SR19

WHEREAS, Ahuʻena Heiau is located at Kamakahonu, traditionally known as the "eye of the turtle", within the ahupuaʻa of Lanihau in Kailua, Kona, on the island of Hawaiʻi, and is among the most historically and culturally significant sites in the Hawaiian Islands; and

WHEREAS, Ahuʻena Heiau served as the religious temple of Kamehameha the Great, following his conquest of the Hawaiian Island and return to Hawaiʻi Island in 1812, and functioned as the center of political and spiritual governance during the final years of his reign; and

WHEREAS, during Kamehameha the Great's golden years, his most trusted advisors convened nightly at Ahuʻena Heiau, where matters of governance, loyalty, agriculture, and the welfare of chiefs and commoners deliberated, and where his heir, Liholiho, who would become Kamehameha II, was instructed in the responsibilities of leadership; and

WHEREAS, Ahuʻena Heiau was the site of several pivotal moments in Hawaiian history, including the death of Kamehameha I on May 8, 1819; the abolition of the kapu system later that year by Kamehameha II, which averted civil war and forever transformed Hawaiian governance and society; and the grant of permission for the first Christian missionaries from New England to come ashore on April 4, 1820; and

WHEREAS, Kamakahonu was also home to Governor John Adams Kuakini, a residence of King Kalākaua, and a place of refuge for Prince William Pitt Leleiohoku II, further underscoring the site's central role in the political and royal history of the Hawaiian Kingdom; and

WHEREAS, constructed before his establishment as ruler of a united Hawaii in 1812, Kamehameha the Great restored and maintained Ahuʻena Heiau until his death in 1819, as documented by John Papa Īʻī who described Ahuʻena Heiau as a Hale o Lono where religious ceremony, governance, and instruction of future rulers took place; and

WHEREAS, Kamakahonu was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 29, 1962, and was placed on the Hawaiʻi Register of Historic Places on July 17, 1993, in recognition of its exceptional national and state significance; and

WHEREAS, more than one hundred fifty years after the historic events that defined Ahuʻena Heiau, an accurate archaeological restoration began in 1975 through a collaboration between the Bernice P. Pauahi Bishop Museum, community members, cultural practitioners, and archaeologists; and

WHEREAS, reconstruction of Ahuʻena Heiau began in 1975 and was guided by archaeological research and historical documentation, including the 1816 sketches of Louis Choris, with design contributions by Herb Kawainui Kāne and fieldwork led by distinguished scholars and practitioners, including Dr. Yoshihiko H. Sinoto, Dr. Kenneth P. Emory, Patrick V. Kirch, and many dedicated community members; and

WHEREAS, the restoration effort relied upon extraordinary community support, including the donation of materials, labor, and cultural knowledge, the processing of approximately two hundred fifty thousand tī leaves for thatching, and the careful reconstruction of traditional structures using historically accurate methods; and

WHEREAS, restoration of Ahuʻena Heiau and the adjacent Hale Nana Mahinaʻai was completed in March 1977, returning the site to its appearance and dignity as it stood during the time of Kamehameha the Great; and

WHEREAS, Ahuʻena Heiau, Inc., a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization incorporated in 1993, was established to guide the long-term preservation, maintenance, and cultural stewardship of the site and to promote appreciation and understanding of Hawaiian history; and

WHEREAS, the stewardship of Ahuʻena Heiau, Inc., is guided by cultural protocol and ʻike kupuna, with ongoing cultural restoration supported by the Royal Order of Kamehameha and its Aliʻi ʻAimoku Aliʻi and by the continued care of dedicated directors, officers, and cultural practitioners; and

WHEREAS, the land upon which Ahuʻena Heiau stands has passed through generations of aliʻi, private ownership, and stewardship, and is currently owned by HKK Hawaiʻi, LLC, which continues to support the upkeep and maintenance of this sacred and historic site; and

WHEREAS, the fiftieth anniversary of the restoration of Ahuʻena Heiau provides an important opportunity to honor the vision, scholarship, community advocacy, and cultural commitment that returned this national treasure to the people of Hawaiʻi and ensured its preservation for future generations; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that this body recognizes the fiftieth anniversary of the restoration of Ahuʻena Heiau and affirms its unparalleled role in the spiritual, political, and cultural history of the State; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body expresses its deepest appreciation to the kūpuna; cultural practitioners; archaeologists; historians; community members; Ahuʻena Heiau, Inc.; and all those whose dedication and stewardship have preserved Ahuʻena Heiau as a living place of history, learning, and reverence; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Bishop Museum, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Ahuʻena Heiau, Inc., and General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Ahuʻena Heiau; Historic Preservation; Commemoration

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	19
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII