Ke Alahou, Volume I, Number 8, 1 Iulai 1980 — The Legend of Keaomelemele [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Legend of Keaomelemele

The most Beautiful Blossom of Kealohilani, Kahi'apai'ole, Nu'umealani and KuaihelanL The person who shook Kohahuanui and set Waolani apart, the land where all the 'e'epa people lived. v Published by the famous story-teller Moses Mann irtßie Kuokoa. Translated Kawena Pukui for the Bernice Pauahi Museum Library with minor editing by Marjorie Sinclair for Ke AJahou. " * ' '*• We are proud to be able to publish in this eighth issue of Ke Alahou the first chapter of the legend of Keaomelemele. It has been translated by Mary Kawena Pukui from the original printing in Ka Nupepa Kuokoa as recorded by Moses Manu, a famous story teller from Kipahulu, Maui. Minor editing for Ke Alahou has been done by Professor Marjorie Sinclair of {he Department of.English, University oftjawaii, Manoa. Professor Sinclair is well known to inany students who nave attended her classes as well as those who have read her many novels on Hawaii [her latest is the biography of - Kamehameha;s daughter* Nahienaena, UH.Prgss). This past professor Sinclair retired from her Reachingjdutie'&and we are pleased and truly grateful for her help and support. We would also like to thank the Bernice. Pauahi Museum Library and its librarian, Cynthia for the courtesy to make this printing of Keaomelemele possible. In doing so, we would nope to encourage others to rediscover the. lesser known legends like Keaomelemele and also to begin to reintegrate such legends into uur daily lives. We want, to thank Tutu Pukui,and those Hawaiians who have helped to keep our legends and language alive throughlheir work. Also, we want to acknowledge Professor Alfons Korn for continual help and support, and give our deepest appreciation to Tutu Pukufs family, especially Mrs. Patience Bacon, for their kindness. Aloha no ia oukou a pauf Hoakaka hou Ha'aheo makou e ho'opuka i ka mo'olelo no Keaomelemele e ho'.omaka me keia helu 'evvalu o ka nupepa, Ua 'unuhi la e Tutu Mary Kawena Pukui mai kamo'oleloiha'ihouaho'opa'aaMose Maim, kekahi haku mo'olelo kaulana, o Kipahulu, Maui .no ka nupepa kahiko, ke Kuokoa. Ana Marjorie Sinclair Kekahi polopeka o ke ke'ena English ma ke kula uui o Hawaii nei ma Manoa e ho'oponopono U'ili'i. He kama l aina no ua pp*e haumana no kana papa a'o ame na po*e o Hawaii nei np kana kakau puke fo kana puke i ho'opuka aku nei 'o Xahienaena. he mo'olelo no ke ali'uvahine, ke kaimahine a j&L.aehameha [UH Press]], e pili me na rnea Hawaii. A ma ke kau kupulau make kula uuidSpriug semester], ua ho omaha i kana. hana a'o, No|aila» hau'oU makou me ka pomaikal no kana kqkuujual 'ana. A e mahalo makou i na po'e oka Hale Holkelke o Kamehumeha no ka Jakdu 'apono mai'no keia ho'opuka 'ana No ka mea, mamake makoue ho'opaipai ta oukou. ena mea heiuheiu, e Ike hou i na mo'olelo nalovvaje a Ike ole a a ho'omana'o ma keia ao nei. A e mahalo ta Tutu iHikui ame na po*e kanaka i *unuhi a ho'opa'a i na mo'olelo no na pua net. A e ha'awt ike aloha, la Cyat!iiaTim}>eHake, ke kahu aoJca ta Polopeka Alfon§ Korn no hoi up. }vana kako*o me kc kokua mau *ana, A me ke aloha ae? ka * Ghana* o Tutu Pukui ame Mrs* Patience Bacon no ka lakou pomaikri. Me ke aloha no hoi ia. oukou a oau 1

To the thousands of readers from Hilo tq, Waioli. from the mountain ridges to the peninsulas, tKe valleys to the shore, from people far away to the people of Hawaii, whose legend this is, greetings.. This is the legend of the wondrous and lively girl of the sky. who descended to earth like streaks of lightning in the east and whose brightness appears at the ends of the earth. She trampled on the ocean swells of the Pacific and was honored by the royal sign: the dark clouds surrounding the rainbows. Hers was the ever spinning house in the high winds during night and day.and her beauty was known On those davs when the sun slowly set, The story teller has brought this legend to your attention and hopes you wi 11 re a d .and sh are it with others so the legends and stories may flourish oilce again instead of being obscure If this can be done it will be like the days w r hen the legends were memorizedand ddmrhitted lo heart. It was this process that preserved the legends for us todays and it provides us the chance to see how they lived in the past. The reader should be fbrwarned that this legend does not begin immediately with heroine, but actually with her parents and the event of her birth. Thereafter it changes and the legend begins. So. you will soon know of her many names, the places found in this legend, and what happened to the mountain Konahuanui before it became Nuuanu Valley. This legend has been carefully divided to prevent any confusion, and the dialogues were chosen with discretion. So. let us begin. Chapter One In the ancient days of Hawaii, our ancestors knew of the omens from the distant islands southwest of Hawaii. These were the Pacific islands known as Kahiki—ku. Kahiki—i—ke—apanuu, Kahiki—i—ke —apalani, Kuaihelani. Nuumealani andKealohilani. They were fabulous and mysterious places. (Someday when we are able to understand wh£t the significance of these places was their meaning and importance will be made clear to us. On the other hand, we can also carefully look at what the purpose of the legend was and perhaps be able to perceive what happened in the past. We may soon realize how much knowledge there really is to be gained from this type of study which we had not expected.) On these islands appeared the demi—goddess, Mo'oinanea, who was able to transform herself into five shapes: a mo'o chief, god, priest, prophet and commoner. Ku and Olopana, both males, came from Mo'oinanea's mo'o god-shape. After theirbirth, came Hiilei and Hinawelelani They were female and were also born at Kukulu o Kahiki. Upon learning that two qir|s were born. Mo'oinanea divided Kuaihelani so that each girl would have a place to live and would not be able to see Ku and Olopana. The separation of the girls from the boys worked, so they all grew up without any problem. All were treated as sacred and became favorites of their parents because they were obedient. They lived like this until they were mature; the brothers then began to notice the people who worked on iheir sister's place. This same curiosity was shared oy Hiilei and the others; it ended when Mo'oinanea decided to let two of them meet. This was the first time Ku and Hina saw someone of the opposite sex. When he saw Hinawelelani, Ku was entranced by her beautiful features. Her beauty was similar to the strikingly beautiful flowers clustered above: like Waipio Valley steeped with the high cliffs. As .Hina gazed, she saw how KuY features were like the ohi'a tree that grows in the shade of the forest. The gifts of beauty each had kept them from disliking each other, Hence, a desire to marry entered into their hearts. (This marriage of brother and sister gives cfedence to the authenticity of the legend. One might suspect there had been a loud protest of class distinction in the old days, as when we would hear gossip that "something is being hidden." These reasons did not really matter to the people back then.) It was not long after they were married when Hinawelelani became pregnant. As the days passed, Kane and Kanaloa came down from the mountain near Waolani while their sister stayed above the mountain. This was the time the heiau called Kipapaia was built with hard aia stones by the many eepa and menefiune people. They were Joined by the myriads of lesser gods; those beings who obeyed and were quick to expedite any orders. In a short whflef the construction was finished and this feat made them renowned even until today. (Lateron. I will tell you more about this place which

concerns Kane and Kanaloa. It was at this place that we shall again turn to Ku and Hina.) Nothing changed for them until the time was nearing Jor child birth. Omens and signs began to appear and be seen in the heavens as flie dark clouds moved slowly across the sky and billows of clouds formed over the sea. The waves swelled as the fog engulfed the valleys and the mountaintops. Kulani-. hakoi poured out nearly all of its rain, and a flash of lightning was seen in the sky as thunder shook the "earth. Suddenly rainbows appeared radiantly within the gentle, misty rain called awa, and a low lying rainbow also appeared over the valleys upland of the forest like the "ulalena rain of Piiholo that stains the kukui trees of Lilikoi." The red misty spray blanketed the sea, and the earth shook and quaked as the rainsoaked mountains began to fill the valley streams with water. The winds swept across the land, and the whirlwinds sucked up and whirled the dust and debris into the sky like clouds as waterspou.ts hit the land and the ocean. Many different types of clouds were seen covering the sky as the rain appeared, and faint, rainbows appeared encircling the sun while sounds of the birds and land snails of the forest were heard. The surf dashed and broke upon the cliffs and peninsulas as the blue ocean turned muddy. These were the marvellous signs that were seen; the roar of cries from the mysterious beings found in all the places of* Kukulu o Kahiki was heard. Finally aftej all this had occurred, the sun was darkened for three weeks, and all the places mentioned before were hushed in silence. When these signs were cleared away, a healthy child was born. Kane and Kanaloa sent their sister, Keanuenue (Rainbow) to fetch th child of Ku and Hina so they could rear him. When she arrived, Ku was taking care of the child, but Keanuenue went first to see Mo'oinanea. Mo'oinanea agreed without any hesitation although this request of her brothers' was not binding. Mo'oinanea gave her command saymg, "You must return to. our brothers. You will live with them until your hanai child is.grown up and you must remember that the is to marry. However, he is not to marry a woman of Hawaiinuiakea because the one he will sleep with is here; otherwise your child shall be defiled. Keanuenue agreed to do all that Mo'oinanea had spoke of. After awhile she said, "What will happen when I take the child from Ku and Hina? What will the be called?" Mo'oinanea replied, "You must go with the child to our brothers for it is their responsibility to name him. It would be wrong forme or the parents to give him a name. If you had not been sent to take the child, I would have named him. Go and tell them what we have talked about." Since everything seemed all right, Keanuenue wanted to complete her task as soon as possible. She prepared to leave and as she turned to go she bade Mo'oinanea farewell. In a blink of an eye she arrived at the entrance to the house where Ku and Hina lived. While Keanuenue rested for a few moments, Hina refreshed herself inside. She turned' towards the entrance of the house and saw a brilliant reddish mist completely covering the entrance. She called out to Ku, "Look! There is something strange outside. It is not eyenjainingbut there is a reddish mist outside. Go and find out what is " Ku went outside anil looked around until he saw seven rainbows all at once completely arched in the sky. It was not even rainjng. Ku was astonished to see such a sight. He went inside to t#l his wife what he had seen. While they were talking, the rainbows were accented by the reddish, mist (KJanuenue}* and they began to change into the shane of a woman. As Keanuenue transformed herscfi, Ku and Hina returned outside to see a beautifulwuiuau sitting there

at the entrance. Her beauty was incomparable, and she was cloaked with a rainbow cape. Keanuenue was the most unusual visitor*they had seen. After being so started, they greeted her and asked, "We have just seen a strange rainbow and now you. Where did you come from?" "The sky," replied Keanuenue. "I am a messenger sent by my brothers to take your child so we may raise 'him. When he is older he will still honor you as his parents, and that will be good. He will also appreciate our care and that will even be better. He is like a fish of Kahoolawe." This was the message of Keanuenue's. Hina bent down in sadness; she couldn't speak. Ku listened to what was said. He thought a little while and said, "So stranger, what you have told us is all right, but I am still a bit hesitant. This message you have told; is it also Mo'oinanea's? If so, then it seems all right for you to complete your task and take the child. But, have you talked with her about this? Ii so v then it seems all right for you to complete your task and take the child. But, have you talked with her about this? If you have done so, then your task is fulfilled, and you may take the child; otherwise your words will never be satisfied. When Keanuenue heard this, she said to Ku and Hina, "I have already done so. I thought it necessary to see Mo'oinanea first so the child would be given to me. If this is what you think, then my journey has not been in vain." Hearing this, Hina said to her husband, "Give.the child up as she has laid, or soon we shall,be in disfavor with Mo'oinanea. This message was brought directly to us." Hence, the child was given to the gods to rear. In their minds, Ku and Hina were satisfied that things had turned out for the best. Once the decision was made, the child was given to Keanuenue. When he was in her arms, she looked carfefully at him and saw how handsome he was. She told Ku and Hina, "Listen, oh parents of this child, he is not just an ordinary child. He is like a 'flower in the heights;' one of high rank. Now he shall be taken to Oahu, and you shall remain here and continue to be affectionate to your child. You have given your consent because of Mo'oinanea. Now look! The path to my island appears in the sky." Keanuenue bade farewell to Ku and Hina and transformed herself from the body of a woman to a reddish mist; her rainbow hue covered the child. She changed herself quickly, and the two were on their way. Ku and Hina went outside and watched as they disappeared into the sky. A rainbow appeared with a reddish mist and a low lying rainbow moving in the sky. It was a sight of incomparable beauty. The foot oith§ at the entrance of the house

as the other part reached up into the sky like the gentle winds. This rainbow was seen from land as. it went over the ocean. There Keanuenue stopped and placed the child's placenta in the ocean. This placenta became the makoko octopus. (It was said that from that time this octopus began to use its red ink to hide. One can see this type of octopus in the deep, blue- , black ocean and in those areas near the shore.l In a short while Keanuenue looked down. She saw Kajiai, Niihau, Kaula, Lehua and Nihoa islands directly below her. She decided she was approaching the islands, and soon she would be over Waolani on Oahu. In a short while, she entered the house of her brothers, Kane and Kanaloa, with the child. They took the child and went to the iieiau to sanctify the child like a god. They cut the umbilical cord, and Kanaloa tookit and /laced it in the cliffs of Nuuauu, at a place called Kaipuolono. (This place still has this name today.} Afterwards. Kanaloa returned and talked to Kane about their sisters and Keanuenue's workers. Kane said, "It would be good to get some of them to work for us, especially if they are makole (red-eyed], crippled, and deformed, in additiou to those who are handicapped. Those who are handsome and healthy will not do, for they may influence our sister and our adopted child might leave us«" Kane a&d Kanaloa gathered the workers they wanted, separated them into groups, and assigned jobs. They even assigned them to house according to what the, workers did. Keanuenue was made the overseer of all those people and they listened carefully to all she said. i io kiss The ptirfumed sceui of Keaomelemeie Lightiy biotvu here. The pUcs calted Hanuopaineke. -"Story-teller'" To ta« continued

Ka ?ohi*a lehiia fMef rosiderds spp. J