#7 - The Great Wall

The Great Wall is an impressive feat of engineering that showcases uhau humu pōhaku.

NPS

Quick Facts

Location:

Between the Royal Grounds and Puʻuhonua

Significance:

Excellent historic example of dry-set masonry

Designation:

National Register of Historic Places

Amenities

3 listed

Audio Description, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Scenic View/Photo Spot

Constructed around 1550 at the command of ruling-chief Kalani Keawenui-ā-ʻUmi, the Great Wall expanded upon an older settlement, establishing a Kulanakauhale or fortified complex here at Hōnaunau.

This expansive wall has a width of 17 feet, height of 10 feet, and length of nearly 1,000 feet. Its presence and the legends surrounding it – which state that the wall was constructed in a mere five days – make it a monument to the engineering capabilities of native Hawaiian society. The large foundation stones, called niho, are locked together with smaller stones of varying size to form its structure.

Traditional dry-set masonry is called uhau humu pōhaku. Try to imagine building a wall of this size without the aid of heavy equipment, farm animals, or cement. Uhau humu pōhaku is by no means a lost practice, in fact it remains an important way in which native Hawaiians today preserve traditional skill, knowledge, and identity.