Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 7, 1 July 1992 — Harriet Ne heard again in 'Tales of Molokai' [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Harriet Ne heard again in 'Tales of Molokai'

by Ann Naho'ailona L. Moore The voice of Harriet Ne is heard onee again in the land, in a new book "Tales of Molokai: The Voice of Harriet Ne." Harriet Ayau Ne was appointed cultural historian of Molokai by the governor of Hawai'i. She was also a living treasure of Hawai'i, kumu hula, and Christian minister. A biography and interview with Aunty Harriet open the book, co-authored by Gloria L. Cronin. The book reflects the many hours of taped conversation and stories between the two. Sixteen of the 43 stories were originally published by Topgallant Press as "Legends of Molokai," with a foreward by Inez MaePhee Ashdown. Along with many new stories, there are beautiful illustrations by Terry Refell. The book is divided into sections: Tales of the Beginning, Tales of Naming, Tales of Long Ago, Tales of the North Coast and Tales of my own Molokai. The stories are often more than

mere folktales, legends and myths, for many end with Aunty Harriet's own words: "I myself have seen it."

Among the tales told are "Night Marchers of Molokai "The Talking Shell" and "The Menehune," many with a hidden meaning or moral to the story. "The War Strategy of Kamehameha I" tells how the great Kamehameha was outsmarted by the chiefs of Moloka'i and quietly imparts another lesson as well. The glottal stop, or okina, is not used in the book title or in the stories. In a note at the front of the book Edward Halealoha Ayau says this is because: "... my tutu wahine says that when she was growing up in Pelekunu it was never pronounced Moloka'i but rather Molokai (Moh-loh-kye). Then in the 1930s the name changed to Moloka'i, in part she believes because musicians began pronouncing the name that way." The book is published by the Institute of Polynesian Studies, Brigham Young UniversityHawai'i and distributed by the University of Hawai'i Press. The paperbound book is available in bookstores, statewide, for $12.95.

Harriet Ne Art by Terry Refell