Ka pã Uewehi o Nã Kamehameha

The Garden of the Kamehameha’s

In Hawaii the name Kamehameha (ka mayha mayha) crops up all the time.  There were several Kings called Kamehameha, the third one is very much loved by the people and you hear good things about him all the time because he was responsible for building schools and getting Hawaiian children educated and for Hawaii’s first constitution.  This garden is his birthplace.

The sign below says

“  This area at the head of Keauhou Bay was sacred to the Kamehameha family.  Here Keõpuolani travelled from Kohala by canoe to give birth to Kauikeoauli, (Kamehamaha III).  Stillborn, he was revived by Kamalõ’ihi by placing him in the water of Ka’opa Spring at the edge of the bay.  Liholiho (Kamehameha II) built a Temple Ka-moho’ali’I Heiau which once stood above the cliff, with hala and ulu trees planted nearby.  It is said that a heiau named Kaleiopãpã anciently existed in this garden area.

Visible on the face of “Ahu’ula cliff (pali) rising behind this garden is a layer of the red earth (‘alaea) used for condiment, medicines and in purification ceremonies. Along this path a part of the Ho’okūkū used by the chiefs has been reclaimed.

As caretakers of this land, its history and evolving culture, The Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate dedicates this area as a garden of Native Hawaiian Flora honouring the Kamehameha family – a place for reflection, ceremony and learning”

The area in front  this garden round the shore  is pretty well built out now, there was a road running alongside it but it had a path through the middle of the long strip of land just beneath the cliff.  We parked our car near the toilet block and I walked towards this sign, everything was paved with tarmac but as I got within 8 feet of so of the sign energy rushed up the front of my legs and in to my abdomen as it had at the Kukaniloko Birthing Stones on Oahu.  By now I was a more used to this energy and paused to enjoy it and marvelled at how strong it was despite the tarmac paving and other development in the area.  Then I read the sign which said that the place of Kamehameha III’s birth was further along the path.  It may have been but this little place in front of the sign was a definite hot spot for ancient Hawaiian births too it would seem.

As I walked past the spring and along the path  I noticed that the energy was very serene, comforting and welcoming too.  Unlike the hostile energy of the Pu’ukohola Heiau, I liked being in this place.  I walked the length of the garden and came to the Marker Stone for the Birth place of King Kamehameha III.   The marker says he was born 17 March 1814 and died on 18 December 1854, however there is some mention in other sources of him being circa 1814 and another which says he was born 11 August 1813 and chose to celebrate his birthday on St Patrick’s Day.  Since they were a bit short on official written records in those days I guess we will never know.

Kauikeoauli (Kamehameha III) was the second son of Kamehameha the Great or Kamehameha I.  He followed his brother Liholiho (Kamehameha II) to the throne and ruled between 1825 to 1854.  The site is very respectful, restful  and full of healing energy so I can recommend you pause on your travels to revive your spirit in this beautiful garden area.   The Bay itself is quite restful too, a bit overcast the day I was there I have not included photos of it with this story.

This Garden is in North Kona but south of Kailua Kona just off the Hawaii Belt Road.  It is maintained by The Daughters of Hawaii http://www.daughtersofhawaii.com/ with some help from The Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate http://www.ksbe.edu/

This story extracted from Where is Hazel.com © 2009

Hazel