Kukaniloko Birthing Stones

Birthing stones were a great experience. As other people have mentioned, parking is very limited but fortunately the area is not usually crowded. When we visited we were the only car there and had the area to ourselves. It was a very solemn and quiet with no other people visible, which is unusual for Oahu :).
You basically just walk up the red dirt road (be careful go wear shoes that you don’t mind getting dusty!) and come to a circle of trees with stones in the center. The whole area is lovely with the circle of trees and fields and mountains surrounding you on all sides. There is not much to see besides the stones and view but in my opinion is worth a visit.

This place is very quiet. Go on a weekday and you’ll be by yourself. Had every opportunity to take pictures without the intrusion of tourists.

I cannot stress more the importance of respect towards culture wherever you are visiting. The kukaniloko stones are a state monument for their historical significance. The Ali’i used to come here to give birth because of the spiritual presence there. I don’t want to go into more detail as other reviewers have already done so.
I took a star off for the lack of parking here. I understand the state may not want this monument to be too crowded, but it should also be safe to visit. A small driveway that shouldn’t fit any more that 3 cars is not safe for all the tourists with questionable driving aptitude to visit.
Other than that, I love how everyone does respect this area and how it’s well preserved despite not being constantly manned by a tourism official.

I like to incorporate home schooling «fun» with my 3 yr old. Why not get out and enjoy Hawaii AND learn something? So we were learning about Adventure along with history that week. We had already been to the Kings Summer home off the Pali, so I wanted to find another spot that had local history and would be considered adventurous.
My dear friend and I set off here one morning with our kiddos with us. It’s easy to find, and you just sorta park on the side of the road, or in the VERY small parking area. If it gets too crowded you might be in for a cluster. I don’t recommend wearing white because there is red dirt and it WILL stain.
So, you walk the short distance to the area where the rocks are. I read somewhere that this was compared to the Hawaiian Stonehenge, then I read that the historical society moved and placed these rocks here strategically, not really sure what to believe, the area does have some noticeable, to me, mana. It felt different, and we went in Aug when the mana was supposed to be the strongest to welcome the new baby of the Ali’i. It felt airy, peaceful, welcoming & strong.
What else did I notice about this place, I sure has heck wouldn’t want to give birth here, surrounded by a bunch of men. HAHAHA. That’s probably why I am not Ali’i. ;-)
It was cool to see, it was interesting to learn about this history of this place, and it does felt sacred so don’t be a dick and do anything stupid while you’re here.

I like this place because it was a peaceful and subtle tranquil historical site to visit. At first i though MEH just a bunch of big boulders lying next to each other.
Not at all! It takes time to absorb the essance of this place. The calmness and serenity of the entire place will sink in, you just need to realize what the place was like before technology came into the world.
There is a large shady tree right in the middle of the historical site. I took a few minutes to take refugee there under the heat of the mid summers day heat. Only then did i take the time to close my eyes. Take a deep breath, and absorb the peacefulness that this site has to offer.
Although it may not sparkle and shine with the tourism of Waikiki this place is an excellent place to bask in ancient hawaiian tradition and custom.

The Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument is located at the intersection of Kamehameha Highway (Hwy. 99) and Whitmore Avenue on the north side of Wahiawa. I had never heard about this place until my friend visiting from Japan told me about it and wanted to go. To me is just a bunch of rocks but to many it is a mystical power stone place of great energy. I was very surprised to see a tour bus stop with dozens of visitors. See my pictures.
It is described in better detail at this website:
The Birthing Stone
Kukaniloko was one of two sites set aside for the birth of royalty in Hawaii. The Ali’i were the managers of people and the land, and were thought of as gods. The Ali’i gave birth here because the mana, the spiritual entity, accorded the royal child. The child was normally born in the month of August, when Kukaniloko was a flux of mana, and the gods would recognize the child born here.
Before the Birth
Kukaniloko means, «To anchor the cry from within.» It was believed that those who gave birth here would do so with ease and no pain. In order to achieve this, the mother needed to follow a strict diet and exercise régime recommended by the Kahuna. Many various Hawaiian plants were ingested also to prepare the mother for a painless birth.