PU'U O MAHUKA HEIAU STATE MONUMENT

On the northern side of Oahu, atop a hill overlooking Waimea Bay and the Waimea valley are the remains of the 'Pu'u o Mahuka Heiau', which is itself a state monument in Hawaii.
The decision to construct or change a ''luakini heiau'' was made by the ruler (''moi''). A heiau might be built to honor the gods of peace and fertility (''mapele heiau'') and could be altered and rededicated to the gods of war (''luakini heiau''). This was a place of great ''mana'' that was passed from ''na akua'' to the ''kanake maoli''. The gods were honored with various hookupu and ''pule''. These ''hookupu'' might include banana, taro, pig, and fish. Each November, the rising of the ''Makalii'' (the Pleiades) can be observed from the heiau. The rising marked the start of the Makahiki season, a time of peace that lasted four months. During this time, this heiau did not function as a ''luakini heiau''.
While all that remains of the heiau is a rubble area arranged in a rough rectangle, the remains of the walls are considered sacred, and monitored by ''Malama Ponu Ka Poe''.