Archeological Sites at Kawela are a number of archeological sites at or near the settlement of Kawela on the southern coast of Molokai, the northernmost of the islands of Maui County, Hawaii. It was the site of two battles in Hawaiian history.
Early history Ka Wela means "the heat" in the Hawaiian language. It was the name of a traditional land division (ahupuaa) of ancient Hawaii, but the name is also used on several other islands.
It is located about east of the town of Kaunakakai. A heiau is visible at on a ridge between the forks of Kawela Gulch.
This is generally thought to be the place of refuge (Puuhonua) where the soldiers of Kapiioho o kalani fled during a great battle of about 1737. pp 136–138, 284, 288-289
In about February 1795, women and children escaped to Molokai when Kamehameha I had just conquered Maui. In pursuit, the vast fleet of war canoes stretched all along the coast from Kawela past Kaunakakai to the area known as Kalamaula. The army met little resistance this time.
In the late 19th century it was part of the vast Molokai Ranch owned by King Kamehameha V and managed by the family of Rudolph Wilhelm Meyer.
Recent history
The area now has a few vacation homes along the shore, and one subdivision of 120 lots that are zoned for agriculture on the hills. Wadsworth Y. H. Yee, in the Hawaii Senate from the Republican Party of Hawaii proposed the development in the 1970s. Ground was broken on December 20, 1980.
Wetlands and an ancient fishpond near the shore are preserved in the Kakahaia National Wildlife Refuge and Kakahaia park administered by Maui County.
There are 21 which are separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The names used in the NRHP all start with the words "Archeological Site" and then an optional list of site numbers from a survey done by the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum when the development was proposed with a letter "T" followed by a dash, and then a state site identifier which four numbers separated with dashes, starting with "50-60" indicating the 50th state of Hawaii and the county of Maui County, a map quadrant, and site within the state registry. The sites are scattered through the area, and are located on private property so generally not accessible to the public.
The sites are:
Reference number Survey sitesDate listedState siteArea Summary 82000152 T-10 50-60-04-702 3 dwellings 82000163 T-108 50-60-03-713 Agricultural fields 82000164 T-111-116; T-182 50-60-04-710 7 burials 82000153 T-12 50-60-04-704 Rock carving 82000165 T-125-6; T-181 50-60-03-714 25 buildings and agricultural sites 82000166 T-134 50-60-03-718 Dwellings and burials 82000167 T-135-6 50-60-03-719 Building 82000168 T-155, -158 50-60-03-721 11 religious structures 82000169 T-165-6 50-60-03-727 2 buildings 82000154 T-19 50-60-04-705 1 dwelling 82000150 T-5, T-122, T-178 50-60-04-142 6 religious structures 82000157 T-57 50-60-03-720 24 grave sites 82000151 T-6 complex 50-60-04-700 12 structures 82000158 T-76 50-60-03-724 6 domestic structures 82000170 T-78 50-60-03-723 Religious structure 82000159 T-79 50-60-03-726 7 domestic structures 82000160 T-81, -100, -101, -105, -142 50-60-03-717 27 burials 82000161 T-88 50-60-04-707 Religious structure 82000162 T-92 50-60-04-708 7 domestic structures 82000155 50-60-04-140 Place of refuge, Puuhonua 82000156 50-60-04-144 Burial Mound and fishing site 82000174 T-20 and T-42-3 50-60-04-706 Kamehameha V Wall
References