OUTLINED PETROGLYPHS, WAIKOLOA PETROGLYPH PRESERVE, PUAKO, HAWAII:

Petroglyph figure outlined with rocks. Waikoloa Petroglyph 

Preserve, Puako, Hawaii. Photo Ellen Belef, Sept. 2012.

Another petroglyph figure outlined with rocks. Waikoloa 

Petroglyph Preserve, Puako, Hawaii.

Photo Ellen Belef, Sept. 2012.

Another petroglyph figure outlined with rocks. Waikoloa 

Petroglyph Preserve, Puako, Hawaii.

Photo Ellen Belef, Sept. 2012..

An interesting phenomenon is found at Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve, Puako, Hawaii. Some of the petroglyph figures are fenced or outlined with a circle of small rocks. I must admit that I do not know the reason for this although a few possibilities come readily to mind. The ring of rocks could represent a kind of a fence that sets that particular image apart from the others. This could have been done by someone who identifies his or her own lineage with that particular figure. Or it could be intended to point out an important individual by separating his image from the general figures. Another possibility is that it is intended as a sort of memorial, a gift to the deceased, or as an offering as is sometimes seen in our culture by placing a small stone on a grave or sifting a handful of dirt on a grave. I also think that this has to be assumed to have been done from positive intentions (acts done from negative motivations would have been destructive such as spray painting or some other form of defacing or vandalism).

In any case, whatever the motive for this outlining of the petroglyph, this provides evidence that these figures are still relevant to at least some individuals. That someone is interacting positively with them. In other words, instead of being a mere historical curiosity, they are actually still a living part of the life of someone or someones. They should be respected and preserved for that, even if for no other reason.

WAIKOLOA PETROGLYPH PRESERVE, PUAKO, HAWAII, SEPTEMBER 2012:

A family lineage? Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve,

Puako, Hawaii. Photo: Ellen Belef, September 2012.

   

A family lineage? Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve,

Puako, Hawaii. Photo: Ellen Belef, September 2012.

These photos are but two from a wealth of material generously shared with me by a friend, Ellen Belef, after her recent trip to Hawaii. They are from the Waikoloa Petroglyph Reserve, Puako, Hawaii. This is a petroglyph site where the images are carved on the surface of an ancient lava field, some dating back to the 16^th century.

 “These petroglyphs, or stone inscriptions, were etched into the face of the mountain centuries ago. Featuring thousands of facsimiles of turtles, canoes, and other mysterious carvings, the Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve is one of the most fascinating ways to witness the unique culture of native Hawaii. The petroglyphs can be found along the Mamalahoa Trail, named for King Kamehameha's "Law of the Broken Paddle," a humanitarian law that has been enshrined into Hawaii's constitution.” (Waikoloa Petroglyph Preserve, www.homeandabroad.com)

In both these images we can see groups of stick figures, many of them connected. The touching of the figures may represent actual relationships between the people portrayed. Some years ago Carol Patterson suggested that these images can be interpreted as intergenerational representations of family lineages. In a culture that we know was conscious of family descent and lineage this suggestion makes considerable sense to me as a possibility that deserves further consideration.