A path at Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument leads to one of the larger boulders, where local Hawaiians often leave flowers and other offerings. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)
A path at Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument leads to one of the larger boulders, where local Hawaiians often leave flowers and other offerings. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)
Fields of sugarcane and pineapples surround the grounds of Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument, where high-ranking Hawaiian royals in ancient times gave birth. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)
A sign at Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument, Oahu, requests that visitors stay out of a portion of the park considered sacred to many Hawaiians. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes )
Treading the five-acre Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument is to stroll upon the bellybutton of Oahu island.
Ancient Hawaiians referred to this spot among the high plains as the island’s piko, or navel, as it is the general geographical center of Oahu, roughly equidistant from the coasts to the north and south.
It was here, long before the first Europeans stepped foot on this island chain, where the pregnant wives of Hawaii’s chiefs came to give birth upon a large boulder in hopes that the newborn would attain the highest-ranking status in Hawaiian society. The practice lasted for about 600 years before ending sometime in the late 1700s.
Today, the Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument is surrounded by sugarcane fields — but the site, which was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 before becoming a state park in 1992, is well maintained. Visitors can easily wander the scenic grassy clearing, although some areas are marked as off limits due to their sacred significance for native Hawaiians.
The roughly 180 or so birthing boulders that remain at the park are nestled between the Ko’olau Mountain Range to the west and Wai’anae Mountain Range to the east.
A few of the boulders are etched with petroglyphs, leading some researchers to hypothesize that the original layout of the stones had astronomical significance — a Hawaiian Stonehenge, perhaps.
The ancients believed the centrality of the site created a focused spiritual energy that would impart the means to a long and prosperous reign upon the children born there. The Oahu site was one of only two birthing places for high-ranking Hawaiians, with the other located on Kauai.
Three dozen chiefs, one of them the father of the newborn, would be in attendance to witness the birth and attest to the parents’ royal stock. Assisted by midwives, the pregnant mother would brace herself against the so-called massive Kukaniloko stone during contractions. Kukaniloko, from which the park’s name is derived, can be translated as meaning “to anchor the cry from within.”
S. M. Kamakau, a 19th-century Hawaiian historian, offered up a detailed account of the royal affair: “If a chiefess entered and leaned against Kukaniloko and rested on the supports to hold up the thighs in observance of [the birthing ritual], the child born in the presence of chiefs was called an alii, an akua, a wela — a chief, a god, a blaze of heat,” Kamakau wrote.
The existing site is just a small portion of a larger complex — much of which was lost as Oahu’s plains were converted to raising pineapples and sugarcane in the 1800s.
Hawaiian royalty, however, continued to revere the site even after the birthing ritual was no longer held there.
For example, Kamehameha II, the second king of the Kingdom of Hawaii, asked his highest-ranking wife to travel from Hawaii Island to Oahu to give birth to their first child at Kukaniloko in 1797, according to information that accompanied the application to the National Park Service for listing the birthstone site on the National Register of Historic Places.
Alas, she fell ill and could not make the trip — thus eventually giving birth to the king’s heir, Liholiho, in Hilo, Hawaii. (Liholiho’s own journey as a king to visit the site was stymied by a thicket of armyworms.)
The collection of stones that now make up the state-owned park were first set aside in 1909 by the Wahiawa Agricultural Company, whose owner believed they should be preserved in some manner. The Daughters of Hawaii civic group acquired the property in 1925.
The Hawaiian Civic Club of Wahiawa has cared for the grounds for the past 60 years.
A stroll around the monument takes only about a half hour — a short detour on a drive through Oahu’s North Shore. It’s a far cry from the auspicious pilgrimage once made by the ancient royals — but a visit to Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument is sure to please anyone interested in or passionate about this state’s unique and storied history.
olson.wyatt@stripes.com Twitter: @WyattWOlson
KUKANILOKO BIRTHSTONES STATE MONUMENTLOCATION: The Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument is located on the northern outskirts of downtown Wahiawa at the intersection of Kamehameha Highway and Whitmore Avenue. There is no official address.DIRECTIONS: From downtown Honolulu, drive west along the H-1 freeway toward central Oahu before taking Exit 8 onto Kamehameha Highway. After exiting the freeway, drive for one mile before arriving at the intersection with Whitmore Avenue. The entrance to the park is on the right. There is no parking lot, so most visitors park on the highway shoulder.TIMES: While there are no official posted hours, visiting during the daytime allows for the easiest access.COSTS: FreeFOOD: No food or beverages are available on-site.INFORMATION: Wear shoes suitable for walking that you don’t mind getting muddy It rains frequently in this part of Oahu — so bring an umbrella.
