Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 2, 1 February 2019 — Mo'olelo Makahiki: Ka'ohele Hulu o Kainalu [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Mo'olelo Makahiki: Ka'ohele Hulu o Kainalu

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Na Miki'ala Pescaia Hanohano Kainalu i ke kūkini koke, ka 'eu loa o Molokai. I kēlā me kēia ahiahi, 'ākoakoa mai nā kāne 'ōpio i ka heihei wāwae, i hō'ike 'ia ka 'eleu loa o ka 'āina, ka e lilo i moho kūkini ma ka ho'okūkū Makahiki ma Nā'iwa i kēia kau. 'O Hulu ke ali'i, kahi ali'i o ka lanakila o ia kūkini ala i kona wā 'ōpio a pēlā nā kāne a pau o ka 'ohana, 'o ka 'oi loa nō na'e i ka holo wikiwiki mai kapa a kapa o Molokai, a pi'i a'ela nō 'o Kainalu i ka hano i ia wikiwiki lā. _ Eia la, 'a'ohe 'opio 'eleu ho'i i 'o'ili maila i mau makahiki ihola, a ua lilo no ka lei o ka lanakila iā ha'i, no laila, huli nā kupa o Kainalu i nā heihei ahiahi kahi e 'ike 'ia ana ke kūkini hou o ka 'āina. _ Ho'okahi wale no keiki a Hulu ke ali'i, he keiki kane 'o Ka'ohele, ka i hanau 'ia ma ka pō Māhealani o ka mākole pi'o lua lani. Ua hō'ike 'ia ke kūlana kamaha'o o kēia keiki ma nō 'ouli kupaianaha o ka lani, a 'o ke kilo nō ia a ka lehulehu i ua keiki nei. Ua akamai 'o Ka'ohele i ka nohona maka'āinana, 'o ka lawai'a 'oe, 'o ka mahi'ai 'oe, 'o nā 'ano pono a pau i mākaukau kona noho ali'i 'ana mai. 'Oiai he keiki akahai, pa'ahana a 'olu'olu *o ia, a ua 'eleu ma nā 'ano a pau o ka nohona, 'a'ole i 'eleu 'o ia ma ka holo 'ana, a ua waiho wale 'ia 'o ia i hope o ka pu'ulu ma ka heihei i kēlā me kēia ahiahi me ka waha 'ai lepo pōpolo. 'O ka ho'ohenehene mau nō ia a nā makua o kauhale iā Hulu ali'i i ka hemahema o ua keiki la, 'oko'a paha ka makua o kahi keiki lohi wale. No'ono'o ihola 'o Hulu e ho'ouna aku iā Ka'ohele e noho me ka 'ohana ma Maui, i pākele aku i kēia pepehi a ka 'ōlelo. Makemake nui 'o Ka'ohele e ho'ohanohano i kona mau makua ma kēia 'ano o ka 'eu ho'i, a ua 'ike kona makuahine i kēia kaumaha a kāna keiki. 'A'ole i makemake 'o ia i kāna keiki e ho'ouna 'ia aku, no laila, e kōkua ana 'o ia iā ia. I ke kulu aumoe, hō'ala 'o ia i kāna keiki aloha a lawe iā ia i kapa kai i ke one. Ma laila nō 'o ia i a'o aku ai iā ia i ka holo 'ana. Kau ka mahina Māhealani, a i kēlā me kēia pō, iho mai ka mā'ama'ama a ka mahina, a pēlā i hele a ma'a ka wāwae o ua keiki nei i kahi o kēlā me kēia pōhaku me ko'a, nā lua o ka pāpa'i, a akamai nō ho'i i ka holo makapō 'ana. Mālie ka hanu, ikaika ka wāwae, lō'ihi ke kapua'i, ua mākaukau. I ke ahiahi a'e, ua kani ka pū, a ua hele a komo 'o Ka'ohele i ka heihei. Pū'iwa 'o Hulu e 'ike i kāna keiki aloha a ma mua o kona kauoha 'ana aku iā ia e ho'i mai, ho'okū kāna wahine iā ia me ka 'ōlelo e ho'oku'u iā ia i ka heihei. _ Me ka 'emo 'ole, ua kani ka pu a poha wale aku ua me'e ala o keia mo'olelo, kuehu ka lepo, a waiho 'ia nā kāne a pau me ka waha 'ai pōpolo o Kainalu! Hūlō nā leo kiliwehi aku i ka lanakila! Kū i ke kāhāhā wale 'o Hulu, a kūkala maila 'o Ka'ohele, ' ' "'Akahi o'u 'oi ha! Nou e ka makua, ka lei lanakila o ka la." Lilo 'o Ka'ohele i me'e kūkini kaulana wiwo'ole o Molokai, ma ke kahua pā'ani Makahiki a me ke kahua kaua, i kona palekana 'ana i ka 'āina, nā heiau a me ka po'e o ka moku. Nui nā mo'olelo o nā wahi pana pili i nā hana kupaianaha a Ka'ohele me kona akamai, 'eleu a hana nui ma na'e o Molokai. 'O Ka'ohele 'oihā! ■

By Miki'ala Pescaia Kainalu was famous for its ehampion runners. Eaeh evening, the young men would gather for a footrace, training to decide who would represent them at the annual Makahiki competitions at Nā'iwa. Chief Hulu was onee a ehampion, and all the men in his family took a turn holding the title through the years, bringing great honor to Kainalu for having the fastest runners of Molokai. But recent years produced no outstanding athletes, so the evening training races became more important than ever. Chief Hulu had only one child, a son, Ka'ohele, who was born under a Mahealani moon, and a double night rainbow. The omens foretold a great destiny, and so as a child, there was great expectation. Ka'ohele was raised to know how to fish and farm, and many of the trades of the people, in order to best lead one day. Though he was obedient and hard working, humble and kind, and excelled at all the trades of livelihood, the boy was a slow runner, and in the races, often eame in last. The other men of the village would tease Chief Hulu, if he was sure to be the father of such a slow boy. Chief Hulu considered sending the boy away to Maui to escape the ridicule and shame. Ka'ohele wanted nothing more than to make his father proud and his mother saw how sad this situation made him. She did not want her son to be sent away. She had an idea. At night, she woke Ka'ohele and took him to the beach, and by the light of the moon, taught him how to run in the sand, control his breathing, and memorize every rock and coral in his path until he could run the course without moonlight. Finally, he was ready. The next evening, the pū sounded and the young men gathered for their race. As Ka'ohele made his way to the line, his father caught sight of him and fiercely barked at him to get back home, but everyone was looking and his wife gently put her hand on his arm, and said, please, give him a ehanee. The race started just then, and Ka'ohele had a perfect stride, swift and effortless. He was first from the start and no one eame close to him. The crowd erupted in cheers and his father couldn't believe his eyes. Ka'ohele exclaimed, "'Akahi o'u 'oi hā! This victory is for you father." Ka'ohele will go on to be the most famous runner of Molokai by being victorious at the Makahiki competitions that year and being recruited to serve and protect the highest of chiefs and heiau on the island. Many places today are named for him as the stories live on of his wit, his strength, his speed and his accomplishments. 'O Ka'ohele 'oi hā! ■ Miki'ala Pescaia is a kupa of Molokai nui a Hina and was raised by storytellers in her 'ohana and community. Sharing mo'olelo keeps aloha 'āina alive, and Miki'ala weaves mo 'olelo into her professional work anā community advocacy every ehanee she ean. Mo 'olelo reminds us who we are.