05-11-2015, 01:59 PM
Aloha, Tink. Not able to provide "links" to what we were taught by kupuna, I'll try to respond below with what links apply to your questions: (*All snipped - More at links)
While it is the dwelling place of the goddess Poli'ahu it is also associated with the Hawaiian deities Lilinoe and Waiau. The summit was considered the realm of the gods and in ancient times was kapu (forbidden) to all but the highest chiefs and priests. Occasionally Hawaiian ali'i (royalty) would make the long trek to the top, the last royal visitor being Queen Emma in 1881 who led her companions on the arduous 6 hour journey to the top to see the summit and rejuvenate herself in sacred Lake Waiau.
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/culture.html
The cultural explanation of Poliahu and Kukahau‘ula:
http://www.mauna-a-wakea.info/maunakea/B...auula.html
and this:
Mauna Kea, not just simply the "white mountain" because it's periodically snow-covered. But that it is Mauna Akea, Ka Piko a Wakea. The summit, the piko that ties this earth to Wakea, the God father who is the sky.
They see it as the piko kaulana o ka ‘aina, the famous peak, summit of the land. But that peak, or piko, is also what we would call navel or belly button. It's that which connects you back to the generations preceding you.
‘Aha ho’owili mo’o, this line, this cord that connects the Hawaiian people from these lands, from these islands, which were the children of the gods or creative forces of nature, back to their cosmic origins.
http://www.mauna-a-wakea.info/maunakea/F...ntain.html
The history (partial) of Mauna A Wakea, with the *"Kumulipo" explanation at link:
This section of the study provides readers with a general overview of the cultural and natural3 landscapes of Mauna Kea and the #699;âina mauna. The narratives include discussions on Hawaiian settlement, population expansion, evolution of the traditional land management practices, and attachment to place. We find that the ancient Hawaiian system of land management is rooted in the beliefs, practices, traditions and values of the people, and that these formed the basis of the sustainable relationship shared between the Hawaiian people and the land. As this system evolved, the ahupua#699;a of Ka#699;ohe and Humu#699;ula were established as the largest lands of the Mauna Kea region. There are also some 75 additional ahupua#699;a in the Hilo District; 82 ahupua#699;a in the Hâmâkua District; and one ahupua#699;a with several large #699;ili divisions in the Kohala District, that rest upon the slopes of, and are enriched by the tangible and intangible resources of Mauna Kea. These traditional land divisions defined the rights of access of people to the resources necessary to life and culture; they were intricately tied to the lifeways of the people; and are reflected in the on-going cultural attachment4 of Hawaiians to Mauna Kea.
http://www.ulukau.org/elib/cgi-bin/library?e=d-0mauna-000Sec--11haw-50-20-frameset-book--1-010escapewin&a=d&d=D0.4&toc=0
(*Note: "Kumulipo" definition: The Hawaiian Kumulipo is a genealogical prayer chant linking the royal family to which it belonged not only to primary gods belonging to the whole people and worshiped in common with allied Polynesian groups, not only to deified chiefs born into the living world, the Ao, within the family line, but to the stars in the heavens and the plants and animals useful to life on earth, who must also be named within the chain of birth and their representatives in the spirit world thus be brought into the service of their children who live to carry on the line in the world of mankind… [Beckwith 1951:8])
This explains some of the "old" structures:
Based on field work undertaken between 1975 and 1997, a total of 93 archaeological sites have been identified in surveys covering approximately 3,000 acres, including the immediate summit ridge areas.
Of the 93 sites, 76 are shrines.
The most common of the archaeological features on Mauna Kea, shrines are characterized by the presence of one or more upright stones.
[Archaeologist Patrick] McCoy speculates that the simple shrines were built and used by small family groups and the larger, more complex structures were built and maintained by a priesthood.
A significant pattern is the virtual absence of archaeological sites at the very top of the mountain. McCoy states that the "top of the mountain was clearly a sacred precinct that must, moreover, have been under a kapu and accessible to only the highest chiefs or priests."
Most of the shrines in the Science Reserve are found on the northern and eastern slopes just above and below the 13,000 foot elevation. This pattern suggests that most of those who journeyed to the summit area came from the Hamakua and Hilo sides of the mountain.
Draft EIS
Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan
Appendix E
Mauna Kea Science Reserve Archaeological Site Inventory:
Formal, Functional, and Spatial Attributes
Patrick McCoy
1999
http://www.mauna-a-wakea.info/maunakea/F5_shrines.html
Structures addressed:
Analyses of debitage collected from the Mauna Kea Adze Quarry in Hawaii will be compared with experimentally produced data to achieve the aim of the paper. The results of these analyses indicate that the labour forces at the Mauna Kea Adze Quarry were well organized. It is suggested that labour parties were organized into groups of two, with expert craftsmen working where material was abundant and novices or apprentices working where they could practise their craft without wasting important resources.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...0386900555
Finally,
In Hawaiian traditions of creation, the earth mother Papahânaumoku and the sky father Wâkea created the islands, with Hawai‘i Island being the first. “Mauna Kea is considered to be kupuna (elder), the first born, and is held in high esteem. In native traditions, Mauna Kea is identified as ‘Ka Mauna a Wâkea’ (The Mountain of Wâkea —traditional god and father of Hawai‘i—who’s name is also written as Kea),” described Pualani Kanaka‘ole Kanahele in a 1999 oral history study by Kumu Pono Associates. Because Mauna Kea was the firstborn child of Papa and Wâkea, the mauna is considered the piko (navel) of Hawai‘i Island.
http://www.welivemana.com/articles/sacre...-explained
Apologies for the long post, much more at links provided. Our kupuna always said the Mauna was "Kapu". Still have not gone where the "Kapu" area is (and will never go; only went to the Visitor's Center area). Struggling to take Mr. Tom up on his offer for a tour (just being honest, sorry, Sir).
As an aside, Queen Emma was very drawn to Mauna A Wakea, as were other Ali'i, and the stories kupuna shared were sometimes unbelievable. Kahuna and Kahunanui practiced their "worship" there. Some are buried within Mauna A Wakea. Frankly, when we were keiki, the stories of Mauna A Wakea were a tad frightening.
JMO.
While it is the dwelling place of the goddess Poli'ahu it is also associated with the Hawaiian deities Lilinoe and Waiau. The summit was considered the realm of the gods and in ancient times was kapu (forbidden) to all but the highest chiefs and priests. Occasionally Hawaiian ali'i (royalty) would make the long trek to the top, the last royal visitor being Queen Emma in 1881 who led her companions on the arduous 6 hour journey to the top to see the summit and rejuvenate herself in sacred Lake Waiau.
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/vis/culture.html
The cultural explanation of Poliahu and Kukahau‘ula:
http://www.mauna-a-wakea.info/maunakea/B...auula.html
and this:
Mauna Kea, not just simply the "white mountain" because it's periodically snow-covered. But that it is Mauna Akea, Ka Piko a Wakea. The summit, the piko that ties this earth to Wakea, the God father who is the sky.
They see it as the piko kaulana o ka ‘aina, the famous peak, summit of the land. But that peak, or piko, is also what we would call navel or belly button. It's that which connects you back to the generations preceding you.
‘Aha ho’owili mo’o, this line, this cord that connects the Hawaiian people from these lands, from these islands, which were the children of the gods or creative forces of nature, back to their cosmic origins.
http://www.mauna-a-wakea.info/maunakea/F...ntain.html
The history (partial) of Mauna A Wakea, with the *"Kumulipo" explanation at link:
This section of the study provides readers with a general overview of the cultural and natural3 landscapes of Mauna Kea and the #699;âina mauna. The narratives include discussions on Hawaiian settlement, population expansion, evolution of the traditional land management practices, and attachment to place. We find that the ancient Hawaiian system of land management is rooted in the beliefs, practices, traditions and values of the people, and that these formed the basis of the sustainable relationship shared between the Hawaiian people and the land. As this system evolved, the ahupua#699;a of Ka#699;ohe and Humu#699;ula were established as the largest lands of the Mauna Kea region. There are also some 75 additional ahupua#699;a in the Hilo District; 82 ahupua#699;a in the Hâmâkua District; and one ahupua#699;a with several large #699;ili divisions in the Kohala District, that rest upon the slopes of, and are enriched by the tangible and intangible resources of Mauna Kea. These traditional land divisions defined the rights of access of people to the resources necessary to life and culture; they were intricately tied to the lifeways of the people; and are reflected in the on-going cultural attachment4 of Hawaiians to Mauna Kea.
http://www.ulukau.org/elib/cgi-bin/library?e=d-0mauna-000Sec--11haw-50-20-frameset-book--1-010escapewin&a=d&d=D0.4&toc=0
(*Note: "Kumulipo" definition: The Hawaiian Kumulipo is a genealogical prayer chant linking the royal family to which it belonged not only to primary gods belonging to the whole people and worshiped in common with allied Polynesian groups, not only to deified chiefs born into the living world, the Ao, within the family line, but to the stars in the heavens and the plants and animals useful to life on earth, who must also be named within the chain of birth and their representatives in the spirit world thus be brought into the service of their children who live to carry on the line in the world of mankind… [Beckwith 1951:8])
This explains some of the "old" structures:
Based on field work undertaken between 1975 and 1997, a total of 93 archaeological sites have been identified in surveys covering approximately 3,000 acres, including the immediate summit ridge areas.
Of the 93 sites, 76 are shrines.
The most common of the archaeological features on Mauna Kea, shrines are characterized by the presence of one or more upright stones.
[Archaeologist Patrick] McCoy speculates that the simple shrines were built and used by small family groups and the larger, more complex structures were built and maintained by a priesthood.
A significant pattern is the virtual absence of archaeological sites at the very top of the mountain. McCoy states that the "top of the mountain was clearly a sacred precinct that must, moreover, have been under a kapu and accessible to only the highest chiefs or priests."
Most of the shrines in the Science Reserve are found on the northern and eastern slopes just above and below the 13,000 foot elevation. This pattern suggests that most of those who journeyed to the summit area came from the Hamakua and Hilo sides of the mountain.
Draft EIS
Mauna Kea Science Reserve Master Plan
Appendix E
Mauna Kea Science Reserve Archaeological Site Inventory:
Formal, Functional, and Spatial Attributes
Patrick McCoy
1999
http://www.mauna-a-wakea.info/maunakea/F5_shrines.html
Structures addressed:
Analyses of debitage collected from the Mauna Kea Adze Quarry in Hawaii will be compared with experimentally produced data to achieve the aim of the paper. The results of these analyses indicate that the labour forces at the Mauna Kea Adze Quarry were well organized. It is suggested that labour parties were organized into groups of two, with expert craftsmen working where material was abundant and novices or apprentices working where they could practise their craft without wasting important resources.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/art...0386900555
Finally,
In Hawaiian traditions of creation, the earth mother Papahânaumoku and the sky father Wâkea created the islands, with Hawai‘i Island being the first. “Mauna Kea is considered to be kupuna (elder), the first born, and is held in high esteem. In native traditions, Mauna Kea is identified as ‘Ka Mauna a Wâkea’ (The Mountain of Wâkea —traditional god and father of Hawai‘i—who’s name is also written as Kea),” described Pualani Kanaka‘ole Kanahele in a 1999 oral history study by Kumu Pono Associates. Because Mauna Kea was the firstborn child of Papa and Wâkea, the mauna is considered the piko (navel) of Hawai‘i Island.
http://www.welivemana.com/articles/sacre...-explained
Apologies for the long post, much more at links provided. Our kupuna always said the Mauna was "Kapu". Still have not gone where the "Kapu" area is (and will never go; only went to the Visitor's Center area). Struggling to take Mr. Tom up on his offer for a tour (just being honest, sorry, Sir).
As an aside, Queen Emma was very drawn to Mauna A Wakea, as were other Ali'i, and the stories kupuna shared were sometimes unbelievable. Kahuna and Kahunanui practiced their "worship" there. Some are buried within Mauna A Wakea. Frankly, when we were keiki, the stories of Mauna A Wakea were a tad frightening.
JMO.