HI SR19

Recognizes the 50th anniversary of the restoration of Ahuʻena Heiau, a sacred Hawaiian temple located at Kamakahonu in Kailua, Kona, on Hawaiʻi Island.

Ahuʻena Heiau served as Kamehameha the Great's religious temple and center of political and spiritual governance from 1812 until his death on May 8, 1819.

The site witnessed pivotal Hawaiian historical events including the abolition of the kapu system in 1819 and the landing of the first Christian missionaries from New England on April 4, 1820.

Archaeological restoration began in 1975 through collaboration between Bishop Museum, community members, and cultural practitioners, with completion in March 1977 using historically accurate methods and approximately 250,000 tī leaves for thatching.

Kamakahonu was designated a National Historic Landmark on December 29, 1962, and Ahuʻena Heiau, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1993, continues cultural stewardship of the site.