Chapter XXVII: Part III: A Wakea Creation Chant

BY KALEIKUAHULU. [586]

Wakea the son of Kahikoluamea.
Papa even Papahanaumoku the wife.
She brought forth also Kahikiku and Kahikimoe;
She also bore Keapapanuu and Keapapalani,
But her first-born child was the island Hawaii. 5.
The first-born child of them two,
Wakea was, acted the husband.
Papa, Walinuu was the wife.
Papa conceived the island (Hawaii).
In pregnant sickness Mauiloa was an island. 10.
Then were born quiet and restlessness;
The system of Kapus;
A distant place lying in quietness
For Ku, for Lono,
For Kane, together with Kanaloa. 15.
She brought forth with flowing of blood,
Papa was weakened at the birth of the island Kanaloa (Kahoolawe).
It was born beautiful like the birds punua and naia,
It was the child born of Papa.
Papa forsook her husband and returned to Kahiki: 20.
Returned to Kahiki she lived at Kapakapakaua,
Wakea stayed, lived with Kaulawahine,
From them was born Lanaikaula (Lanai).
Who was indeed the first-born of that woman (Kaulawahine).
Wakea sought a new wife and found Hina. 25.
Hina [when] found lived with Wakea.
Hina brought forth the island of Molokai:
Molokainui was the large island of Hina.
Laukaula the plover had told [Papa].
That Wakea was living with another woman. 30.
The chief was on fire; Papa raged with fury—a—
Papa returned from Kahiki,
She stood with jealous rage against the second wife (punalua),
Full of rage towards her husband Wakea.
She lived (moe) with Lua her new husband. 35.
[From them] Oahualua was born,
Oahualua the island child.
A child proceeding born from Lua—a—
She then returned and lived with Wakea.
From her quarrels were internal sensations (iloli), 40.
Then Papa brought forth the island Kauai.
Kamawaelualani was born an island,
Niihau was the after-birth, (eweewe)
Lehua separated them,
Kaula was the youngest, also a low flat island. 45.
From Papa is the extended creation of Lono—o—o
Lono is the lord,
The voice ringing from heaven;
The voice is uttered all nature flees in terror.
Kahai was the trumpet causing storms to flee, 50.
From the descendant, the Kamaluahaku,
Is the consent, the answering, the anointing.
The tatooing black of many shades,
The black, the black,
The darkening frequently the rain of Papa—a— 55.
Papa, Hoohokuhonua (her daughter)
Is the chief digging the trenches without smoothness
Then dressing them smoothly,
Are shaved at top to thinness.
Wakea is the head. 60.
Haloa is a grade below,
Wailoa descends from him, from him (Kakaihili),
The young man (Kakaihili) like a high chief (pueo alii).
The steadfast chief (pueo makalulu).
Dwelt swaying this way and that like a kite;
Like the kite of the kapu chiefs 65.
Strike and unite and adhere together,
So Ahukai and Laa.
Laa, Laa, Laamaikahiki was the chief;
Ahukini and Kukona were sons of Laa;
Lauli was also the son of his father Laa, 70.
These were the three sons of Laamaikahiki
The kapu first-born (three at a birth) children of Laa,
All born in one day,
Appeared at once the placenta, the mucous, with the blood.
The blood flowed at the navel, 75.
The royal navel, the points within;
The royal birth-place of chiefs,
The placenta of the chief.
Puaa was a chief the son of Kahuoi,
Kamalea was before Piliwale, 80.
Kamaiki was the son of Lena, the son of Lena.
Kahalolena, Kahalolena the descendant,
Even Kalanimanuia.
Kailikapuamanuia was the king (son of the former),
The dog of a brown hair, striped, 85.
With white cheeks, that is kapu.
That was Kaunuiakanehoalani,
This was Ipuwaiaholani.
The pain fitting the breast and joins the liver
In the small intestine, the small intestine. 90.
In the muscles opening wide the eyes
To draw aside and loosening the knot,
The chiefs assembled together.
Kauakahikuanauakanu
The wife of Iwikauikaua staid [dwelt]; 95.
She lived and obtained also Kaneikauawilani (her son),
Like the high surf breaking roughly,
It breaks double [with double force],
It bends over, it is covered with froth greatly [of chief’s],
The froth broken [in the breaking of the surf] and turned over and
over into the deep. 100.
The lower part of the surf meet with the upper part;
Liloa Kaikilani Pakaalana.
Hakau was the regal offspring, the high one,
The place above floating upon the water, Umi,
The proud one, he was the first-born. 105.
To Umi also belonged mischievous haughtiness,
Superb highness, highly exalted,
Exalted was Makakaualii.
A high chief was Kamawaelualanimoku,
The calm place between two winds. 110.
The calm streak of water is Hinakuluimua,
The rise of a race of splendid chiefs,
The bud, the leaf was Kalau,
From him was Kuaiwa the royal garment.
The kapus Kukohana and Kawaluna 115.
Raised on high a flower, raised up high as one can see,
Bowed down with the weight of the kapus;
The hau tree kapu of Manauea,
The little black bills [of the fighting cocks of Mahi]
Rush together, they fight on the top of Hawaii. 120.
The clear whiteness, the fast red,
The fighting [pecking] of cocks of the royal cock-pit
Before the chief Kihanuilulumoku.
The pathway was opened by Lanakalau,
The heart of the tree leaps forth cut by the large heavy adze; 125.
The striking, striking [clicking] of the adze the tree lies in the water.
Iwikauikaua the descendant.
That [he] is the pali point of the smooth pali,
The steep pali is the road, (i.e., there is no road).
The strong ladder that shall not be broken, 130.
Not by this chief shall [he] it be broken.
Kahului is a conch shell, the chief is a fence around the island.
A high one, a high one is the chief Keakealani indeed,
Kanaloa is another high chief,
So are Keawe and Kalanikauleleiaiwi. 135.
Collected [united] of one color are hams of the chiefs.
The flesh (one colored hams meet in royal fat,) unites in the
chiefs remnant,
Kalaninuiiamamao, Kalaninuiieaumoku,
Kekuiamamao the seven-fold sacred (kapu);
Eight times by the kapu, the kapu of the chief, 140.
The first-born chief of the thunder.
When the strong thunder sounds,
The chief, the King Kauhilonohonua,
The lightning smote the Hinamahuia,
The smooth pebbles for redness in the center of an oven 145.
When the stones are thrown open, the steam, the strong heat;
When the little stones are red hot from the burning fire,
The burning stones, the oven stones on fire,
The small stones thrown out being red hot,
Kalolapupukaohonokawailani, 150.
Kalanikekumaieiwakamoku,
Kalanikupuapaikalaninui,
They three were united, united at one place;
The chiefs were united at the royal baking oven,
Anointed with the fat, with the fat (wai) of men; 155.
The chiefs united were mixed together like pia ground with water;
Ground up mixed till ropy, mixed till ropy;
The chiefs mix like the long sea shell makaloloaulani (with many convolutions),
The shell makaliliko.
The shell called the likoliko so is the chief; 160.
They had one appearance, that of chiefs,
Four, five to one chief for them.
The charge is, be still, ’twas death to make a noise.
The heavens were awed, the island was silent,
Hawaii was under a kapu, he is the chief by acclamation; 165.
A rigid kapu, it shoots up and spreads abroad extensively.
The fine roots run deep, it is examined by Lono.
My yellow grass is Maheha.
The man indeed blackens the water, Kawelo himself.
The floater which causes Wailua to float, 170.
Yea truly Wailua is a house,
A long house for Kawelo;
A room set apart, (kapu) sacred as a place for births;
A chief having the side fins of a fish
With sharp prickles set upon the scales upon the tail, 175.
It is under kapu, the pit (mokilaula) for Kawelo,
A child born indeed from the eight
Certain blossoms [chiefs] of royal birth, unlike others;
Blossoms renowned called Kanikawi.
Above on the leaf called Laumalahea, 180.
The forbidden branch called Ulumeheikona;
Ulumeheikona—e—
Like a strong Kona wind is the internal love,
It now strikes violently within the bosom
Exciting like cold water the crown of the head: 185.
Like water from the mountain—le—
These (o ke aloha) are the burdens [loads] perhaps that belong to living [life],
If borne away there will be disappointment [shame],
Gratuitously giving much so great will the reproach be;
Giving on throughout the day 190.
That is the reward, your inheriting the pain,
It is a pain of your own making.
He who vilely slanders another, he is the wrong doer.
That which goes proudly and wickedly forth indeed is the wind,
He shall never perhaps see [enjoy] a calm. 195.
A fine rain, it forsakes indeed the cold wind from the mountains—
The cold wind, it breathes steam from the mouth on Hainoa;
It brings and sets up the standing cloud,
Causing to sneeze [to breathe again belongs to some winds];
Some go forth, some return from the sea as the south wind (lau eka); 200.
A gentle breeze, a fish ripple within;
It is broken up into waves, broken into steps,
It is doubled along Kona (Hawaii) itself,—i—e.

BORN WAS THE ISLAND

Born was the island—
It budded, it leafed, it grew, it was green,
The island blossomed on tip, ’twas Hawaii
This Hawaii was an island.
Unstable was the land, tremulous was Hawaii,
Waving freely in the air:
Waved the earth.
From Akea ’twas fastened together
Quiet by the roots was the island and the land,
It was fast in the air by the right hand of Akea
Fast was Hawaii, by itself—
Hawaii appeared an island.

UA HANAU KA MOKU

Ua hanau ka moku
A kupu, a lau, a loa, a ao, a muo
Ka moku iluna o Hawaii.
O Hawaii nei no ka moku
He pulewa ka aina, he naka Hawaii
E lewa wale ana no i ka lani,
Lewa honua
Mai i Akea ua pahono ia
Malie i ke aa o ka moku me ka honua
Paa ia i ka lawaealani i ka lima akau o Akea
Paa Hawaii la a laa
Hawaii la i ikea he moku.

OLD CREATION CHANT.

(INCOMPLETE)

O Kane, O Ku-ka-Pao,
With great Lono, dwelling on the water,
Brought forth are heaven and earth.
Quickened, increasing, moving,
Raised up into Continents. 5.

The great ocean of Kane,
The ocean with the dotted seas,
The ocean with the large fishes,
And the small fishes,
The sharks, and niuhi, 10.
The whales,
And the large hihimanu of Kane.

The rows of stars of Kane,
The stars in the firmament,
The stars that have been fastened up, 15.
Fast, fast, on the surface of the heaven of Kane,
And the wandering stars,
The sacred stars of Kane;
The moving stars of Kane.
Innumerable are the stars. 20.
The large stars,
The small stars,
The red stars of Kane, O infinite space!
The great moon of Kane,
The great sun of Kane, 25.
Moving, floating,
Set moving about in the great space of Kane.
The great earth of Kane,
The rain-encircled earth of Kane,
The earth that Kane set in motion. 30.
Moving are the stars, moving is the moon,
Moving is the great earth of Kane.

HE MELE KOIHONUA.

(APANA)

O Kane, o Ku-ka-Pao.
Me Lono-Nui-noho-i-ka-Wai.
Loaa ka Lani, Honua.
Ho-eu, kukupu, inana.
Ku iluna o ka moku. 5.

O ka Moana nui a Kane.
O ka Moana i kai oo.
O ka Moana i ka ia nui,
I ka ia iki,
I ka mano, i ka niuhi, 10.
I ke kohola,
I ka ia nui hihimanu a Kane.

O na lalani hoku a Kane.
O na hoku i ka nuu paa.
O na hoku i kakia ia 15.
I paa, i paa i ka ili lani a Kane.
O na hoku i Kahakahakea.
O na hoku kapu a Kane.
O na hoku lewa a Kane.
O kini, o ka lau, o ka mano o ka hoku. 20.
O ka hoku nui,
O ka hoku iki,
O na hoku ula a Kane, he lewa.—
O ka mahina nui a Kane.
O ka La nui a Kane. 25.
I hoolewa, a lewa.
I hoolewaia i ka lewa nui a Kane.
O ka Honua nui a Kane.
O ka Honua i kapakapaua a Kane.
O ka Honua a Kane i hoolewa. 30.
O lewa ka hoku, o lewa ka malama,
O lewa ka Honua nei a Kane.

PRIMARY GODS AND CREATIONS.

Kane of the great night,
Ku and Lono of the great night,
Hika-po-loa the king.
The sacred night that is set apart,
The poisonous night, 5.
The barren, desolate night,
The continual darkness of midnight,
The night, the reviler.

O Kane, O Ku-ka-pao,
And great Lono dwelling on the water, 10.
Brought forth are heaven [and] earth,
Quickened, increased, moving,
Raised up into Continents.

Kane, Lord of night, Lord the father,
Ku-ka-pao, in the hot heavens, 15.
Great Lono with the flashing eyes,
Lightning-like lights has the Lord,
Established in truth, O Kane, master-worker.
The Lord creator of mankind:
Start, work, bring forth the chief, Ku-honua 20.
And Ola-ku-honua, the woman;
Dwelling together are they two,
Dwelling [is she] with the husband, the brother.

The chief Ku-honua [was] the husband,
Ola-ku-honua the wife, 25.
Kumu-honua the husband,
Lalo-honua the wife,
Honua-ula the husband,
Lalo-honua-ula the wife,
The Lepo-ahulu the husband, 30.
The Lalo-lepo-ahulu the wife,
The Iu-honua the husband,
The Lalo-io-honua the wife,
Ku-hele-loa the husband,
Kolo-i-ke-ao the wife, 35.
Kumuhonua of Kane the husband,
Lalo Kumuhonua of Kane the wife,
Hooulu the husband,
Hoolaha the wife extended.

The kiohala flower rises in the calm, 40.
The Ilioha mischief-maker stands on the land
He has caught the chief Ku-honua,
[And] Polo-haina the wife,
The sacred chiefs of Kane.
Polo-haina the wife, 45.
Uulia-wale the husband,
Laa’i the wife,
Laa-hee-wale the husband,
Laa-make the wife,
Laa-uli the husband, 50.
Kanikau the wife,
Kani-kuo the husband,
Noho-u the wife,
Noho-mihi the husband,
Hukiku the wife, 55.
Piliwale the husband,
They became impoverished.

NA AKUA MUA ME KOIHONUA.

Kane-i-ka-po-loa,
Ku a me Lono-i-ka-po-loa,
O Hika-po-loa ke ’lii.
Ka po kapu i hoana e,
O ai-au ka po, 5.
O kekaha ka po anoano,
O mau kulu ka po-eleele,
Ka po ke haiamu.

O Kane, o Ku-ka-pao,
Me Lono nui noho o ka wai 10.
Loaa ka lani, honua,
Ho-eu, kukupu, inana,
Ku iluna o ka moku.

Kane po Lani, o Lani makua,
O Ku o ka pao i kikilani, 15.
O Lono nui-maka-oaka,
Huila, malamalama, loaa ka Lani,
Hooia, i oia o Kane-kumu hana.
O ka Lani-hookanaka.
Hoi, hana, loaa ke ’Lii-ku-honua. 20.
O ke Ola-ku-honua, ka wahine,
Nonoho iho no laua,
I hoi noho i ke kane kaikunane.

O ke Lii-ku-honua, ke kane,
O ke Ola-ku-honua, ka wahine, 25.
O Kumu-honua, ke kane,
O Lalo-honua, ka wahine,
O Honua-ula, ke kane,
O Lalo-honua-ula, ka wahine,
O ka Lepo-ahulu, ke kane, 30.
O ka Lalo-lepo-ahulu, ka wahine,
O ka Iu-honua, ke kane,
O ka Lalo-iu-honua, ka wahine,
O Ku-hele-loa, ke kane,
O Kolo-i-ke-ao, ka wahine, 35.
O Kumuhonua a Kane, kane,
O Lalo-Kumuhonua a Kane, ka wahine,
O Hooulu, ke kane,
O Hoolaha, ka wahine laha la.

Ka pua kiohala, ku i ka lai, 40.
Ka Ilioha kupu ino, ku iluna o ka moku,
Loaa na Lii ku-honua
O Polo-haina, ka wahine-la-e
He mau alii kapu na Kane-e,
O Polo-haina, ka wahine, 45.
O Ulia-wale, ke kane,
O Laa’i, ka wahine,
O Laa-hee-wale, ke kane,
O Laa-make, ka wahine,
O Laa-uli, ke kane, 50.
O Kanikau, ka wahine,
O Kani-kuo, ke kane,
O Noho-u, ka wahine,
O Noho-mihi, ke kane,
O Hukiku, ka wahine, 55.
O Piliwale ke kane-la-e,
Pili wale laua-la-e.

THE FALL OF KUMUHONUA AND HIS WIFE.

O Kane-Laa-uli, uli, uli,
Dead by the feast, feast, feast,
Dead by the oath, by the law, law, law,
Truly, thus indeed dead, dead, dead.

O vanish the stars! 5.
O vanish the light!
In company
With the moon, moon, moon,
And cursed be my hand,
Cut off be my course! 10.

O Kane-Laa-uli, uli, uli,
O Kane-Laa-huli, huli, huli,
O Kane-Laa-make, make, make,
Dead are you, you, you,
By Kane thy god, god, god, 15.
Dead by the law, law, law,
Truly, thus indeed dead, dead, dead,
O Kane-Laa-uli, uli, uli,
O Kane disbelieving the gods, gods, gods,
O Kane [returned] to the muddy waters. 20.

O Kane Laa-uli-uli-uli,
I make i ahaina ina-ina,
I make, i hoohiki i kanawai-wai-wai,
Oia nae no ke make, make-make!

O hele ka hoku, 5.
O hele ka malama,
Ka kakai pu ae no
Me ka mahina-hina-hina,
A laa kuu lima la
Kaapahu kuu hele e! 10.

E Kane-Laa-uli, uli, uli,
E Kane-Laa-huli, huli, huli,
E Kane-Laa-make, make, make,
O make oe, oe, oe,
Ia Kane kou akua, kua, kua, 15.
I make, kanawai, wai, wai,
Oia nae no ke make, make, make,
O Kane-Laa-uli, uli, uli,
O Kane aaia, ia, ia,
O Kane i ka wai lepo, lepo. 20.

THE FLOOD.

Here is the food, O God,
O Kahuli, O Kahela,
O the woman sleeping face upwards,
O Moe of Hanuna,
O Milikaa, 5.

O the Lepo-ahulu,
O Pahu Kini, O Pahu Lau,
O Kulana of Pahu,
O Ola the large fruit,
O Kapapai of Laka, 10.
O Manuu the mischievous,
O the great supporter, awaken the world.
Awake!

Awake, here is the rain,
Here is the day, 15.
Here the mists driving inland,
Here the mists driving seaward,
[The] swelling sea, rising sea,
[The] adjoining sea of Iku.
Lo! it has encircled [us]. 20.
O the foaming sea,
O the rising billows, O the falling billows,
O the overwhelming billows
In Kahiki.
Salvation comes 25.
For this death by you, O Lono.
An altar for you, O Lono,
O Lono of the night,
O Lono of the thunder,
O Lono of the lightning, 30.
O Lono of the heavy rain,
O Lono of the terrible, divine face.
O Lono, O Lono with restless eyes,
Ah, fly to the northern sea,
Ah, fly to the southern sea; 35.
To the eastern sea,
To the dark shore, to the white shore,
To the dark moon, to the clear moon,
O Pipipi, O Unauna,
O Alealea, O glide away; 40.
O Naka, Kualakai,
O Kama, O shell-fish clinging to the cliffs,
O Ku, altar head,
Scattering the hair.
O the chief’s covered canoe of the island 45.
Where were deposited the words of Pii,
O Kama of Poepoe, the woman of the water-bowl.

KAI-A-KAHINALII. [587]

Ei ka ai, e ka Akua,
E Kahuli, E Kahela,
E ka wahine moe iluna ke alo.
O Moe a Hanuna
O Milikaa, 5.

O ka Lepo-ahulu,
O Pahu Kini, O Pahu Lau,
O Kulana a Pahu,
O Ola ka Hua nui,
O Kapapai a Laka, 10.
O Manuu ke Eu,
O ka paepae nui ala i ka moku la e.
E Ala!

E Ala e ka ua,
E ka la, 15.
E ka ohu-kolo i uka,
E ka ohu-kolo i kai,
Kai nuu, Kai ee,
Kai pipili a Iku,
La! e, ua puni! 20.
O Huahua kai
O ka ale i, o ka ale moe,
O ka ale hakoikoi,
I Kahiki
A hiki a ola 25.
No nei make ia oe la e Lono.
E kaukau nou e Lono,
E Lono i ka Po,
E Lono i ka Hekili,
E Lono i ka Uwila, 30.
E Lono i ka ua loko,
E Lono i ka oili maka Akua nei la.
E Lono, E Lono, makahia-lele,
A lele oe i ke kai uli
A lele oe i kai kona 35.
I kai koolau
I One-uli, i One-kea,
I mahina-uli, i mahina kea.
O Pipipi, O Unauna,
O Alealea, O hee, 40.
O Naka, Kualakai,
O Kama, O Opihi kau pali
O Ku lele poo,
O helelei ke oho.
O Waa-Halau-Alii, ka moku, 45.
Kahi i waiho ai na hua olelo a Pii,
O Kama, a Poepoe, ka wahine i ka ipuwai. Etc., etc.

FALLEN IS THE CHIEF.

A PROPHECY OF THE OVERTHROW OF THE KINGDOM BY KAMEHAMEHA. [588]

BY KEAULUMOKU.