

Though the voices of kāhuna no longer rise from its stone platforms, the mana of the place remains. The heiau continues to call the lāhui to reawaken, to get their feet dirty again in the soil of kuleana and spiritual responsibility.

Source The Call of Hōkūkano-ʻUalapuʻe

ByAdam Keawe Manalo-Camp