Definition of heiau in English:
heiau
nounPlural heiaus ˈheɪəʊˈhāou
An ancient Hawaiian temple or sacred site.
Example sentencesExamples
- Since many of the places mentioned are vital to contemporary Hawaii's spirit and culture - many heiau, for example, are used for active worship - it's important to observe some rules of etiquette.
- The heiau, on the island of Hawaii's windswept northern tip, is one of several important sites that make the Big Island the state's most visible repository of traditional native culture.
- The largest were heiau waikaua, or war temples, at which sacrifices occurred.
- Turn left just before Upolu Airport and drive 2 miles on the cinder road; the heiau is on a rise to the left.
- Because it is the youngest in the chain, it holds open many windows to the past, through heiaus or ancient temples, a sacred ‘place of refuge,’ and petroglyphs - messages from the ancients carved into the lava flows.