At 37 weeks, I felt it fitting to visit the ancient Hawaiian birthing stones at Kukaniloko. Ancient Hawaiian women would travel long distances just to give birth near these stones.
These stones are in the middle of a pineapple field in Wahiawa.
A little history:
Kukaniloko means "to anchor the cry from within." Kukaniloko was one of two sites set aside for the birth of royalty
in Hawaii. The Ali'i were the managers of people and the land, and were
thought of as gods. The Ali'i gave birth here because the mana, the spiritual
entity, accorded the royal child. It is said that ancient Hawaiians would come to these birthing stones to have a pain free birth. These women would follow a strict diet and exercise
regime recommended by the Kahuna. Many various Hawaiian plants were ingested
also to prepare the mother for a painless birth.
A total of 48 chiefs witnessed the birth
and rituals. These chiefs were used for oral references, as nothing in
the past was written down. These chiefs pledged to support the newborn
ali'i.
The mother would be transported to the Kukaniloko birthing stone on a finely
woven mat. The mother would not actually touch the rock; it was a gravity-type
birth. The mother would drink a sap mixed with water so the birthing process
would be painless. There are indentations in the stone where the retainers
would place their legs for leverage to hold the mother. Two more retainers
stood at the foot of the rock. The mother would place her feet on their
hipbones for support. Another Kahuna would stand behind the mother and
she would push down on the retainers' shoulders. One last Kahuna would
receive the baby.
Some think the site also may have served ancient astronomers, like a
Hawaiian Stonehenge. Petroglyphs of human forms and circles appear on
some of the stones.
Tradition:
It is tradition to leave an "offering" to the Gods. Many people place leis on the birthing stones. I found it interesting that there were coins from foreign countries on the birthing stones.
Our offering:
The mountain range behind the birthing stones is said to resemble a pregnant woman's profile. What do you think?
Mahalo to Millilani High School for the history of the stones.
