Koloko Honokohau National Park – Travel Photo Mondays
It’s Monday morning, time to enjoy some gorgeous travel photography and inspiration from around the world. Let’s banish those Monday blues by sharing gorgeous imagery and story telling
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- Kaloko Honokohau National Park
Kaloko Honokohau National Park
I’m taking you today to this beautiful national park located along in West Hawaii Island, an ancient Hawaiian sanctuary along a protected shoreline with fish ponds, temples other historical treasures. In ancient times hundreds of Hawaiians lived sufficiently farming, fishing and conducting daily activities with their ohanas or extended family groups along these coastal areas. Volcanic rocks were extensively used to build their heiau (religious temples), rock foundations for their dwellings, walls for the fish ponds and built-up agricultural beds to protect their plants from harsh winds and lack of soil.
- Kaloko Honokohau large canoe house along the shoreline
The remains of an ancient heiau and platform are still present on the far end of Koloko Honokohau National park. The heiau was built as a tribute to the gods to serve religious ceremonies dedicated to war, agriculture, fishing, navigation, and other purposes. Hawaiians gave offerings and tributes at the heiau in addition to ceremonial prayers, chants, dances, song and food. Even to this day traditional Hawaiian practices are done in this sacred temple. Following are images of the entry to the heiau and remains of the platform.
Kaloko Honokohau heiau entrance
Kaloko Honokohau heiau
There are two major fish ponds at Koloko and a fish trap which were reserved for the Alii or chiefs of the area, but also used for feeding the people in this area. The Hawaiians fished extensively and built and maintained these ponds to feed the needs of the population. The coastal dwellers also traded the fish and seafood with those further mauka (upland) for fresh produce like Ulu(breadfruit) Kalo(taro) and other staple dietary products that were hard to grow along the coastline.
Kaloko Honokohau cove and fishtrap
Kaloko Honokohau detail of heiau and platform
Kaloko Honokohau panoramic shot
This area is very sacred to the Hawaiian people and has a lot of mana (spiritual power), native Hawaiians speak of a mo’o or water-dwelling guardian spirit who rests on the rocks and watches over the fish ponds. As long as the pond is maintained and treated with respect then the mo’o will allow for bountiful fishing. Kaloko Honokohau was recognized by the federal government as a national treasure and park in 1978. There are many things to do and see at the park including hiking any of the coastal trails, visiting the information center, the fish ponds, and the historic sanctuary and heiau at Honokohau.
Thanks for visiting Kaloko Honokohau National park for Travel Photo Mondays, hope that you enjoyed your visit and may someday explore this sacred place in person when visiting Hawaii Island
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Hi Noel, thanks for the virtual tour of the beautiful Koloko Honokohau National Park! Loved your photos and narrative!
These are some wonderful shots, Noel. The landscape is haunting and evocative at the same time.
How fortunate for you to be able to visit this gorgeous place!
What a paradisiac place !
Incredible pictures!
Your images are gorgeous. They are beautiful postcards that invite the viewer into a beautiful other world.
Your images are so strong and beautiful. My favourite is Kaloko Honokohau heiau – it has an almost eery mood i think. Thank you for visiting and I look forward to seeing more of your work. I too, will be back with some of my work – perhaps from my past travels.
Thanks for coming over to my site yesterday, I may not have discovered your own site otherwise. I had a good look around and like what I see. I will definitely join in your Travel Photos Monday
Hawaii is indeed a blue-tiful state. Thanks for sharing.
Happy 1st Blue Monday, Noel.
Great post and photos. I shall be joining in. And thanks for visiting my site earlier.
Wow! Gorgeous images Noel!
Come and join us Birgitta and link up 🙂
Oh my gosh, Noel! All your Hawaii posts are really making me want to go back to Hawaii!
Gorgeous images Noel! The Hawaiian landscape is just so beautiful and Koloko Honokohau National park looks to be a fascinating visit…
Hi again and thanks for the invitation. Your images are just beautiful. Makes me want to come visit that lovely place! Amazing they could make use of volcanic rock in lieu of other materials. Take care – Dawn
thanks for the tour and for hosting Travel Photo Monday.
We have a volcanic rock slide on the coast near where I live It is a favourite with photographers, especially in the evening.