Showing posts with label rock garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rock garden. Show all posts

Monday, September 26, 2011

Of Rocks and Fish Gods

Rocks are all around us. We live on island which is in reality an extinct volcano. Definition of volcano: melted rock that turns into hard rock. So it makes sense, I guess, for there to be such a thing as a "rock garden". These rocks are volcanic, black and faded black, full of holes. They eventually erode into the red staining dirt of the island. 

The rock garden I found is a display ancient rocks, which means they were in use in the days of the Hawaiian chiefs and kings, before the land was taken by the U.S. government. 



Pohaku hunaahuula ~ "the hiding place of the chief's 'feather cloak'"

Chief Kukona once hid his colorful feather cloak in the hole under this rock to confuse his enemies during a battle.



 The flatness of the salt pan was used to evaporate sea water, leaving the salt behind.


This large bowl was a sort of ancient punch bowl, used to serve the sedating 'awa drink.


Pohaku Hooikaika ~ "the stone to increase strength"

People used weights in exercise even in the ancient days.


Pohakuloa ~ tall stone - the fish god

This rather tall rock was once worshiped as a fish god. It is strange to see this stone, feel its lifeless rough surface, imagine thinking that this rock could bless your fishing. It doesn't even seem to have a definable shape - it could just be any other rock. 




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