Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Park is home to several pieces of Hawaiian history including these two ki’i. The ki’i (wooden statues with a human form) act as guardians to the bay and the nearby heiau (temple).
The Hawaiian word “ki’i” means “image” or “statue.” In many other parts of Polynesia including New Zealand, Tahiti, Cook Islands, and others the word for ki’i is tiki.
