"The Land Of Sanctuary"
Land of Sanctuary
Once a pu'uhonua (place of refuge) for defeated warriors and those who had violated the strictures of the Hawaiian kapu system (that which is prohibited or sacred), Moloka'i has long been a land of special power. Like all such sanctuaries in Polynesia, Moloka'i was not protected by physical force, but by mana � that is, spiritual power.
That power is still palpable on Moloka'i, which is often referred to as the "Most Hawaiian Island" because it has the largest percentage of native Hawaiian residents in the state (excluding, that is, the privately owned island of Ni'ihau).
Spectacular Geography, Ancient History
Standing at the edge of Kalaupapa Lookout in Pala'au State Park and gazing down nearly 2,000 feet to the peninsula below, one gets a sense of how truly spectacular Moloka'i's geography is. Home to the world's tallest sea cliffs, the island remains a pristine, uncrowded destination, with many spots still possessing the mana (life force) of earlier times.
Not far from the lookout, you'll find the massive, phallic-shaped stone known as Kauleonanahoa � one of the finest examples of a traditional fertility rock to be found in the Islands, and one of the most powerful. It is believed to this day that if a woman goes to Kauleonanahoa with offerings and spends the night, she will return home pregnant.
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