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Uhauhumu 1


Rock on! Learn about Hawaiian stone masonry at Kaloko and Keauhou, Hawaiʻi.

Unit lesson

Uhauhumu Pōhaku

Video Questions

1) What is a niho stone, and how heavy is it?

2) Why did the builders gather stones at low tide?

3) What happens to a sacred site, like a heiau, if it is not taken care of for many years?

4) How are today’s calendars different from the calendar method of the Hāpai Aliʻi heiau?

5) In today’s fast-paced world, how important is it to learn and use Hawaiian building techniques from the past?

6) In the neighborhood and town where you live, are there any stone structures made from the uhauhumu pōhaku method of drystacking (no cement)? Are the structures intact? What are the advantages of using this method?

 

Video Vocabulary

1) pōhaku
stone, rock

2) ahu
an altar or shrine

3) integrity
sturdy, reliable

4) mason
a stone builder

5) gravity
the force that keeps everything on Earth from floating away

6) hakahaka
empty; in uhauhumu pōhaku, it refers to bracing the back of a stone wall with smaller stones by filling in the gaps

7) uhauhumu pōhaku
drystack stone masonry, the tradition and technique of building stone walls without mortar or cement

8) technology
the use of scientific knowledge for sensible purposes

9) resurgence
revival, reawakening, reemergence

10) kuleana
responsibility, privilege

 

Guiding Questions

English

Hawaiian