In July 2025, a 35-metre sandstone slab emerged from the sand on Oahu’s Waianae coast, carrying 26 carvings chiseled into stone nearly 600 years ago. Among them, 18 humanoid stick figures — some holding hooks, others holding clubs — and two rare figures with visible fingers.
That discovery, made by the U.S. Army’s cultural resource programme at Pililaau Army Recreation Center, reopened a question that has lingered since Western contact: what were Hawaiian petroglyphs for? The site is not unique — Hawaii holds over 135 known petroglyph locations with roughly 24,000 individual glyphs, according to archaeological surveys — but its timing and location made national news. The carvings surfaced on land taken by the U.S. military in the 1930s, land that remains off-limits to most Native Hawaiians without military affiliation. For Glen Kila, a descendant of the island’s first inhabitants, the symbols offer something textbooks cannot: a direct connection to ancestral knowledge. This article examines what petroglyphs meant to the people who made them, why their meanings remain contested, and what it means to encounter them today.
Hawaiian petroglyphs were not a single thing — not a writing system, not mere decoration, not a unified calendar. Different sites served different purposes across different islands and centuries. Some marked births, deaths, or chiefly lineages. Others tracked celestial cycles. Many carried spiritual weight as kiʻi pōhaku (stone images) that held the mana (spiritual power) of the people or events they depicted. The 2025 Waianae discovery, with its mix of human figures, a sun symbol, and possible weapon-toting figures, hints at a ritual or narrative function that archaeologists still debate. The only safe generalization: these carvings mattered deeply to the people who made them, and their full meaning died with the kāhuna (priests) who interpreted them.
| Site / Region | Estimated Age | Number of Glyphs | Distinctive Features | Current Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waianae Coast (Pililaau) | ~1400–1500 CE | 26 | Stick figures with hooks/clubs, rare finger details, sun symbol | Military-affiliated only (ongoing dispute) |
| Puʻuloa (Hawaiʻi Island) | ~1200–1600 CE | Over 23,000 | Concentric circles, cup-shaped depressions (pockmarks), geometric patterns | Public (Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park) |
| Lānaʻi Petroglyph Field | ~1400–1700 CE | ~1,000 | Human figures with headdresses, dogs, sails | Public (hike required) |
| Kauaʻi (Koloa) | ~1400–1650 CE | ~120 | Small-scale panels, human figures in procession | Private property, limited public access |
| Maui (Olowalu) | ~1400–1600 CE | ~200 | Large human figures, canoe depictions, bird-men | Public (roadside, fragile) |
Across the main Hawaiian Islands, petroglyph styles vary enough that researchers can sometimes distinguish regional carving traditions. The Waianae panel’s stick figures with bent elbows and visible fingers, for example, differ from the cup-shaped pockmarks of Puʻuloa or the headdressed figures of Lānaʻi. No single interpretive key fits all sites.
What Are Hawaiian Petroglyphs? Materials, Methods, and Makers
Hawaiian petroglyphs — kiʻi pōhaku (stone images) in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi — were carved into basalt, sandstone, or lava rock using stone chisels and hammerstones. The carver, typically a kāhuna (expert) trained in ritual knowledge, would peck a series of dots along a design outline, then abrade the channel smooth. The process was slow, deliberate, and often accompanied by ceremony. At the Waianae site, archaeologists led by Laura Gilda noted that the sandstone platform’s algae coating, which turns vivid green after tides recede, may have been deliberately maintained — algae can highlight carved lines and make them more legible.
Dating petroglyphs is notoriously imprecise. Unlike organic materials, stone cannot be carbon-dated. Archaeologists rely on indirect methods: the weathering depth of carved lines, the presence of lichen regrowth, the association with dated archaeological layers, or — as at Waianae — the oral histories of families who recall when certain panels were made. The Waianae panel’s estimated date of 500–600 years ago (roughly the 15th century) aligns with a period of intensive population growth and political consolidation across the Hawaiian archipelago.
The Waianae Discovery: What Was Found and Why It Matters
On July 12, 2025, staff from the U.S. Army’s cultural resource programme noticed that seasonal sand removal — a natural process driven by winter swells and summer calms — had exposed a section of sandstone platform at Pililaau Army Recreation Center that had been buried for years. The exposed panel measured 115 feet along the shore and contained 26 distinct carvings. Eight of the 18 humanoid stick figures showed male characteristics through genitalia depiction. Two figures had fingers — a rare feature in Hawaiian petroglyphs, according to the archaeologists on site. One figure, with arms raised and lowered, appeared to represent the rising and setting sun, symbolizing a connection between humans and natural cycles.
The discovery was not a surprise to everyone. Glen Kila, whose ancestors inhabited the Waianae coast for generations before the U.S. military evicted Hawaiian families in the 1930s, told reporters that his family’s oral traditions had long referenced carvings in this area. “These symbols help people understand where they come from,” Kila said. “They carry knowledge that you won’t find in textbooks or from outsiders.” The military granted Kila access to the site to work with the cultural resource team on documenting and protecting the panel.
A common outsider misconception is that Hawaiian petroglyphs are “primitive art” or “ancient graffiti.” Neither label fits. Kiʻi pōhaku were sacred objects made by trained specialists within specific ritual contexts. Comparing them to modern doodling or street art erases the spiritual weight they carried. The Waianae panel’s location — on a sandstone bench regularly washed by tides — may itself have been chosen for its liminal position between land and sea, a boundary considered spiritually potent in Hawaiian cosmology.
Interpreting the Carvings: What Scholars Debate
No written record from pre-contact Hawaii explains what petroglyphs meant. The kāhuna who carved them passed their knowledge orally, and the disruptions of colonization — disease, forced religious conversion, land dispossession — broke many of those chains of transmission. What remains are inferences, comparative studies, and the memories of families like Kila’s.
Several interpretive frameworks exist. Some archaeologists view petroglyphs as markers of life events: births, deaths, chiefly accession, or successful voyages. The cup-shaped pockmarks at Puʻuloa, for instance, are widely thought to represent piko (umbilical cord stumps) and to mark the birth of a child. Others see celestial calendars in the arrangement of figures. The sun figure at Waianae — arms raised and lowered — fits this reading. Still others argue that some panels record historical events, such as the arrival of a chiefly canoe or the outcome of a battle. The Waianae figures holding hooks and clubs might represent warriors or fishermen, but no consensus exists.
The diversity of styles across the Waianae panel — some figures more detailed, others more schematic — makes dating and interpretation difficult, as lead archaeologist Laura Gilda noted. Some carvings may have been added centuries after others, accumulating meaning over generations like a palimpsest.
Cultural Significance Today: Living Heritage, Not Ancient Relic
For many Native Hawaiians, petroglyphs are not artifacts of a dead past but living connections to ancestors. Glen Kila’s involvement in the Waianae documentation effort reflects a broader shift in Hawaiian archaeology: indigenous communities increasingly assert their role as stewards and interpreters of their own heritage. “These carvings are part of our genealogy,” Kila said. “They remind us that we are still here, still connected to this land.”
This perspective challenges the Western museum model that treats petroglyphs as objects to be studied, preserved, and displayed. For Kila and many other Native Hawaiians, the carvings are ʻohana (family) — they carry the mana of the people who made them and demand a relationship of respect, not just observation. The military’s control of access to the Waianae site thus becomes not just a legal dispute but a spiritual one: who has the right to be in the presence of ancestral images?
If you visit a public petroglyph site like Puʻuloa or the Lānaʻi Petroglyph Field, do not touch the carvings. Oils from human skin accelerate weathering. Do not chalk, trace, or rub the glyphs to make them more visible — this damages the stone. Do not remove rocks or fragments. The best way to engage is to sit quietly, observe, and read the interpretive signage provided by the site managers. Some sites offer guided walks led by Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners; these provide context no guidebook can match.
Dave Crowley, who oversees the conservation programme at Pililaau, described the protection effort as “honoring Hawaiian heritage and strengthening community ties.” The military’s willingness to partner with Kila and other Native Hawaiian advisors represents a shift from earlier practices, though critics note that full public access — especially for Native Hawaiians without military affiliation — remains unresolved.
Context and Comparison: Hawaiian Petroglyphs in the Pacific
Hawaiian petroglyphs belong to a broader Polynesian tradition of rock carving. Similar figures appear on Easter Island (Rapa Nui), the Marquesas, and New Zealand’s South Island. But Hawaiian glyphs developed distinct characteristics: a preference for human stick figures over the elaborate face motifs of Rapa Nui, a greater proportion of geometric abstract forms, and a strong association with specific natural features like lava flows and coastal sandstone platforms.
| Region | Common Motifs | Carving Method | Primary Interpretive Framework | Number of Known Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaiʻi | Stick figures, concentric circles, pockmarks, sun symbols | Pecking and abrading with stone tools | Life events, celestial markers, spiritual images | 135+ |
| Rapa Nui (Easter Island) | Bird-men (tangata manu), face motifs, vulvar forms | Deep incision with basalt chisels | Ancestor worship, clan identity, competitive ritual | ~1,000 panels |
| Marquesas Islands | Human figures with elaborate headdresses, turtles, fish | Pecking and polishing | Genealogical records, protective symbols | ~200 |
| New Zealand (South Island) | Dogs, birds, human figures, abstract spirals | Pecking on coastal sandstone | Hunting magic, territorial markers | ~100 |
The comparison reveals that Hawaiian petroglyphs are unusually numerous — the 24,000-plus glyphs at Puʻuloa alone exceed the total known petroglyphs in most other Polynesian island groups. This density suggests that carving was a more widespread, less restricted practice in Hawaii than elsewhere, though the involvement of kāhuna indicates it was still a specialist activity.
Some Hawaiian petroglyph sites show evidence of re-carving — later generations deepening or modifying existing lines. This practice, sometimes called “rejuvenation,” suggests that the act of carving was as important as the finished image. The process itself may have been part of the ritual, not just the product. Archaeologists at Waianae are examining whether certain figures on the slab show signs of multiple carving episodes.
- Hawaiian petroglyphs (kiʻi pōhaku) are sacred carvings made by trained specialists, not casual art or writing.
- Their meanings are multiple, regionally varied, and often unrecoverable — no single interpretation fits all sites.
- The 2025 Waianae discovery highlights ongoing tensions between military land control and Native Hawaiian access to ancestral heritage.
- Visitors can engage respectfully at public sites by leaving the stone untouched and seeking guidance from Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners.
Questions Readers Ask
How old are Hawaiian petroglyphs?
Most dated sites fall between 1200 and 1700 CE, though some may be older. The Waianae panel is estimated at 500–600 years (roughly 1400–1500 CE). Dating stone carvings is imprecise, so these are ranges, not fixed years.
Can I visit the Waianae petroglyph site?
Not without military affiliation. The site sits on Pililaau Army Recreation Center, which requires Department of Defense identification for entry. Native Hawaiian community leaders are advocating for broader access, but as of late 2025, the dispute remains unresolved.
What is the difference between petroglyphs and pictographs?
Petroglyphs are carved or pecked into stone. Pictographs are painted onto stone surfaces. Hawaiian rock art is almost entirely petroglyphic — the islands have very few known pictograph sites, likely because the humid climate degrades pigments quickly.
Do petroglyphs tell stories?
Some may. The Waianae panel’s mix of human figures, a sun symbol, and possible tools or weapons suggests a narrative or ritual sequence. But without written records, archaeologists cannot read petroglyphs as a linear story. They may have been symbolic, ritual, or commemorative rather than narrative.
Why are some figures shown with fingers and others without?
No one knows for certain. Fingers are rare in Hawaiian petroglyphs — the Waianae panel includes two figures with them, which archaeologists described as unusual. Possibilities include: the figure represented a specific named individual; the carver was practicing a different regional style; or the detail had ritual significance now lost.
Petroglyphs as Living Witness
Hawaiian petroglyphs survive not because they were hidden, but because they were carved into the hardest surfaces people could find — basalt, lava, sandstone — and because the ocean that slowly erodes them also, seasonally, reveals them. The Waianae panel’s emergence in 2025 was not a discovery in the strict sense; it was a reappearance, a moment when the sand withdrew and the stone spoke again. For Glen Kila and his community, that speaking is not a metaphor. The carvings are ancestors, and ancestors deserve attention. The ongoing work of interpreting, protecting, and — where possible — accessing these sites is part of a larger effort to ensure that Hawaiian knowledge systems are not just preserved but practiced. For a deeper look at how Native Hawaiian values shape daily life and cultural revival, read our guide to the meaning of aloha and its role in contemporary Hawaiian identity.
Sources and further reading
Mocerino, Maria. “Low Tides Uncover 500-Year-Old Hidden Petroglyphs.” Interesting Engineering, July 2025. 🔗
Glass Almanac. “600-Year-Old Mysterious Petroglyphs Discovered on a Remote Hawaiian Beach.” July 2025. 🔗
Associated Press. “Ancient Hawaiian Petroglyphs Reemerge on Oahu Beach After Tides Remove Sand.” July 2025. 🔗
Archaeology Magazine. “Hawaiian Petroglyphs Reemerge on Oahu.” July 2025. 🔗
Related reading on IslandHopperGuides
The Art of Hula: More Than Just a Dance, a Living Hawaiian Story — explores another living Hawaiian tradition with deep ancestral roots and ritual significance.
Tattooing in Ancient Hawaii: Symbols of Identity, Power, and Protection — compares the symbolic language of permanent body marking with stone carving traditions.
Preserving the Hawaiian Language: Revitalization Efforts and Cultural Significance — examines how language revival parallels the reclamation of other indigenous knowledge systems.
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