Join Thor and me as we check out the native crafts area at the Place of Refuge, Pu’uhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park on the Big Island.
NOTE: After way too many months without travel, Thor insisted on an R&R escape to Hawaii this April. He’d been keeping on eye on the very careful Covid-19 precautions in the islands, and the testing required before flying there. And now that we’re both fully vaccinated, we took the plunge – literally, for some snorkeling in the healing sea, as well as exploring the Big Island and Kauai. After this detour, I promise I’ll finish up my Virtual Italy Vacation series soon!
In last week’s blog, we wandered through the fascinating, reconstructed site of the sacred Place of Refuge, and the adjoining grounds where the Ali’i — aristocrats — of the ancient Hawaiians met for discussions and games. On the edge of that area are these reconstructed shelters for storing canoes and sheltering artisans.
This outrigger canoe was made with traditional tools, down to the wooden pegs and bindings:
Some of the carving tools, with stone or wood cutting blades:
This carver is using the traditional methods. And with bare feet! (You’re welcome, to some of my readers who asked for another look at this handsome fellow.)
A warrior helmet, woven vessel, drinking bottles made from gourds, and a god figure:
Those Hawaiians were fierce and often engaged in territorial battles between islands and holdings. Their weapons used tiger-shark teeth for slashing blows. (I was once circled when diving by a big tiger shark, known to attack humans, and I was happy not to make acquaintance with those razor-sharp teeth).
Battles between chieftains could be triggered also by insults to one’s lineage. Opposite sides would line up and hurl insults, then spears and stones. The shark-tooth-studded weapon on the left below is a leiomanu. After a battle, old men were given these to slit the throats of any fallen opponent still alive. It was not considered cruel, but perhaps a merciful ending for those badly injured.
More handicrafts and roughed-out stone blades:
Here’s a new version of the lava-stone “board game” we saw earlier in the ali’i grounds (second photo):
After viewing the handicrafts, we drove farther into the park, past more wild goats, toward a dramatic picnic area along the lava shoreline.
In the upper middle of this photo, below the palm trees, you can see part of the lava-rock wall surrounding the sacred Place of Refuge:
Trees here are tough!
We shared picnic scraps with these friendly birds:
Then a wander over the lava shore, where enclosed natural pools held calmer water for local kids to play.
Next week: Come snorkeling with us at Honaunau Bay beside the Place of Refuge.
*****
You will find The Rambling Writer’s blog posts here every Saturday. Sara’s latest novel from Book View Cafe is available in print and ebook: The Ariadne Connection. It’s a near-future thriller set in the Greek islands. “Technology triggers a deadly new plague. Can a healer find the cure?” The novel has received the Chanticleer Global Thriller Grand Prize and the Cygnus Award for Speculative Fiction. Sara has recently returned from another research trip in Greece and is back at work on the sequel, The Ariadne Disconnect. Sign up for her quarterly email newsletter at www.sarastamey.com
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