Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 5, 1 Mei 2001 — E malama i ka iki kanaka, i ka nuʻa kanaka. ʻO kākou nō kēia hōʻakua. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

E malama i ka iki kanaka, i ka nuʻa kanaka. ʻO kākou nō kēia hōʻakua.

Take care of the insignificant and the great man. That is the duty of us gods.

Note: From Mary Kawena Pitku'i's "'Ōlelo No'eau," the title phrase was uttered by Hi'iaka to Pele in a chant before she departed for Kaua'i to seek Lohi'au. By Claire Hughes Department of Health Alaek of hospitality was almost unknown among our ancestors, and whenever there was such a case, it was discussed at great length. Our elders would tell and retell stories to imprint lessons of appropriate behavior on children. The tales often had unpleasant endings, whieh served as a reminder to ehildren how hospitality and manners were. For example, as children, we were told that when visiting, we were to eat whatever a hostess offered, without making a fuss. And, we were reminded that ehildren should be seen, not heard, when with a group of adults. An old Puna story talks about a group of stingy kanaka maoli who were peeling cooked breadfruit. Hungry strangers arrived. Having walked a long way, the strangers asked if they could have some of the breadfruit to eat. The ancients rejected their request, saying there was only enough for themselves and their pigs. Soon after that incidence, the people of the village became ill with a strange malady. Those who died first were buried, but those

who died later had no one to bury them. Their pigs ate them. Thus, the story is, they were saving themselves for the pigs. There was also this stingy Kaua'i man who did not want to share his poi. Whenever he could not get around sharing, he would mix small pieces of dried octopus in the poi. He apologized to his guests for not having any meat to serve and having only lumpy poi, so they would not stay. One day some very hungry visitors from Hawai'i accepted the invitation to eat lumpy poi. They noticed that the old man chewed as he ate, and they discovered the delicious morsels of dried he'e. There was a protocol or custom on how to eat poi. According to Kawena Pūku'i, generally two fingers were dipped into the poi bowl, up to the first joints when eating daintily and up to the second joint when eating heartily. Dipping with one finger was regarded as a sign of stinginess and using three fingers was considered greedy. Showing appreciation by smacking one's lips was considered good manners. A host or hostess continued eating until the guests were satisfied. Poi has great significance in the Hawaiian culture, as it represents Hāloa, the ancestor of chiefs and kanaka maoli. There was great reverence for the presence of poi at the table. It was unforgivable to have quarrel, argue or haggle when poi

was on the table. Pleasant conversation and heartiness was promoted. Kamehameha proclaimed Kānāwai Māmalahoa, the "law of the splintered paddle." This law protected old women, oId men and children from harm while traveling on public roadways. The law eame into being after an incident in a rural village, where the ali'i and his steersman were seriously wounded by villagers. It is told that Kamehameha went on a secret mission with only his paddlers. He ordered his eanoe ashore where a small group of men were mending their

nets. When they saw a very large man in a strange eanoe approaching the shore, the

m e n picked up their nets and ran.

Kamehameha called out in friendship as he fol-

lowed the villagers. Not wanting to be caught, the villagcis

ran onto pāhoehoe fields, hoping the many fissures in the cooled lava would serve as a trap. Indeed, the ali'i fell into a fissure and his foot

was caught fast. The villagers did not recognize Kamehameha. They threw their nets over the trapped ali'i and one man hit him on the head with a paddle. Kamehameha's steersman searched for his ali'i and found him in danger of being speared by a large group of villagers. He threw himself in the path of a spear and was hit in the abdomen. Kamehameha was able to free himself enough to catch or ward off the rest of the spears, and the villagers ran off in fear. Kamehameha swore his men to secrecy about the incident, lest the

paddlers be punished for not protecting their beloved ali'i from harm. Upon their return, the f ali'i's wounds were treated. He asked that his steersman

remain in his presence for trcatment, but was persuaded by the ranking ali'i in L his court to let them ■|£ treat the steersman.

These vengeful chiefs did nothing to aid the steersman and

he died. When H the news of his beloved steers-

man's death reached Kamehameha,

il caused great sorrow. It was then that Kamehameha proclaimed the Māmālahoa law. ■

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