Secret of the Heiau: A Blood Cherokee Penobscot Tale of a National Tragedy

By Akin O'Rono

Of places like Stonehenge, the Pyramids, Inca and Mayan Temples, Nazca lines, it’s the Hawaiian Heiau, which yields the most knowledge from their study. The Archaeoastronomy found on O’Ahu is spectacular. “To describe the beauty in the symmetry of O‘Ahu’s Heiau Template and how the site experts, the Kahuna Kuhi Kuhi Puuone, who designed the system is like trying to describe the Big Chip in the celestial heavens. The one God used in His computer to design the Earth.” The Secret of the Heiau” is a wealth of Native Beliefs

It is so awesome, how Hawaiians had the mathematical and technical ability to build the O’Ahu Template of Places of Worship known as Heiau. They were first class surveyors with the highest degree of competence. Students of Hawaii Studies are the ones to complete the big picture of archaeoastronomy in Hawaii. This book is intended for the upper high school and college students and really anyone interested in Hawaiiana. This is a novel Archaeoas'rono'my in Hawaii primer. To be hip about Hawaii, this book needs to be read and understood.

Early Polynesian Wayfarers used navigational stars to guide them across the Pacific. Travel from Tahiti and Bora Bora used specific navigational stars to sail to Hawaii. Once landed in Hawaii, navigational stars not needed for navigation any more, were turned into calendar stars. Monuments were built to honor their rising and setting places. This knowledge is etched in stone in that Heiau were built on straight ley lines to one another and significant landforms so this knowledge would never be lost.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jan 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483516585

Book preview

Hawaii

CHAPTER ONE

THE BEGINNING OF THE SECRET OF THE HEIAU

"Oh Grandfather, what is that place called, in the mountains, that you always go? My friends say it is a junk pile of rocks. I forget. Tell me what it is?" Lono asked in his seven year old way.

My dear Grandson, I've told you so many times, maybe it is time you learned about one of the most special part of your culture, so you won't forget again. What do you call the place downtown across from City Hall and the State Library, where we go sometimes? asked Rono in his style of always giving reference to places.

"Oh, that's Kawaihao Church," Lono replied.

And what is that place by the old sugar mill. Next to the senior housing and right by Saint Michael's School, where we go most Sundays? Rono continued.

"Oh, that's Saint Michael's Church," Lono answered again.

Ah yes, you are right. They are both churches and each one has its own name. Is there a Hawaiian name for church?

"I think so. What is it?"

The word is Heiau and like every church every Heiau has its own name.

"But most of those Heiau are just a bunch of rocks so how can they be a church?"

Well what do you do in church when you go?

"I pray for my family."

Yes that is the correct answer and that is the same thing you do when you go a Heiau. When I go to the Heiau what do you think I do?

"Do you pray for your family?"

Yes!

"Is that all you do there, Grandfather?"

I do pray at all the Heiau but I do much more than that because I know the Secret of the Heiau, and it is up to me to fulfill the wishes of our ancestors.

"I don't understand. What do you mean by secret? Are there really secrets?"

Let's go back to the meaning of a church. What really is a church?

"I told you it is a place to pray. You said it was."

That's right but what do you call the act of praying?

"You have to tell me. There is a lot that I don't know. That is why I like talking to you, Grandfather. How do you know all this stuff?"

Praying is giving honor and respect. When I pray at the Heiau or Church, I am also giving honor to the place and giving respect to every one who goes there. It is my way to respect Hawaiian People and their culture. I'm so glad you want to know about your Hawaiian Culture Lono because I think it is one of the most special cultures in the whole world. But first let me tell you that a church and a Heiau are the same thing. Both are places of worship. Although I am Catholic like you, I go to the Heaiu to give reverent love and adoration to the sacred objects of the Heiau and to honor those who constructed these places and used them so long ago. It is a way I keep their memory alive even though I don't know their names. Do you understand Lono?

"A little bit but what is the secret?"

Well it is a story, quite a long story but a simple one.

"Will you tell it to me, Grandfather Rono?"

OK, but it will take several years to tell the whole thing.

"Is it that long, Grandfather?"

No but if you really want to understand it, you have to visit each of the places I will tell you about and some are in very dangerous areas on the mountains, and you are too small to go.

"Can't you take me, Grandfather?"

"Yes I can take you to some of the Heiau, but to actually see what is there you have to be called and go there alone on your own."

"Why must I go alone?"

"So you can understand it in your heart."

"What do you mean I have to be called?"

I mean you will hear a voice inside you but it will not be your voice. It will be the voice of one of your ancestors telling you to go to a particular site because they want to show you something.

"Do you mean ghosts?"

Well Lono do you believe in Hawaiian Spirits?

"No I don't think so. Why?"

Well if you don't believe in Hawaiian Spirits there is no need to tell you the story after all.

"But you said you would tell me. I want to know the secret."

You can only know the secret if you are able to talk to your Hawaiian Spirits who are with you at all times.

"I have Hawaiian Spirits with me at all times? Eeek! I'm scared, Grandfather."

Don't be scared Lono because they are like your Guardian Angles. They are there to protect you at all times.

"Do you talk to your Hawaiian Spirits, Grandfather?"

"Yes all the time."

"Well start to tell me the story, and maybe I will believe too. What is the story called?"

This is not a ghost story but a story of very smart people who knew the directions of the stars, the planets and the moon and who could tell time just by watching the sun.

"Isn't it dangerous to watch the sun, Grandfather?"

I don't mean to stare at the sun but to watch sunrise and sunset. Is that hard to do?

"No, I watch sunset all the time, but I don't know how to tell time by it."

Well there are many names to this story and there really is a Secret of the Heaiu, but I like to think of it as the Land of Ley Lines.

"Oh that's a funny name. Is it like a lei of flowers?"

Yes it is and what makes a lei of flowers so special?

"I don't know. Is it the way the flowers are very beautiful and are strung and "

Yes! They are very beautiful and they are connected by a string.

"But Grandfather you didn't let me finish."

OK, I'm sorry. What else did you want to say?

"Well the most special thing about a lei of flowers is that it is made with love and given to someone you love."

"Of course and that is the most important and that is the very same thing about Heiau. They are all very beautiful and built in the most beautiful places, and they are all connected with a string ."

"Connected with a string Grandfather, I don't believe that."

And they were made with love and given to the Hawaiian People whom the Hawaiian Spirits love the most.

"What about the string?"

Well let me reach in my pocket because every Kahuna always has a piece of string with them. Aha is string in Hawaiian, you know?

"Oh Grandfather Rono why do you call yourself that?"

What do you mean?

"I mean Kahuna. You know that's a crazy word. I mean it's lolo."

My dear Lono, the word Kahuna means 'the wise one.' Do you think I am wise?

"Of course, Grandfather I know you are wise, and you go to the mountains all the time, and I know you know the secret."

And what about the word lolo?

"It means crazy."

No it means brains. Anyway I have a piece of string and it is about ten feet long. Do you see the radar domes on top of Mount Kaala?

"Yes!"

Well go and point the end of this piece of string to them and I will hold the other end tight. Now lets lay this string on the ground, keeping it as tight and straight as we possibly can. Now let go. Lono come and sit where I am sitting and tell me if the string points to Mount Kaala.

"Pretty much I guess."

Well straighten it out so it does exactly.

"OK, that's much better."

Now go and find some little rocks and place them on the string. Maybe get five and put two on the ends and space out the rest along the middle of the string.

Lono spends a few minutes finding five rocks. On Rono's property there are rocks all over the place and many unusually shaped ones that he collects from all over the Island. Customarily it is forbidden to bring so many rocks back to your property from other areas of the Island but Rono considers himself to be a very special Kahuna so he thinks nothing of it.

"OK, how is that?"

Excellent! Now without moving the rocks too much take away the string. Now come back to where I am sitting and look at the five rocks. What do you see?

"I see five rocks pointing in a straight line to the radar domes on Mount Kaala."

Well that is correct and you also have made your first ley line. Can you pretend that each of those rocks is a Heiau?

"Yes, but do all Heiau point to Mount Kaala?"

No, but all Heiau point to other Heiau and maybe the sun on a special day at sunrise or sunset, or the moon, or where the planets rise and set or where special stars rise and set.

"What do you mean the special stars, Grandfather?"

Well that is the first part of the Secret of the Heiau. Do you want to learn about it now?

"Well you said it is the first part."

OK, but it might be too complicated for you to understand but it is really very simple. What is the most famous boat in all Hawaii?

"Oh that's easy. It's the Arizona Memorial."

No! I mean what is the most famous canoe in all Hawaii?

"Oh that is the easiest question in the world. It's the Hokulea of course."

Of course that is correct. Now what made that boat so special?

"Well it followed the stars from Hawaii to Tahiti and then back again a bunch of times already because Hawaiians came from Tahiti I know."

What stars did it follow?

"I don't know. I guess it followed all the special ones."

Yes! That is correct. It followed the special stars and these stars are called the Navigational Stars. Do you know what the word navigation means?

"Yes! It means to know where you are going so you can find your way to someplace."

Yes! That is right on the button. And what do you do when you get to that place, let's say Oahu from Tahiti after being on the open ocean for several weeks/

"You thank your lucky stars."

Yes, but how?

"You say a prayer of thanks to God."

OK, very good but where do you say your prayers?

"Oh I see, you go to the Heiau to say your thank you prayers."

"But what about the first people who came here and there were no Heiau. What did they do?"

"They had to build them I guess. Am I right Grandfather?"

Yes, but where did they build them?

"I don't know. I guess in the most beautiful places like you said."

Yes! That is right, but let me ask you what if they weren't sure how long it would be before they sailed back to Tahiti and they wanted to remember what stars brought them here so they could find their way back . What do you think they would do?

"They would draw a map and give it to the navigator to keep."

Remember the navigator had the map already in his head. And what would happen if the navigator died and no one else could read the map?

"They would be in a whole bunch of trouble. Am I right?"

"Well I'm not sure because after all they were in this beautiful place we call Oahu but they might have a hard time getting back to Tahiti. What they did do was to build a map of all the stars."

"What do you mean build?"

Well when the first people came to Oahu, they decided to build all the Heiau on straight lines to where those special stars, we call navigational stars, would rise and set.

"I don't understand Grandfather!"

Well I told you it was a little complicated, but you see all the Heiau lie as monuments to the rising and setting places of those special stars so that knowledge would never be lost. Have you heard the expression 'etched in stone'?

"No! What does that mean?"

It means that the knowledge is preserved in stone and remains to this very day. It means the knowledge will last a long time, even longer than the lives of the people who put that knowledge in stone and even longer than you and me will live. Let me give you an example. What is the most famous landmark on Oahu and maybe in all Hawaii?

"Waikiki?"

Waikiki is a place. I mean like a mountain or volcano, something that has to do with the earth, and this famous landmark is in Waikiki.

"That's what I meant to say, Diamond Head."

Diamond Head is the most famous landmark in all Hawaii, I think so too. It is recognized all over the world. Now I want to give you an example of what I am talking about, and it is one of the best examples and one of the easiest to understand. Do you know any names of stars?

"I know Hokulea is the star of gladness and Makali'i is the stars with little eyes."

Yes! That's right but what about the brightest stars in the skies, do you know their names?

"No."

Well for you to understand this first part of the story, so you can learn the secret, you have to know more about astronomy. Do you know anything about astronomy?

"Do you mean like what the astronauts do when they fly in space?"

All of a sudden Rono becomes very quiet, lowers his head, puts his hands over his eyes and sniffles as if trying to hide some tears from falling. Lono senses some change in his grandfather's emotions and asks, "What is it Grandfather? Are you feeling sick?"

Yes! All of a sudden I don't feel well. Maybe you should think about what I have told you already and when you want to learn some astronomy you can come back and ask me to continue telling you the story because if you don't want to learn astronomy than there is no use to tell you the story and there is no reason for you to learn the Secret of the Heiau.

"OK Grandfather. Maybe after school tomorrow you can tell me some more because I do want to learn about astronomy and the Secret of the Heiau. Please will you tell me tomorrow?"

We'll see but right now I have to rest. Go home and tell your mommy and brother that you love them, OK?

Rono gets up, looking very sad and heavy with some terrible burden, from his seat made out of an arrow head shaped stone propped up by several other smaller stones. He called it Rono's Dolman. He constructed it years ago because it reminded him of his home; he would tell all visitors when they questioned him about having such an odd thing in his back yard. He would always sit on the tip. The tip pointed to Mount Kaala. The tip points to magic and knowledge was one of his many sayings. As Rono walks slowly into his weather beaten and dilapidated house, he turns to his grandson and calls out to him.

Remember Lono, 'without the wind and the rain the Kahuna is nothing'.

Now this was Rono's most favorite sayings that he would say to his friends on special occasions but he never said that to Lono before.

"OK Grandfather, I love you too."

As little Lono jumped on his bicycle and headed home, he wondered what made his grandfather ill. Was it something he did? No, he was just sitting down asking questions. Was it something he said? No, he was just asking questions about all different things. Was it his last question about what is astronomy and what the astronauts do in space? No, because why would that make his grandfather ill. And why did Grandfather Rono tell him to go home and tell his mommy and brother that he loves them. He had never said that before. Usually grandfather would always ask Lono to tell his mother to bake him some bread or send over some breadfruit stew or something like that.

This was very peculiar, but then this was a very different day because Grandfather Rono would never talk about what he does in the mountains. Was it because his birthday was coming up soon or something else? "What about Hawaiian Spirits? Lono thought to himself. Do they really exist?" All of a sudden Lono stopped his bike and let it drop to the ground. Over by the side of the road where Mr. Matsuo had recently turned over soil to replant his garden, Lono saw an odd shaped rock. He walked to the other side of the garden area and picked it up. It wasn't odd shaped at all. It was perfectly round and flattened. It was an ulumaika, the rolling stones that were used by early Hawaiians during the festival games of the Makahiki Season, and it was in perfect condition and very heavy. His grandfather was going to be happy tomorrow when Lono showed it to him. Lono knew that his grandfather grew up in Old Town, Maine and had moved to Hawaii because of some story he heard him telling some of his friends about the Makahiki, but he was too little to understand it. But he knew the Makahiki was something very special to his grandfather. Lono had a better idea.

"I'm going to give this ulumaka to Grandfather for his birthday present. It is way better than that book about famous dead people from Hawaii I bought for him."

Lono thought maybe he would give both present or maybe it would be better to save one for Father's Day.

As Lono stuffed the round stone into his back jeans' pocket and walked back to his bike, he thought this had been a lucky day. His grandfather was going to tell him a long story about some Secret of the Heiau and he had just found something very special.

Lono wondered why he stopped all of a sudden where he did. He didn't have to make shi shi or anything like that. He was just racing home like he usually did, trying to beat his best record but suddenly slammed on his brakes. If he didn't stop, surely he would have never seen the ulumaika, way on the other side of Mr. Matsuo 's garden plot. What made him stop? Maybe Hawaiian Spirits made him stop. "Maybe they really do exist," Lono thought continuing home as he again remembered about telling his mom and brother that he loved them. Lono smiled to himself thinking this was the first time his grandfather ever told him directly the saying people had come to know his grandfather for.

As Lono pulled into his dirt driveway a burst of wind blew from the direction of his grandfather's house and the clouds opened up, and before he could walk ten feet from his garage to the porch of his house, Lono was soaked to the bone.

Where have you been young man? asked Lono's mom, Kathryn.

Lono replied, "without the wind and the rain the kahuna is nothing"

So you have been talking to your grandfather. His birthday is in a couple of days. I hope you have something to give him?

"Yes I do and it's something very very special. Oh he told me to tell you that I love you."

Does your grandfather have to tell you to say that? I'm sure that is something you're suppose to do on your own.

"Grandfather also told me that there are many Heiau I have to visit on my own too when I'm bigger."

Oh no! Your grandfather promised me that he would never tell you about those things. His story about Heiau and ley lines are worst than drugs. Your grandfather is addicted to that stuff. Don't listen to him unless you want to end up like him. He's a good man and is very wise but that is all he does. All that stuff about maps and stars and ancient Hawaiian things hasn't done one good thing for him. I don't know what it is but there is a terrible secret to keeping around all that stuff, and I know it's not good.

"You know about ley lines and the Secret of the Heiau, mom?"

I don't know what secret you are talking about, but if it is the same one that has made your grandfather just a sad old man, I suggest that you don't try to find out what it is. Now go change your wet clothes and put those dirty things you are wearing into the wash. Don't forget to take everything out of the pockets. I don't want bubble gum, pennies, and rocks in my machine.

Lono thought it was amazing that his mom knew about ley lines and that rock in his jeans, well that's something special. No way is that rock going to get damaged by some old dumb washing machine. And what about the Secret of the Heiau because his grandfather had told him it was to fulfill the wishes of our Ancestors so that can't be bad. That can't be the secret that had made his grandfather so heavy with grief, which so many people talk about when they describe him as a sad old man. No, the Secret of the Heiau is something good because his grandfather was in a very good mood and was feeling happy when he was telling the story. But then again something made him very sad just when he was about to teach some astronomy to his young grandson.

Quick come see the space shuttle landing Lono. It's live from Florida. It's one of those rare night time landings. It's so cool seeing the lights dropping down, shouted James his older brother.

It was the first time Lono thought why out of two children was he the one with a Hawaiian name and why Lono?

Lono walked into the living room and asked his mom, "why am I called Lono?"

Because you are lolo, shouted his brother.

Lono was quick to reply, "Lolo means brains you dumb stupid head!"

Oh, Lono come and watch this and eat your supper. I'll tell you later, his mother said.

After supper, Lono spent the rest of the evening looking for an old tourist map of Oahu he knew was outside in the garage. When he finally found it and came in, he was covered in dust.

Lono what have you been doing? Go take a shower right now, commanded his mom.What have you got?

"I got a map of Oahu. I have to find out where Diamond Head is."

It's in Waikiki you dumb stupid lolo, shouted his brother.

"It is better to be a dumb stupid lolo than to have no lolo at all like you," answered Lono.

When Lono walked into his room, he saw his ulumaika lying in the floor broken in two. Lono's heart sank and all of a sudden his spirit was furious. "Who did this? Lono shouted at the top of his voice and began to cry wildly as his mother and brother ran into his room. This was my ulumaika and my birthday present for Grandfather that I found today near Mr. Matsuo's new garden and now it's broken," as Lono began to cry.

I'm sorry Lono. I just hit it with my rock hammer to see what it is made of. I didn't mean to break it. I guess I'm lolo for doing that, James said.

"You have no lolo. I wish you drown in your stupid surf meet."

Lono that is a terrible thing to say to your brother. It's just a rock no matter what. You can give it to your grandfather anyway if it really is an ulumaika. He's got all kinds of broken ones all over his yard. He'll like it, said the mother of the two.

"It was a perfect Makahiki ulumaika and now it's broken," cried Lono.

I said I'm sorry, shouted James.

"Well I don't love you, and I don't forgive you. Drop dead you dumb stupid head," screamed Lono as he slumped onto his bed and continued to cry.

Oh, he'll be over it tomorrow, at least I hope so, his mom told James in a soft voice as she turned off Lono's light and shut the door.

CHAPTER TWO

SIRIUS HOLDS A KEY

The next day after school, Lono raced from the playground to Rono's house, once again passing Mr. Matsuo's new garden plot. He turned around quickly because he had noticed something different about the area where he had found the ulumaika the day before. Now all he saw was a long giant pit in the exact place where he found the now broken ulumaika.

Stay away from there Lono, yelled Mr. Matsuo.

"How come there is a big puka here?" quizzed Lono.

That's not a puka, that's a lua, where I'm going to build a new loi, maybe to raise carp or prawns or something. I'm just digging to see how far down the water is, replied the old Japanese Farmer.

"How far down is the water Mr. Matsuo?"

I don't know. I should have hit it by now. This land is very strange. Look at the pond over there. The water line is above where I've already dug. I don't understand it.

"I'll ask my grandfather, I bet he'll know. He's a Kahuna you know."

Yes everybody knows he thinks he is a Kahuna. Do you know what a Kahuna is, Lono?

"It means the wise one. You are a wise one when it comes to growing vegetables and fish too, Mr. Matsuo. You must be a Kahuna of the garden. My grandfather is a Kahuna of the Heiau. He knows the Secret of the Heiau. Is there a secret of the garden too?"

Well I always thought I would find some special rocks over here, especially now since I've been digging here so much. Some of the old people told me when I was a little boy that in the old days, Makahiki games were played on this very site. I'd love to find an old ulumaika or something, but I guess the Hawaiian Spirits aren't with me.

"Do you believe in Hawaiian Spirits, Mr. Matsuo?"

Well, I used to, but I am Buddhist so I believe a different way from you Lono.

"I understand, Mr. Matsuo, my grandfather always takes me to the Bon Dances and he always lights a candles in one of the boats he makes but he never tells me who it is for. He says it's a secret. My grandfather is a Catholic and he talks with Hawaiian Spirits all the time. Well I got to go. Aloha Mr. Matsuo."

Sayonara Lono, Mr. Matsuo called back.

As Lono continued on his way, he thought he should have told Mr. Matsuo about the ulumaika he found on his property but then he might get mad if he found out it was now broken. Lono was now convinced that indeed it was the Hawaiian Spirits that made him stop yesterday, because surely it would have have been hauled away when Mr. Matsuo was digging his lua for his loi. And why did he call it a lua instead of a puka. Puka means hole and lua means .......... lua means toilet.

"I'll have to remember to ask Grandfather," Lono said to himself.

As Lono rode into his grandfather's beaten and furrowed driveway, he saw him standing on his dolman seat. In his hand he held a piece of string that had a rock attached to the bottom. This made the piece of string real tight, and he was pointing the top of the string to one of the mountaintops.

"What are you doing Grandfather? Is that an old Hawaiian kine yoyo?" Lono shouted out.

Well I never thought about it like that, Lono, but I do wind the string around the rock when I put it in my pocket, and I do drop it when I take it out, but it doesn't jump back up. I guess it is more of a yoyo for my lolo than anything else. What do you want today?

"I want to hear more about the story so 1 can learn the Secret of the Heiau. You said you would tell me more later. Isn't now later than it was yesterday? I want to learn some astronomy today. Look I got an old map of Oahu and I know where Diamond Head is."

Lono took out the old map from his back pocket and carefully unfolded it to show to his grandfather.

"This is a very old map Grandfather, and look Diamond Head is right there right by the word zoo and Kaipolani Park."

Very good Lono, this is an excellent map to begin to learn about the Secret of the Heiau. This looks like an old tourist map. It is terrific for teaching you the lesson about the brightest star in the sky. Do you know the name of the brightest star in all the sky? Now I'm asking you a very serious question. Do you know what a serious question is. Do you know what the word serious means?

"I think serious means big trouble."

You're close, but what if I said should I pray for a heavy rain or should I pray for a light rain, this is a very serious decision for me to make. What does the word serious mean now?

"Does it mean you have a very important decision to make?"

Yes that is it. Serious means very important. Now do you know the name of the brightest star in the sky? It means the same as important. "Serious!"

Yes the brightest star in all the heavens is called Sirius but it is spelled different but it is pronounced the very same way. I'm serious about Sirius.

"That's funny Grandfather, but why is Sirius so important?"

Because Sirius holds a key to the Secret of the Heiau, and you must learn everything about it first. Do you remember what Hokulea means and why is it so important?

"Hokulea means star of gladness, and it is the greatest canoe in the world."

"That is true, but it is not the answer I wanted. The English name for Hokulea is Arcturus and it is the star of the Big