Kawehewehe

Kawehewehe. . , From olden times Waikīkī was viewed not only as a place of peace and hospitality, but of healing. There was great mana (spiritual power) in Waikīkī. Powerful kahuna la‘au lapa‘au (or physicians) lived here. Throughout the 19th century, Hawai‘i’s royalty also came here to convalesce. One of Waikīkī’s places of healing was this stretch of beach fronting the Halekulani Hotel, called Kawehewehe (or the removal). The sick and the injured came to bathe in the kai, or waters of the sea. They might have worn a seaweed lei of limn kala and left it in the water as a symbol of the asking of forgiveness for past sins, which was believed to be the cause of many illnesses. Hawaiians still use the sea to heal their sores and other ailments, but few come to Kawehewehe. , Kawehewehe is believed to have healing powers. For centuries, Hawaiians have come here to heal spiritual and physical ailments. , In 1912, a home here was converted to a boardinghouse known as “Grays-by-the–Sea.” Its grounds were later incorporated into the Halekulani. The beach is still known today as Gray’s Beach. The natural sand, filled channel that runs through the reef makes it one of the best swimming areas along this stretch of ocean...