Pohaku Ho'ohanau (Royal Birthstones)

Pohaku Ho'ohanau (Royal Birthstones), Kauai

This is an ancient and sacred Hawaiian site. In the old times it was important that all of Kauai’s kings were born here. There is a stone where the pregnant woman was leaning against with her back and another stone where she put her legs while giving birth. Within the stone enclosure once stood a grass shack, where the mother-to-be stayed prior to giving birth.

The flat stone in the front was used to cover a sacrificed dog, signifying to commoners that for them the place was kapu (forbidden). After birth, the baby’s umbilical cord was placed in a crack in the rock wall. If the cord was taken away by a rat, then that was a bad sign, indicating that the child would later become a thief. If no rat showed up, it was a good sign.