Legend of Kaulanapokii.

Kaumalumalu was the father and Lanihau was the mother who once lived in Holualoa, Kona, Hawaii, residing there as king and queen at that time. Mumu was their first-born, then came Wawa, then Ahewahewa, then Lulukaina and then Kalino making five sons. Then came Mailelaulii, Mailekaluhea, Mailepakaha, Mailehaiwale and last came Kaulanapokii making five daughters. After the children were grown up, Mailelaulii asked her younger sisters, saying: “Let us go sight seeing1 hereabouts.” They then started out and went as far as Huehue from which point Kohala can be seen. On beholding the white sands of Kiholo and Kapalaoa they were enticed to go on. When they arrived at Kapalaoa they thought they would keep on to Kalahuipuaa. Upon arriving at Kalahuipuaa they met Puako.

Puako was a very handsome man whose form was perfect. When he saw Mailelaulii he took her to be his wife and that night they were covered with the same kapa. Very early the next morning the girls looked and saw Puako carrying sea water and filling pools for salt making. Upon seeing this the sisters got disgusted and said to Mailelaulii: “Say, if that is going to be your husband we will all be made weary carrying [562]sea water for salt making and our skins will look like the windward bark of a noni tree.” Mailelaulii then said to Puako: “My sisters are urging me to continue on our way sight seeing.” Puako consented to this, so the girls departed on their way to Kohala. When they arrived at Kokoiki, in Kohala, they met Hikapoloa, the chief of Puuepa and Hukiaa; as he was a single man he took Mailelaulii to be his wife: so the sisters took up their residence in Kohala.

Shortly after this some of the Kohala people sailed for Kekaha and from there continued on to Holualoa, Kona, for the purpose of trade, where they met Mumu and his brothers. Mumu and his brothers were fishermen and caught aku and all other kinds of fish. They had in their possession some very rare pearl fish-hooks, which supplied them with all the aku they wanted. The Kohala traders got their fish from Mumu and his brothers.

On returning to Kohala the traders upon arriving at Puuepa took some of the fish to Hikapoloa, his wife and sisters. When the fish was given to them the sisters asked: “Where did you get your fish from?” “From Holualoa.” “From whom at Holualoa?” “From Mumu and his brothers.” The sisters then said to Hikapoloa: “They are our brothers. There are five of them and all fishermen.” Hikapoloa then asked: “Do you think I will be able to get a pearl fish-hook if I should go for one?” “Yes, they will not refuse you one if you tell them that you are their brother-in-law and if you tell them that Mailelaulii is your wife.”

Soon after this Hikapoloa set sail for Kona and landed at Holualoa. Upon his arrival his brothers-in-law were out fishing so he awaited for their return. Upon being told that he was their brother-in-law, they asked him: “What is the object of your visit?” “I have come for a pearl fish-hook for aku fishing. That is the only thing that has brought me here, nothing else.” “Yes, you shall have a pearl fish-hook. Here it is, with the rod and line.” When Hikapoloa came home his canoes were loaded down with dry aku as well as with fresh aku.

After Hikapoloa had been home for some time he gave orders that the canoes be made ready to go out fishing for aku. When the canoes were ready they started out and upon coming to the aku grounds he took up the fish-hook and held it in his hand, thinking that the aku would jump into the canoe of their own accord. He held the hook this way all day until the paddlers were stiff with cold, but no aku was caught. Upon failing to get any aku he took it as sufficient cause for the death of his brothers-in-law. When they arrived home, Hikapoloa did not tell his wife of his plans to kill his brothers-in-law; but he told the watchman2 at Kukuipahu, the place where the canoes from Kona generally make their landing, saying: “In case my brothers-in-law from Kona should arrive, don’t give them any food; tell them they can get their food up at Hikapoloa’s place.” Hikapoloa then prepared firewood and the umu,3 and then selected a guard for the door who was already armed with a stone axe and instructed him that when any head should enter the door to cut it off.

Not very long after this a prolonged drought visited Kona and food became very scarce. After a while there was no food to be had in the district; Kohala was the only [564]place that had food, so Kalino said to his older brothers: “Let us sail to Kohala and get us some food.” The brothers consented to this; so they made ready and while on their way they fished for aku. When they arrived at Kukuipahu, in Kohala, their canoe was loaded down deep with aku. As they came ashore they were all faint with hunger from want of food; so they went to the house of the watchman expecting to obtain some food. When they arrived at the house the watchman said: “Your brother-in-law has left word that you go right on up as he has the food for you.” The younger brothers then said to Mumu: “You go on up and when you get there bring us some food. After we have some food we will also go up. Don’t be long.” Mumu then took up an aku and started on his way to Puuiki, a hill looking down on Kukuipahu and from which point the houses of Hikapoloa could be seen. As he reached the top of the hill, the watchman called out to Hikapoloa: “Say, I see a man, he comes running with a fish in his hand.” Hikapoloa looked and saw it was Mumu, so he said: “It is the brother of Mailelaulii.” When Mumu arrived outside of the enclosure surrounding the house, he asked of the watchman: “Where are the chiefesses?” The watchman said: “That is afterwards; enter the house and have some food first, then you may see your relations.” On thus being invited, Mumu entered the enclosure and went up to the house. The inner guard then called out: “Come in.” At this Mumu entered, head first, when down came the axe and the head was cut off from the body. The head rolled off to some distance and then asked:

Hikapoloa answered: “There is a fault. The pearl fish-hook that was worthless was given to me and the pearl fish-hook that the aku is fond of was kept back. That is the fault.” The head of Mumu again inquired of Hikapoloa:

The umu by this time was hot and ready; the body was then put into the umu. After it was cooked Hikapoloa said: “The person who will eat the biggest amount4 shall be presented with the largest ahupuaa.” After the body was eaten the bones were thrown onto a pile of sugar-cane trash. The younger brothers in the meantime awaited for the return of their brother. After some time had lapsed Ahewahewa went up and he also was killed. The next one followed and so on down to Kalino. When it came to Kalino’s turn, he took up an aku and started off. When he got to Puuiki, he was seen, and the watchman called out to Hikapoloa: “Say, there is a thin man coming up.” Hikapoloa answered: “It must be Kalino; he must be coming up sideways for he is a large man. He is the last one, the youngest of the brothers.” When Kalino arrived with the aku in his hand, he asked the watchman: “Where are the chiefesses?” “You can see them later on, enter first and help yourself to some food, then afterwards go and see them.” Kalino then entered the house, when down came the axe and his head was cut off. The head of Kalino then asked:

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Hikapoloa answered: “There is a fault. The pearl fish-hook that was worthless was given to me and the pearl fish-hook that the aku is fond of was kept back. That is the fault why he should be killed.” The head of Kalino then answered:

Kalino’s body was then cooked in the umu and was then eaten up; and the bones were thrown in a heap of ahuawa.5

There were five brothers, requiring five umus and five different kinds of firewood:

They were all killed without the knowledge of their sisters, as they were at this time composing a mele or chant for the child of Hikapoloa and Mailelaulii which was as yet unborn. They were closed up in another house, never once coming out; as people while composing a name chant were restricted11 and not allowed to go in and out of the house. But Kaulanapokii, the youngest of the sisters, saw the spirits of their brothers standing without heads; five bodies headless, whereupon she wept and walked back and forth within the house. Kaulanapokii was a woman who had supernatural powers and could see certain things. This power is even now possessed by the doctors who give medicines in her name.

When Mailelaulii saw Kaulanapokii weeping, she inquired saying: “Why are you walking back and forth? We are composing a chant, but you are walking back and forth.” Kaulanapokii replied: “Our brothers have all been killed by your husband, for I see all five of them standing without heads.” The sisters then all began weeping for their brothers, but Kaulanapokii stopped them saying: “Don’t weep.” Kaulanapokii then told her sister Mailelaulii: “Sit down and force the child to come forth at this time, so that your husband upon hearing the child will come in here, when he shall be killed.” Through the supernatural powers of Kaulanapokii, the child came forth although the time for its delivery was not yet come. This was caused through the anger of Kaulanapokii. As the child came forth, Kaulanapokii took it by the feet and held the child up, at the same time calling to Hikapoloa: “Come and get your child.” Hikapoloa then came into the house. As he entered, Kaulanapokii called out to her sisters:

Whereupon the house was completely covered over with the maile vines and the ie vines. The rain beat down in torrents, the wind blew in a gale and the fog and mist covered the land. This prevented Hikapoloa from getting out, as the ie and maile had entangled the whole house. Upon seeing this the priest, Kehoni by name, who had entered with Hikapoloa, called out:

Kaulanapokii consented to this, and the maile and ie vines separated, permitting Kehoni to walk out and thus saving himself. Hikapoloa died and the house was set on fire. Kaulanapokii then proceeded to the place where her brothers had been killed and called in a chant:

“Yes, I have seen him, his bones are lying there on the pile of sugar-cane trash.” Kaulanapokii then proceeded to the rubbish pile and collected the bones together. She then called each brother in turn collecting their bones together until it was the turn of her fifth brother, Kalino, when she called:

“Yes, I am the wood. He was cooked. He has been consumed and the bones are there in the ahuawa heap where they now lie.” Kaulanapokii proceeded to the place indicated and collected them. After all the bones had been collected, Kaulanapokii said to her sisters: “Let us work on our brothers and when they come to life again we will return to Kona.” The sisters then first took up Mumu and after he came back to life the others were taken up. After all the brothers had been restored to life, they all returned to Kona, where they all made oath, that they would never be covered over with the same kapa with any man or woman from Kohala. This oath was even taken up and kept by their children after them. Thus did they forsake the proud land of Kohala and its favorite wind, the aeloa. [561]