Ki'i Guarding the Temple Metal Print

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Ki’i standing guard outside of Hale o Keawe Temple and Mausoleum at Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park on the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Now a reconstruction, Hale o Keawe heiau was the burial site for the ruling monarchs of the Island of Hawaii. For centuries, the heiau contained the sacred remains of 23 ancient Hawaiian Ali’i along with the remains of Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku who was King of the island of Hawaii in the late 17th century and a great-grandfather of Kamehameha I.

The bones of the Ali’I have since been moved to the royal mausoleum in Honolulu but this location is still considered a very sacred place by the people of Hawaii.

Copyright 2017 Susan Rissi Tregoning

I'm a travel photographer that enjoys photographing United States architecture, nature, and transportation. As the 8th photographer in 4 generations of my family, I don't remember a time when photography was not part of my life. By the time I was five years old, I was standing on a stool in the darkroom, helping my dad develop pictures. It was my job to transfer the photos from the hypo to the water bath. I went to college for interior design. After I graduated, I had a long successful career as an art buyer and designer for a large home furnishings company. In 2006, I had a significant life change. My husband became a medical traveler, and I decided to put my career on hold to tag along. In the process, I found my roots again. What...