Halawa Valley Heiau History

      Hidden under the H3 pass the Hawaiian Cement plant lays one of Hawaii best keep secrets Halawa Valley Heiau.  The site is peace and tranquil with fruit trees, fresh water running through a stream and the looming mountains overhead. But what makes the place special is the artifacts of ancient Hawaiian their remains. During the seventies construction workers wanted to come into Haleiwa Valley Heiau and develop the place.  They understand the importance of the site.  Aunty Sweetie and sister ( and their family who are care takers of the Heiau)  protested against the development of the Heiau.  Aunty Sweetie and her sister would walk from their house in the residential area of Halawa through the steams at four in morning. They would do this to be in front of the Heiau when the construction workers came to stop them.  This went on for some time that Aunty Sweetie and her sister camped out there.  The case eventually was taken to court between Aunty Sweetie and her family against the developers.

             An archaeologist name John Doe ( this real story I just don’t remember his name)  heard about the case and decides that he would try finding artifacts along with remains so the developers would not come in.  If he could find the iwi kupuna (ancient Hawaiian bones) of Hawaiians then legally the site could not be develop . It would prove to the general public as well as the developers that it was special.  The archaeologist was right there were iwi kupuna.  However once that was found out the developers were angry now could not build.  Another company came in and hiring other archaeologist took the iwi kupuna right from under the puhakas (sacred rock). The bones were found out to be priestess who practiced the sixth sent. They could choke someone in their asleep just by looking at them.   The iwi kupuna were taken to the Bishop museum to be study and put on a display for the public.  This only infuriated the Native Hawaiians. How could someone just come in take their ancients and then charge them to see them?

            Something needed to be done and John Doe felt the same way.  He went to the Honolulu Star newspaper and told them what was happening.  His story was publish in the newspapers which in turn got him fired from his job.   The Museum Bishop had nowhere hide they had but one option give the iwi kupuna back.   When the other archaeologists came the iwi kupuna back they put them in plastic bags in a cardboard Fritos box.  In a plastic bags with hand bones a male archaeologists made the point to write “Louis Vuitton hand bag”.   He didn't understand the importance or the significance of the bones and thought it was a joke.  For the Native Hawaiian the past is not died is alive. Just as you would respect your grandparents’ graves so do you respect and care for the ancient graves because they are also are grandparents.  The bones were taken out of the plastic bags and put into Koa bowl.  A priestess was call into bless the bones and ask for forgiveness for what was done.   Culture values and come into to conflict with archeologist and developers when they do not realize the important of the artifacts and bones to the native people.