Nicolas Grevet  •  Photography

The Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park on the Island of Hawai‘i preserves the site where, up until the early 19th century, Hawaiians who broke a kapu (one of the ancient laws) could avoid certain death by fleeing to this place of refuge (or puʻuhonua). The offender would be absolved by a priest and freed to leave. The park contains a reconstruction of the Hale o Keawe heiau (a Hawaiian temple).