Hawai’i News Now coverage of Honolulu Pride 2025 includes an explanation of the history of The Healer Stones of Kapaemahu and a spotlight on the ceremony held at the monument on Waikiki Beach that honors its important legacy in celebrating Hawaiian culture and what it means to be māhū and queer in the Pacific.
Author: deanhamer
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Kapaemahu Monument Gets New Signage
Kapaemahu Monument Gets New Signage
By Puanani Fernandez-Akaminee – Ka Wai Ola – November 1, 2023:
(L-R) Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu and filmmakers Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson celebrate
the Honolulu City & County’s dedication on October 24 of a new bronze plaque installed in
front of the Kapaemahu Monument in Waikiki. The three collaborated, along with artist
Daniel Sousa, on the 2021 Academy Award-nominated animated short film, Kapaemahu,
that tells the mo’olelo of the stones. It is the story of four travelers from Tahiti who brought
healing arts to Hawaii. The four were mähü, individuals with dual male and female spirits.
When they departed Hawaii, they transferred their names and healing powers into the
stones. The story of the healers and their identity as mahu was nearly lost, not just through
antiquity, but through deliberate erasure and prejudice. About 10 years ago, a movement
began to restore the truth of the stones and honor to mähü as respected members of
society. Previous signage did not mention that the healers were mähü or that their duality
was intrinsic to their healing abilities, so the installation of the new plaque is a hard won
victorv. – Photo: Puanani Fernandez-Akaminee
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“Kapaemahu is a Poignant Monument to the Power of Hidden Histories” – Kirkus Reviews
“Kapaemahu is a Poignant Monument to the Power of Hidden Histories” – Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews of the Kapaemahu children’s picture book to be released by Penguin Random House – April 1, 2022:
“A rich retelling of an ancient Indigenous Hawaiian legend.”
Long ago, four mahu (spirits) traveled from Tahiti to Waikiki, Hawaii. Neither male nor female, they were “a mixture of both in mind, heart, and spirit.” Each had a specific “skill in the science of healing.” Their leader, Kapaemahu, “healed by laying on hands.” Kapuni “possessed great spiritual power.” Kinohi could look inside a person and see what was ailing them. Kahaloa had the gift of distance healing. The mahu shared their wisdom with the islanders, who, in turn, erected a monument in their honor; four enormous boulders were moved down a mountain and placed together on the beach. The mahu ceremonially transferred their powers to the rocks then vanished. For centuries the stones remained on Waikiki Beach; times changed, and eventually the monument lay forgotten under the city. It has since been recovered, but its history and meaning continue to be erased. Written in both Olelo Niihau and English, this picture book, based on the authors’ Academy Award–shortlisted animated short, underscores the importance of preserving sacred spaces and is a powerful reminder of how story honors our ancestors. Filled with cultural details and beautifully illustrated in vibrant tropical colors, the book pays homage to Indigenous Hawaiian healing traditions and affirms two-spirit people. The fascinating backmatter provides background information about the original Hawaiian legend and Niihau dialect. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A poignant monument to the power of hidden Indigenous histories. (author’s note, glossary)(Picture book. 7-12)”