Sacred Places in Hawaii
Hawaiian sacred places - such as heiau (temples), stones, petroglyphs, and fishponds - are deeply rooted in the islands' spiritual and cultural traditions. These revered sites served as places of worship, birth, refuge, and community gathering. Each island holds its own unique sacred landmarks, where visitors today are encouraged to observe respectful practices when exploring Hawaii's ancient past.
Sacred places in Hawaii are places with significant historical and cultural meaning. At many of these sacred places important historic events, such as the births of kings and others major events took place in the past. Today, these places are considered a very important part of Hawaiian culture.
Sacred places are also called ancient sites and include heiau (temple sites or shrines), pohaku (stones), ki'i pohaku (petroglyphs or rock carvings), fishponds and other ancient architectural remains. A common practice when visiting a sacred place in Hawaii is to leave a ho'okupu, a small offering, such as a lei, a fruit, nuts or a plant.
Since these sites are sacred, it is important to be respectful when visiting and to follow some simple rules. Visitors are asked to refrain from climbing or stepping on the ancient remains and to not move or remove any pieces. Below is an overview of a few selected sacred places on each one of the main Hawaiian islands: