6. KUKANILOKO, WAHIAWA
Birthing Place of Chiefs and Fertility and Healing stones
The time of the birth of the taboo chief,
The time when the Heavenly One pushed his way out,
The time when the bright one first saw the light,
At first faintly like the light of the moon,
At the season of Makali’i in the far past.
The Kumulipo, Hawaiian Creation Chant
Happy was the child born at Kukaniloko, the sacred birthing stone! The child would be called a Chief Divine, a burning fire. Kukaniloko means “to anchor the cry from within.”
The ancient sacred stones are gathered together near the green pineapple fields of Wahiawa. The main stone, Kukaniloko, is a large, brown lava rock with a sculptured area that supported the mother in a semi-sitting position while she gave birth. There are two high, pointed spots on each side of the stone, where chiefs or priests would sit to assist.
For the royal mother, giving birth was rather a public experience. Thirty-six chiefs, eighteen on each side, surrounded her. They came to witness the sacred birth and to give recognition to the bloodline and rank of mother, father, grandparents, and the newborn. The combined status of the parents determined the child’s status.
The selection of the attendants and the way the mother was placed on the stone was governed by strict kapu, sacred and forbidden, rules. Adherence to the kapu ensured the full sanctity of birth at this powerful place. If the mother had complete trust in the site and was properly positioned, the child would be born with honor and the gods’ blessings, and the mother would have an easy labor. A difficult delivery was a sign that the gods had not helped, and was viewed as a bad omen and a possible weakness in the bloodlines.
Thousands of maka’ainana (commoners) would witness the birth from the far side of the stream. Torches flared and drums beat, resounding through the valley, announcing the birth of a great chief.
Chiefs born here enjoyed the distinction, privileges, and taboos not accorded to ali’i, royal, children born elsewhere. Mighty chiefs born at Kukaniloko include: Ma’ili-kukahi, a great warrior, Kakuhihewa, an honored chief, and a woman chief, Kukaniloko, known for educating the young.
History records instances of unfortunate royal women who went into labor and delivered their babies before reaching the birthstones. These children were considered “outside chiefs” and did not receive the special powers given those born at Kukaniloko. Kamehameha I, conqueror of the island of O’ahu, desired the full powers for his children and wanted his sacred wife, Keopuolani, to give birth at the birthing stone, but she was unable to because of ill health.
Other ancient, weathered stones surround the birthing stone. Some were considered to possess powers of blessings; others were considered evil. Some stones were said to hold guardian spirits who had the power to absorb pain.
The stones also had the reputation of being fertility stones; women would go here to pray to the gods for children, touch the stones, and make offerings. Many offerings are still seen at the stones today.
References: Kamakau 1991:38 ; Sterling and Summers 1978:138-140; Ramirez, T., “Birthing Stones open for tours,” The Honolulu Advertiser, O’ahu, June 1,1998.
Are the guardian spirits still at Kukaniloko? Kalama, the Hawaiian kupuna, teacher, who explained the significance of the stones to me, related how he had been restoring a broken stone when he had clearly seen the figure of a man leaving the stone. Kalama’s ancestors were protectors of the stones, and his grandmother was born at this place.
“Did this give her extra prestige and powers?” I asked.
“Indeed, it did,” he replied.
And then a strange thing happened. I began to feel deep pains. Maybe I was identifying with the mothers of the past. The last time I felt similar pains was when giving birth. This wasn’t an experience I wanted to repeat, and I sat down on the grass and red dirt. Kalama asked me if I felt alright.
“Yes,” I replied, not wanting to go into details before the tour guides and members of the Wahiawa Civic Club.
“Good,” Kalama said, “Because often women who come to this site experience birthing pains.”
Excerpt from the ebook Exploring Lost Oahu, Places of Power, History and Mystery
http://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Places-History-Mystery-ebook/dp/B009PSAN8W
