Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park

73-4786 Kanalani St., #14
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740

Phone
Hale Ho'okipa Visitor Contact Station
(808) 326-9057
Administrative Offices
(808) 329-6881

WELCOME to Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park

The Spirit of Kaloko

Along the western coastline of the Island of Hawaii lies the hot, rugged lava of Kaloko-Honokohau. Some people find it difficult to understand why the ancient Hawaiians chose to settle upon these stark lava fields. The reason was, perhaps, a spiritual one, for there was a spirit in Kaloko-Honokohau. The Hawaiians who first came to the area felt its presence in every rock and tree, in the gentle waters of shallow bays and in the tradewinds that gently swept across the lava flow. Perhaps you too will experience this spirit on your visit to this National Historical Park.

Kaloko Fishpond

The stone walls extending into the crashing surf mark the boundaries of Kaloko Fishpond. This is a loko kuapa, where the stones are dry stacked without the use of mortar to enclose the mouth of a small bay. At Kaloko Fishpond, walls were angled to diffuse the energy of the powerful ocean waves while allowing new sea water to penetrate through the porous lava rocks and circulate about the fishpond. A large sluice gate (makaha) allows for further water exchange with the pond and prevents larger fish from escaping. Fishponds are among the great engineering feats of Hawaiians, nowhere else throughout Polynesia were fishponds so numerous and highly developed. Current efforts are underway to once again enable Kaloko Fishpond to be managed and used for aquaculture.

Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located on the island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It includes the National Historic Landmarked archaeological site known as the Honokohau Settlement. The park was established in 1978 for the preservation, protection and interpretation of traditional native Hawaiian activities and culture.

History

Early in its history, the Kingdom of Hawaii was governed from several locations including coastal towns on the islands of both Hawaii and Maui. Kailua was chosen by Kamehameha I to be his seat of government, and the capital of the newly unified Kingdom of Hawaii. The capital was later moved to Lahaina, then, to Honolulu.

Kaloko-Honokōhau is the site of an ancient Hawaiian settlement which encompasses portions of four different ahupua'a, or traditional mountain-to-sea land divisions. Resources include fishponds, kahua (house site platforms), ki'i pōhaku (petroglyphs), hōlua (stone slide) and heiau (religious site).

Koloki is also an important wetland area protecting native birds including the koloa (Hawaiian Duck, Anas wyvilliana), 'alae ke'oke'o (Hawaiian Coot, Fulica alai), ae'o (Hawaiian Stilt, Himantopus mexicanus knudseni), au'ku'u (Black-crowned Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax), among others

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