He Kaao no Kihapiilani

Legend of Kihapiilani.

Kihapiilani was one time king of Maui. It was he who caused the road from Kawaipapa to Kahalaoaka to be paved with smooth rocks, even to the forests of Oopuloa in Koolau, Maui. He also was the one who built the road of shells on Molokai. Lonoapii, a boy was the first-born; then came Piikea, a girl; then Kihawahine, another girl (who is now spoken of as the lizard god Kihawahine); then came Kihapiilani, the youngest, a boy; there being two boys and two girls. At the time of this narrative Lonoapii was the king of the whole of Maui; and Piikea was the wife of Umi, the king of Hawaii.

He ’lii o Kihapiilani, nana i hana kela alanui kipapa pohaku, mai Kawaipapa a Kahalaoaka, a ka nahele o Oopuloa ma Koolau o Maui, nana kela alanui pupu i Molokai. O Lonoapii ka mua, he kane ia, o Piikea kona muli, he wahine ia, o Kihawahine kona muli iho, he wahine ia (oia ke ’kua moo e olelo ia nei i keia wa, o Kihawahine). O Kihapiilani kona muli iho, he kane ia. Alua kane, alua wahine, o Lonoapii ke ’lii o Maui ia wa a puni, o Piikea hoi, o Umi kana kane o ke ’lii o Hawaii.

Kihapiilani lived with his brother, Lonoapii, in Waihee. One day two calabashes of salted nehu were brought to Lonoapii, which he gave out to everybody except Kihapiilani. That being the only fish to be had, Kihapiilani reached over and took some out of the calabash. This action displeased Lonoapii so much that he took up the calabash and threw the fish and brine into the face of Kihapiilani. At this Kihapiilani rose up and went away from the place, accompanied only by his immediate attendant, until they came to Kula, where they made their home. They took to farming and planted eight large fields of potatoes, using but one load of tops to cover the whole area.

Noho pu iho la o Kihapiilani me kona kaikuaana me Lonoapii i Waihee, a mahope, lawe ia mai la elua ipu nehu maka me ke kai, a mua o ke alo o Lonoapii, haawi aku la o Lonoapii i na mea a pau loa a koe o Kihapiilani. Lalau aku o Kihapiilani i ka ipu, e nini mai ana o Lonoapii i ka nehu me ke kai paakai i na maka o Kihapiilani. Ku ae la o Kihapiilani hele me kona wahi kahu a noho i Kula, mahiai iho la ia, ewalu kihapai uala, hookahi apana lau ua paa.

After a time Kihapiilani journeyed to the place where a priest named Apuna was living, and said to him: “I have been insulted; a dish of brine has been thrown into my face. Will you tell me the proper thing to do?” The priest replied: “I cannot do anything for you; but go you to Koolau, at Keanae, and there Kahoko will tell you what to do in the matter; tell him your story.” The priest then asked that, in case the insult were avenged he be given the land of Kula. Kihapiilani replied: “Yes, it shall be yours.”

Iho aku la o Kihapiilani i kahi o ke kahuna o Apuna hai aku la: “E! He makaia ko’u, ua ninini ia kuu maka i ke kai paakai, e hai mai oe i ka mea e pono ai.” I mai ke kahuna: “Aole e pono ia’u, e hele nae oe a Koolau i Keanae, i o Kahoko la, aia ia ia ko alanui e hele ai, nana oe e hai aku.” Nonoi mai o Apuna ke kahuna: “O Kula ko’u aina.” Ae aku o Kihapiilani: “Nou ia, ua lilo ia oe.”

When Kihapiilani arrived in the presence of Kahoko at Keanae, he said to him: “Say, I have been insulted; a dish of brine was thrown into my face. Tell me what to do in the matter.” Kahoko replied: “I cannot do anything for you; but I will advise you what to do. Go on your way until you reach Kauwiki, where you will find Lanakila, who will instruct you what to do.” Kahoko asked that in case he should gain his object that he be given the land of Koolau. Kihapiilani replied: “It shall be yours.”

A hiki o Kihapiilani i mua o Kahoko ma Keanae, i aku: “E! He makaia ko’u ua kopi ia kuu maka i ke kai paakai, e hai mai oe i ka mea pono.” I aku o Kahoko: “A o e pono ia’u ko makaia, e kuhikuhi aku wau ia oe, e hele oe a Kauwiki, aia i laila o Lanakila, nana oe e olelo mai.” Nonoi mai o Kahoko: “O Koolau ko’u aina.” Ae aku o Kihapiilani: “Nou ia.”

When Kihapiilani arrived at Kauwiki, he found Lanakila, to whom he told just what he had told the other priests. Lanakila then said: “I am not able to carry out your desire; but I will advise you what to do in the matter. Here is a canoe; here are the men; there is Hawaii where the clouds are hanging over like a mantle; take that dark object as your guide and follow it.” Lanakila then in turn asked for the land of Hana. Kihapiilani replied: “Yes, it shall be yours.”

A hiki o Kihapiilani ma Kauwiki, loaa o Lanakila, hai aku la keia e like me na olelo mua i kela mau kahuna. I mai o Lanakila: “A o e ku ko makaia ia’u, e kuhikuhi aku wau ia oe i ko alanui e hele ai. Eia ka waa, eia ke kanaka, aia o Hawaii ke kipu mai la ke ao, o ka punohu kou maka e hele ai.” Nonoi aku keia: “O Hana nei na’u e ai.” Ae mai o Kihapiilani: “Ae, nou ia.”

Kihapiilani then left Kauwiki and set sail for Hawaii, landing at Umiwai in Kohala, where he slept, and the next day set forth on his way, a large number of people following him, for he was a very handsome man and was therefore taken by some of them for a friend. From this last place he continued on his way as far as Lamakee, in Kaauhuhu, where he rested; from this place he went on to Laaumama, in Ohanaula, where he was taken in by a chief of that place, Kapuaikahi by name. After partaking of a well served meal he continued on to Waiaoopu in Halaula, where he took a drink, thence to Puaiole, in Aamakao, where he went in bathing; from this place he journeyed to Waikuaala, at which place he took another drink, then continued on to the cliffs of Kaenaokamakaohua, and on down the Pololu valley, pushing on to Honokane and to the cliffs of Kuukuunaakaiole, at which place his friends were afraid of the sharks; but Kihapiilani plunged into the sea, forcing his friends to follow, and together they swam around the inaccessible cliffs at this place. In swimming around these cliffs, Kihapiilani was but following the instructions given him by the priest Lanakila, to follow the dark object which he saw at sea.

Haalele o Kihapiilani ia Kauwiki, holo aku la a pae ma Umiwai i Kohala, moe iho la a ao ae hele. Hahai mai la na kanaka ia Kihapiilani no ke kanaka maikai, a lilo ae la i mau aikane. Malaila aku a Lamakee i Kaauhuhu noho iho la hoomaha; mai laila aku a Laaumama i Ohanaula, hookipa ia e ko laila konohiki, o Kapuaikahi ka inoa, a pau ka ai ana, hele aku la a Waiaoopu i Halaula, inu wai. Mailaila aku a Puaiole i Aamakao auau i ka wai; mailaila aku a Waikuaala, inu wai; a ka pali o Kaenaokamakaohua, iho i Pololu, a Honokane, hiki i ka hulaana o Kuukuunaakaiole; makau na aikane i ka mano, au no o Kihapiilani, hookahi ka au ana me na aikane. Ma keia au ana a lakou ma ka hulaana, mau no ke ku o ka punohu i ke kai, e like me ka olelo a ke kahuna a Lanakila.

After passing the cliffs at this point they swam on to Kakaauki, then to Elelu; and from this place on to Laupahoehoe, where they spent the night. On the next day they pushed on to Waipio and from there to Kapulena, in Hamakua, where they spent the night; from this place they continued on to Kaumoali, to Kaala, to Kaula and on to Laupahoehoe in Hilo, where they slept that night. He discovered that Umi and his wife Piikea were living here; arriving at the house he went in, and being unable to contain himself he wept copious tears. Upon seeing this Umi asked him: “Which one of us is related to you? Is it I, or is it her?” Kihapiilani replied: “It is your wife.” At this Piikea said: “I don’t understand you.” Kihapiilani said: “Lonoapii was the first, then came Piikea, then Kihawahine and then Kihapiilani. I am Kihapiilani, your youngest brother.” Piikea then fell upon him and wept, after which she ordered Umi to prepare food and meat and set them before his brother-in-law. He and his friends then sat down and ate till they were satisfied.

A hala keia hulaana, au aku o Kakaauki, o Elelu, pela lakou i hele ai a Laupahoehoe, moe; ao ae, hele a Waipio, mai laila aku a Kapulena i Hamakua, moe. Mai laila aku a Kaumoali, a Kaala, a Kaula, a Laupahoehoe i Hilo, moe. Ilaila o Umi, me ka wahine o Piikea, hiki ana keia a ka hale, uwe ana keia me ke kulu o ka waimaka. I mai la o Umi: “Owai la o maua kai pili ia oe, owau paha, oia nei paha?” I aku o Kihapiilani: “O ko wahine.” I mai o Piikea: “Aohe maopopo ia’u?” I aku o Kihapiilani: “O Lonoapii ka mua, o Piikea aku, o Kihawahine, o Kihapiilani aku. Owau no o Kihapiilani ko oukou pokii.” Lele mai la o Piikea uwe, kena aku la ia Umi, i ai, ia na ko kaikoeke, ai iho la keia me na aikane a maona.

Umi asked him: “What is the object of this journey that brings you here?” Kihapiilani replied: “I am seeking for some one to avenge me, for Lonoapii threw brine into my face. This is the cause of my coming here.” Umi then turned to Piikea and asked: “What are we to do regarding this request of the chief?” Piikea replied: “Fulfill it, since he has crossed the seas.” Umi then sent out his messengers to carry his orders around the island of Hawaii, that canoes be hewed out. After a number of ten-day periods, the work was finished and his army set sail for Maui. This voyage was known as the sailing of the numberless canoes. The sea from Kohala to Kauwiki was covered with canoes. When the first canoe reached Kauwiki the last canoe was still at Kohala. The canoes were then fastened together in twos and in this way the men walked instead of sailing for Maui, the canoes being a regular road.

Ninau mai o Umi: “Heaha ka huakai o ka hiki ana mai?” I aku o Kihapiilani: “He makaia, i kapi ia kuu maka i ke kai paakai e Lonoapii. Oia kuu mea i holo mai nei.” Ninau aku o Umi ia Piikea: “Pehea la keia olelo a ke ’lii?” I mai o Piikea: “E hooko aku no hoi paha, ua au mai la ka hoi keia i ke kai.” Kena ae la o Umi i na luna, e hele e olelo ma Hawaii a puni, e kalai ka waa, he mau anahulu i hala, oki ka waa. Holo i Maui, kapa ia keia holo ana o ka waa nui. Mai Kohala a Kauwiki i Maui ka moe a na waa, o ka maka mua o na waa i Kauwiki o ka hope i Kohala. Hoomoe palua ia na waa, maluna o laila na kanaka e hele ai, aohe holo, he alanui maoli iho la no ka waa.

In the army of Umi was a man by the name of Piimaiwaa who was a friend of Umi’s, as well as Omaokamau another friend, and also Koi an adopted son. These three men were Umi’s greatest warriors.

Aia me Umi, o Piimaiwaa he koa, he aikane na Umi, o Omaokamau alua aikane, o Koi, he keiki na Umi, he mau koa lakou no Umi.

Hoolae, a chief who had charge of the fort on the top of the hill called Kauwiki, had a great wooden image hewed out, Kawalakii by name, and placed it at the top of the ladder leading to the top of the hill. In the day time his men fought from the top of the hill, and at night the wooden man was made to stand up. This wooden man was a huge thing and in appearance looked just like a man. He held a large war club in one hand. One night, as this image was stood in place, Omaokamau with a number of men under him climbed the hill; but when they came in sight of the wooden man they were frightened. This occurred perhaps three nights.

O Hoolae ke ’lii i luna o ka puu o Kauwiki, nana ke kii o Kawalakii; i ke ao kaua na koa maoli i luna o ka puu o Kauwiki, a po kukulu ua kii nei o Kawalakii ma ka aoao o ka puu, kahi e pii mai ai o lalo. He kii nui o Kawalakii, me he kanaka maoli la ke ano, me ka laau palau i ka lima, i ka wa e kukulu ia ai o ua kii nei i ka po, pii aku o Omaokamau me na koa i ka po, i nana aku ka hana e ku mai ana neia kanaka nui, makau no hoi, ekolu paha po i hana ai peia.

By means of this big wooden man those on top of the hill were for a time secured from attack, as the soldiers of Umi were afraid to climb the hill in the night. Piimaiwaa therefore questioned Omaokamau as follows: “How does the man stand? Does he turn around? Does he change his war club to the left hand?” “No,” said Omaokamau. “He faces but one way and holds his war club in the same hand always. He does not at all twirl his war club.”

O ua kii nei ke kumu pakele o luna o ka puu o Kauwiki, no ka manao ia he kanaka keia mea nui, ke ku mai i ka po, nolaila ka pii ole o na koa o Umi i ka po i luna. Nolaila, ninau aku o Piimaiwaa ia Omaokamau ma: “Pehea ua kanaka la ke ku mai, he huli no, he hoololi no i ka laau ma ka hema?” “Aole,” wahi a Omaokamau, “hookahi no aoao e ku ai me ka laau palau, ao’e hookaa.”

That night Piimaiwaa took up his war club and proceeded on his way to the hill. After climbing it he at last came to the big man, Kawalakii. There the man stood right above him, but Piimaiwaa fearlessly climbed the ladder, and when he was within a few fathoms of the big man, he twirled his war club, Heleleikukaemakuu, first above, then sideways, then downwards and at last made a swinging motion. In all these motions the big man stood in one position and made no attempt to swing his war club. By this Piimaiwaa made sure it was but a wooden man. He therefore approached it and tapped it with his club, and sure enough it sounded like wood. Piimaiwaa then understood the reason why the wooden man was put at the head of the ladder at night; it was to secure peace and safety on the hill of Kauwiki during the night.

Ia po iho, pii aku la o Piimaiwaa me kana laau palau a kokoke i ke kii, ia Kawalakii, e ku mai ana kela maluna mai e pii aku ana keia ma lalo aku nei me ka ia nei laau. He mau anana ke kowa ma waena o laua, hookaa o Piimaiwaa i kana laau, ia Heleleikukaemakuu, a pau ia, hookaa aoao a hualepo, oniu. Aohe oniu mai o ua kii nei i kana laau, nolaila, maopopo ia ia nei, he kii keia kanaka e ku nei, nolaila, hele aku la ia a hookoele i kana laau, a koele ua kii nei. Ia wa, maopopo he kii hoopunipuni keia, i maluhia ka puu o Kauwiki i ka po.

On this night the chiefs and the soldiers of Hoolae, the officer in charge of this fort, were slain, but some of them fled. Piimaiwaa followed Hoolae until he caught him on the eastern side of the mountain of Haleakala where he was killed. War was carried on in general all over Maui until finally Lonoapii was captured at Waihee and killed by the men of Umi.

O ka wa no ia i hee ai ka puu a me na ’lii, na koa, a holo aku la o Hoolae ke ’lii me ka mama loa, hahai aku la o Piimaiwaa, a loaa i ke kuahiwi o Haleakala, ma ka huli hikina o Maui, pepehi ia iho la a make. Hele aku la ke kaua ma Maui a puni, a loaa o Lonoapii i Waihee, kaua iho la a make ia Umi ma.

After the battle and the conquest of Maui, Umi, being the conqueror, gave the island over to Kihapiilani, his brother-in-law, and Kihapiilani took possession and became the king of Maui. It was in his reign that the roadway from Kawaipapa to the forests of Oopuloa was made and paved with smooth rocks. It was also in his reign that the road on Molokai was made and paved with shells instead of rocks. The name of Kihapiilani has therefore been made famous by these roads he built.

Ma keia kaua ana a Umi, a hee ai o Maui, haawi ae la o Umi i ka aina ia Kihapiilani kona kaikoeke, a noho iho la o Kihapiilani he ’lii no Maui ia wa. Nolaila, hana iho la ia i ke alanui mai Kawaipapa aku a komo i ka nahele o Oopuloa, me ke kipapa i ka pohaku. Pela no hoi ke ala i Molokai, he pupu ka pohaku o ia ala, kela mea liilii o loko o ke kai, e hana ia nei, nolaila, kaulana o Kihapiilani ma keia mau hana ana o ke alanui.

After the settlement of all the lands under Kihapiilani was accomplished, Umi returned to Hawaii. The expedition by Umi was termed the expedition of numberless canoes, and is now known as one of the foremost events of ancient Hawaiian history.

A pono na aina a pau loa malalo o Kihapiilani, hoi aku la o Umi i Hawaii. Ua kapa ia keia holo ana a Umi o ka waa nui oia ka helu mua i olelo ia ma ke kuauhau o na mea kahiko o Hawaii nei.

This story gives an idea of the benefits that come to one who travels along patiently like Kihapiilani, and the evils that will surely follow the footsteps of those who act like Lonoapii.

Pela iho la ka pomaikai o ka noho pio ana o Kihapiilani i kona wa ilihune a me ka poino i ili aku maluna o Lonoapii.