Who would suspect that the area at the base of this hill is one of the most significant cultural sites in Hawai'i? This plain-looking patch of earth was the site of Pelekane, one of several known royal compounds traditionally used by Hawaiian kings.
The compound contained the royal residence, probably some housing for other members of the royal court and a royal fish pond. It was at Pelekane where Keoua, rival to Kamehameha, was killed in 1791, securing Hawai'i for Kamehameha and initiating his takeover of all of the Hawaiian Islands. Here, too, Kamehameha II prepared for his role as king following his father's death in 1819.
Pelekane also became a favorite landing spot for foreign ships, where Europeans seeking trade negotiations with the king were often hosted. After 1819 it is probable that, like Pu'ukoholā Heiau and the ancient religious beliefs, the royal compound was abandoned with the abolition of kapu (sacred laws).
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