All the Kauaiian kings were born in Pohaku Ho’ohanau,
otherwise known as the Royal Birthstones. This site is very sacred to the
Hawaiian people, and it was made important by having all of the kings necessary
to be born right there. They had a stone for the woman in question to leave
again, and then another for her to put her legs on while giving birth to the
Kauaiian king. Located in Wailua River State Park, this historic place actually
once housed a grass shack where the pregnant woman would stay until the day of
birth.
You’ll find stairs leading to a cemetery nearby that dates
back to the 1890’s, but the Pohaku Ho’ohanau is located next to the Holoholoku
Heiau. A flat stone as found in front of this historic site where it’d cover a
dog that had been sacrificed to show the site was forbidden to all commoners.
A ritual after the birthing even took place for all new
Kauaiian born kings. When people give birth, an umbilical cord has to be cut,
and here that is no different, except that it was placed in a crack in the rock
wall. The Ancient Hawaiians would use this to determine if the child would later
become a thief. If a rat took it, then yes. If not, then no. Experience
Hawaiian history by visiting Pohaku Ho’ohanau on your trip.