This year’s “Ho‘oku‘ikahi Establishment Day Hawaiian Cultural Festival” at Pu‘ukoholā Heiau National Historic Site commemorated the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Kingdom of Hawai`i by King Kamehameha the Great.

The stone heiau at Kawaihae is one of the last major sacred structures built in Hawai‘i before outside influences altered ancient Hawaiian life permanently. Constructed in 1790-1791 by Kamehameha I, it ultimately led to his unification of the Hawaiian Islands and its people by 1810.