"He kamahaʻo ka lani na Oʻahu,
I walea ka lani i Kona, i ka lulu"
"Wonderful is the chief of Oʻahu,
The chief rests comfortable at Kona in the calm"

--Excerpt from "A Lamentation for Kahahana" 
(Fornander 1920) 
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The moku of Kona, Oʻahu - like most Kona districts throughout the Hawaiian archipelago - is located on the southern side of the island.  Buke Mahele lists seven (7) ahupuaʻa, or major land divisions within districts, in the moku of Kona: (from East to West) Kuliʻouʻou Iki, Waikīkī, Honolulu, Kapālama, Kalihi, Kahauiki, and Moanalua.  Recognizing both the complexities of the traditional Hawaiian land management system and the importance of the hierarchy of different land divisions, this section will also focus on the following large ʻili, or smaller land divisions within ahupuaʻa, of Kona: (from East to West) Niu, Wailupe, Waiʻalae Iki, Waiʻalae Nui, Pālolo, Mānoa, Kewalo, Pauoa, and Nuʻuanu.
HGS Map 1380
Cut out of the moku of Kona, Oʻahu - HGS Map #2374 - 1902

Nā Ahupuaʻa o Kona

Place names marked with an asterisk (*) represent ʻili divisions within ahupuaʻa 
  1. Waikīkī
  2. ----Kuliʻouʻou*
  3. ----Niu*
  4. ----Wailupe*
  5. ----Waiʻalae Iki*
  6. ----Waiʻalae Nui*
  7. ----Pālolo*
  8. ----Mānoa*
  9. ----Kewalo*
  10. Honolulu
  11. ----Pauoa*
  12. ----Nuʻuanu*
  13. Kapālama
  14. Kalihi
  15. Kahauiki
  16. Moanalua
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Ma kai o Honolulu - Honolulu, Kona, Oʻahu - Photo by Ikaika Mahoe
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Ma uka o Waikīkī - Mānoa (background), Pālolo (foreground) - Photo by Ikaika Mahoe
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Halemaʻumaʻu Ditch - Niu, Waikīkī, Kona, Oʻahu - Photo by Ikaika Mahoe
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Waiʻalae Coast - Waiʻalae Nui - Photo by Wahine Tong
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Papakōlea - Pauoa, Honolulu, Kona, Oʻahu - Photo by Ikaika Mahoe