by Kirsten Atterbury and Mark D'Antonio

One of Hawaii's most historical and sacred treasures lies beneath a county park in Lahaina. Under softball mounds and parking lot asphalt are the remains of a rich culture that developed over centuries, Moku`ula. There is a group that is caring for this treasure, a group that has accomplished much in a short period of time. On the one year anniversary of the founding of the Friends of Moku`ula, we spent some time listening and learning from Executive Director Akoni Akana. He related a history and culture that few residents are aware of. The significance of which, he related as, "helping to explain why we as Hawaiians exist today, and why we will move into the future. The historical site, just like our non-profit group, is grounded in spirituality." To understand the area and its significance is to understand the Hawaiian past surrounding us.

Moku`ula means sacred island. This island and village was home to high chiefs and their community from the 16th to 19th centuries, serving as a political and spiritual capital for the Hawaiian Kingdom. Friends of Moku`ula, recently re-discovered this wetland village. They plan to restore its' original landscape and endeavor to awaken the `ike (wisdom) and mana (spirit) of pre-contact Hawaii.

The site, located across from 505 Front Street, is known as a piko or spiritual center of life. The lizard goddess, or mo`o, Kihawahine is said to guard the fresh water springs that gave life to native plants and fishponds that sustained the village. The community was built in a circle with the royalty in the center and surrounded by their chieftains, who were then surrounded by their caretakers and villagers.

Hawaiian Ali`i (ruling class) can trace their ancestry back to a time when gods walked the earth. Pi`ilani was a high chief who lived at Moku`ula in the 16th century. For hundreds of years his familial line was tied to Mo`o Akua, or large lizard-like gods. When Kala`aiheana, daughter of Chief Pi`ilani, died at a young age, she was deified. She became a Mo`o Akua, the sacred and powerful supernatural lizard goddess known as Kihawahine. It was her presence at Moku`ula that increased the power of the land and of the people who resided there.

The power of Moku`ula attracted royalty from other islands, as well. On the Big Island, King Kamehameha I was not born as a high chief. In his efforts to unite the Hawaiian Kingdom under his rule, he needed to marry into a higher line than his own. He sought after and married the high chief of Moku`ula's daughters, Ka`ahumanu and Keopuolani, who were descendants of the Pi`ilani line. Securing his familial ties, Kamehameha I then is said to have harnessed the energy of the lizard goddess at Moku`ula, and through the use of Kihawahine's power, then united the Kingdom of Hawaii.

During the post-contact period Moku`ula served as a sanctuary for the Ali`i. By 1837 it became a refuge away from the Christian Missionaries for King Kamehameha III. As the Hawaii people began to lose their authority, Moku`ula was the royalty's last place of comfort and jurisdiction. Because of the pressures of the Christian Missionaries, foreign businessmen, sailors and the new Christian Ali`i, by 1845, the capital at Lahaina was moved to Honolulu.

By 1860, the wetlands of Moku`ula were already shrinking, a result of the fresh water being diverted by the sugarcane plantations. Eventually becoming a health hazard, as Lahaina's beaches were dredged to create a harbor, the adjacent wetlands of Moku`ula were filled in. Circa 1914 the village was turned into Malu-ulu-o-lele Park, named after a grove of ulu trees, which has since been destroyed.

Through the grassroots efforts of the Ka`anapali Beach Hotel's Po`okela Program, study of Moku`ula began in 1990 as part of the Lahaina Historical Tour, a curriculum which began as an effort to inform employees of the tourist industry in Hawaiian culture. What they found out was that not much was known about the pre-contact culture of Lahaina. Akoni Akana, Lori Sablas, Kano`eau Delatori, Auntie Pua Lindsey and Malia Ka`ai's search for knowledge led to the re-discovery of the sacred island and of the surviving descendants of the royal community.

An archeological study conducted by the Bishop Museum in 1993 confirmed that the island still lies buried beneath Malu-ulu-o-lele Park. It also found the location of the Royal Mausoleum, which is believed to contain the remains of King Kamehameha III's mother, sister and children as well as other Ali`i. Also discovered on the island is a wooden dock facing towards Waiola Church that may have been used by Ali`i to travel to church by canoe. Electromagnetic study of the area also confirms stone walls and boundaries of the island are still intact. Today you can still see the fresh water spring as it runs into the ocean. Just take a walk on the shore in front of 505 Front Street. It looks like run-off from the building, but is the spirit of Kihawahine that still exists.

Realizing the significance of this find, the project is being funded by the Administration for Native Americans, County of Maui's Office of Economic Development, Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Hawaii Community Foundation. Through this support in October of 1998, Friends of Moku`ula was created. Plans for the future include; restoring the King's compound, creating an interactive learning center and showcasing local kupuna in oral tradition.

Not only the recreation of the physical is intended but also the group plans to accompany into their work, the Hawaiian values of:

aloha/reciprocal love
malama/to care for
mahele/to share
`ike papalua/to envision the future
ho`omana/to cause spirituality
ho`okipa/hospitality

The story of Moku`ula has it's sad points, due to one culture not understanding and accepting another. Song and chants of the time have recently been discovered, written by kupuna noting it's slow demise. But thanks to efforts from individuals who took the initiative to pursue knowledge in a positive manner, we can all benefit. Akana adds, "This restoration is part of the healing that we need to do as Hawaiians, a way to understand how events unfolded." Much can be learned from studying the history around us, as Moku`ula's motto explains, I ka wa mamua ka wa mahope, or, the future is in the past.