210 of 298USA Grand Tour 2006

Keanakako'i, a place where the people of old used to mine for stone for tools.

E ki'i a naonao i ke ko'i
I ka lua ko'i i Hawaii;
E naoa ka lawena heihei,
I'a mai a ki huna ahi
I ka hana oia mea.

Go and dig out the adz
In the adz pit in Hawaii
Hold, that it be taken out enchanted
Made light; that it may shoot sparks
In doing its work.

In 1877 the pit was covered in lava and stone mining ceased. In July 1974 the pit was covered in another 20 foot of lava caused by eruptions in the crater and merging lava flows.

From: Hawaii (Big) Island | Album: Kilauea