|
Poli'ahu
Heiau is one of Kaua‘i’s most legendary
structures located just across the road
from beautiful Opaeka'a Falls. Here
you’ll find an ancient heiau or place of
worship. It is actually one of seven
stretching along the Wailua River from
the ocean to the top of Wai‘ale‘ale a
few miles inland where the river is
born. The Wailua River has always been
very sacred to the Hawaiian people and
continues to be.
While Poli‘ahu isn’t the largest heiau
on the island (Malae across the river is
the largest), it is a very impressive
structure and a mystical place to visit.
Don’t confuse it with the smaller
Holoholo-ku Heiau a half mile up Hwy
580. Poli‘ahu will be in a larger open
area with an overlook of the Wailua
River. Hawai‘i Visitor Bureau signs near
the heiau state that the Hawaiians
believed this structure was built by the
Menehune, an ancient race of small
people who inhabited the islands before
the Tahitians.
Poliahu Heiau was named for the snow
goddess of the Island of Hawaii. Legend
has it she lived on Mauna Kea. The heiau
contains several terraces, idol sites,
and a "god stone" five feet high.
|
