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21-460: The valley was the capital and permanent residence of many early Hawaiian Aliʻi (chiefs/kings) up until the time of King ʻUmi . This was a place celebrated for its nioi tree ( Eugenia reinwardtiana ) known as the Nioi wela o Paʻakalana ("The burning Nioi of Paʻakalana"). It was the location of the ancient grass palace of the ancient "kings" of Hawaiʻi with the nioi stands. The first chief who had

42-403: A court in this valley was called Kahaimoelea . In the 18th century, Kahekili II ( king of Maui ) raided Waipiʻo and burned the four sacred trees to the ground. The shore line in the valley is a black sand beach, popular with surfers . A few taro farms are located in the valley. Several large waterfalls fall into the valley to feed the river which flows from the foot of the largest falls at

63-588: Is a "medical doctor, medical practitioner, [or] healer. lit.   ' curing expert ' ". According to Fornander, there are ten colleges or branches of the Hawaiian priesthood: To master all ten branches made one a kahuna nui or high priest . Kahuna nui usually lived in places such as Waimea Valley , which is known as the Valley of the Priests. They were given slices of land that spanned from

84-448: Is a Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors , surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers . A kahuna may be versed in agriculture , canoe building, or any other skill or knowledge area. They may be called on by the community to bless new buildings and construction projects or to officiate weddings. Forty types of kahuna are listed in

105-430: Is accessible to hikers, who need a Waimanu camping permit from the state unless they do the trek as a strenuous day hike. At the upper end of the valley, Waimanu Gap at 2,089 feet (637 m) elevation leads to the south end of Waimanu Valley. Waipio Valley Road was closed to visitors from February 25, 2022 "as a precautionary safety measure and to further assess and mitigate the road’s conditions". Officials stated there

126-405: The 100 years after the missionaries arrived, all kahuna practices were legal until 1831, some were illegal until 1863, all were legal until 1887, and some were illegal until 1919. Since 1919 all have been legal except sorcery, which was initially declared illegal but was decriminalized in 1972. The first Christian missionaries arrived in 1820. Kaʻahumanu , one of the most powerful people in

147-845: The 1960s, such as Beach Blanket Bingo , in which the Big Kahuna was the best surfer on the beach. Hawaiian surfing master Duke Kahanamoku may have been referred to as the Big Kahuna , but he rejected the term as he knew the original meaning. In the New Age spiritual system known as Huna , which uses some Hawaiian words and concepts appropriated from Hawaiian tradition, kahuna denotes someone of priestly or shamanic standing. The prevalence of these works in pop culture has influenced definitions in English dictionaries, such as Merriam-Webster, which not only defines kahuna as "a preeminent person or thing" but also offers "Hawaiian shaman " as

168-577: The Hawaiian nation, did not convert until 1825. Eleven years after missionaries arrived, she proclaimed laws against hula , chant , kava , and Hawaiian religion . The term was used in the 1959 film Gidget , in which "The Big Kahuna", played by Cliff Robertson ( Martin Milner in the TV episode), was the leader of a group of surfers . The figure of the Big Kahuna became commonplace in Beach party films of

189-561: The aliʻi ranks and lines comes from their writings. One kaukaualiʻi line descended from Moana Kāne , son of Keākealanikāne , became secondary aliʻi to the Kamehameha rulers of the kingdom and were responsible for various hana lawelawe (service tasks). Members of this line married into the Kamehamehas, including Charles Kanaʻina and Kekūanaōʻa . Some bore Kāhili , royal standards made of feathers , and were attendants of

210-409: The back of the valley out to the ocean. The valley floor at sea level is almost 2,000 ft (610 m) below the surrounding terrain. A steep road leads down into the valley from a lookout point located on the top of the southern wall of the valley. The road rises 800 feet (240 m) in 0.6 miles (1.0 km) at a 25% average grade, with significantly steeper grades in sections. Some portions of

231-488: The book Tales from the Night Rainbow , twenty in the healing professions alone, including kahuna lapaʻau , a medical priest or practitioner, and kahuna hāhā , "an expert who diagnoses, as sickness or pain, by feeling the body". There are several categories of kahuna . A craft kahuna , such as the kālai waʻa is an expert canoe maker, and a hoʻokele is an expert navigator . A kahuna lapaʻau

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252-635: The decline of native Hawaiian culture , many died and did not pass on their wisdom to new students. As an example, when the Hōkūleʻa was built to be sailed to the South Pacific to prove the voyaging capabilities of the ancient Hawaiians, master navigator Mau Piailug from Satawal was brought to Hawaii to reteach navigation to the Hawaiians. After American missionaries went to Hawaii in 1820, they reportedly prohibited kahuna practices. But, in

273-471: The deities. There were eleven classes of aliʻi , of both men and women. These included the kahuna (priestesses and priests, experts, craftsmen, and canoe makers) as part of four professions practiced by the nobility. Each island had its own aliʻi nui, who governed their individual systems. Aliʻi continued to play a role in the governance of the Hawaiian islands until 1893, when Queen Liliʻuokalani

294-414: The higher-ranking aliʻi . During the monarchy some of these chiefs were elevated to positions within the primary political bodies of the Hawaiian legislature and the king's Privy Council. All Hawaiian monarchs after Kamehameha III were the children of Kaukaualiʻi fathers who married higher ranking wives. Kahuna Kahuna ( Hawaiian pronunciation: [kəˈhunə] ; Hawaiian : kahuna )

315-485: The mayor amended the proclamation. The access to the valley floor with a covered 4WD vehicle was reopened September 19, 2022 for Big Island residents, county-permitted tour company operators and those seeking to practice their Native Hawaiian traditional or customary rights. It has a role in local Hawaiian folklore as a place where the gateway to Lua-o-Milu (the Underworld) was hidden from view by sand. The valley

336-553: The mountain to the sea. Hewahewa , a direct descendant of Paʻao , was a kahuna nui to Kamehameha I . A contemporary, Leimomi Moʻokini Lum is a kahuna nui . David Kaonohiokala Bray was a well-known kahuna . King Kamehameha IV , in his translation of the Book of Common Prayer , used the term kahuna to refer to Anglican priests, and kahunapule to refer to both lay and ordained Anglican ministers. Craft kahuna were never prohibited; however, during

357-607: The road can reach up to a 45% grade, which would make Waipio Valley Road the steepest in the world, compared to Baldwin Street 's 35%. This is a paved public road but it is open only to 4 wheel drive vehicles. It is the steepest road of its length in the United States. A foot trail called Waimanu or Muliwai Trail leads down a steep path to the Waimanu Valley , which is only accessible by the trail or by boat. The trail

378-521: The word aliʻi have a similar meaning in other Polynesian languages; in Māori it is pronounced " ariki " and in Tahitian ari'i . In ancient Hawaiian society, the aliʻi were hereditary nobles (a social class or caste ). The aliʻi consisted of the higher and lesser chiefs of the various levels on the islands. The noho aliʻi were the ruling chiefs . The aliʻi were believed to be descended from

399-470: Was overthrown by a coup d'état backed by the United States government. Aliʻi nui were ruling chiefs (in Hawaiian , nui means grand, great, or supreme. ). The nui title could be passed on by right of birth. Historians David Malo , Samuel M. Kamakau and Abraham Fornander wrote extensively about the different aliʻi lines and their importance to Hawaiian history. The distinctions between

420-489: Was roadway and slope failure and the closure includes visitors both in vehicles and on foot. On April 26, 2022, a group of Big Island residents announced they would be suing Mayor Mitch Roth and Hawaii County's Public Works Director Ikaika Rodenhurst over the closure of the road. The plaintiffs argued that the closure of Waipio Valley Road to all but residents violated their constitutional rights to equal protection against intentional and arbitrary discrimination. After mediation,

441-404: Was the site of the final scene in the 1995 sci-fi film Waterworld , at which the main characters found dry land. 20°7′11″N 155°35′36″W  /  20.11972°N 155.59333°W  / 20.11972; -155.59333 Ali%CA%BBi The aliʻi were the traditional nobility of the Hawaiian islands . They were part of a hereditary line of rulers, the noho aliʻi . Cognates of

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