He Kaao no Hiku a me Kawelu

Legend of Hiku and Kawelu.

Keahuolu was the father and Lanihau was the mother of Hiku, a boy. These people once lived in Kaumalumalu in the district of Kona, island of Hawaii. Hiku lived with his parents in the uplands of Kaumalumalu until he was grown up. He was of very handsome appearance and was very pleasant to look upon. After he was grown into manhood he left home one day and started down towards the lowlands with his sugar-cane arrow called Pua-ne. While he was engaged in the game of arrow-shooting with the boys he sent his arrow flying in the air and it went buzzing over the head of a bald-headed man, then over a sore-eyed man and then over a lame man, passing over three ahupuaa in its flight, until it dropped at the place where a young girl, by the name of Kawelu, was living. When the arrow struck the ground, Kawelu was sitting outside the house, so she ordered one of her attendants to bring the arrow to her; after she looked at it she hid it.

O Keahuolu ka makuakane, o Lanihau ka makuahine, o Hiku ke keiki, o Kaumalumalu ka aina, o Kona ka moku, o Hawaii ka Mokupuni. Noho o Hiku i uka o Kaumalumalu me kona mau makua a hiki i ka wa nui, he keiki nani loa ia ke nana aku, he helehelena maikai loa kona, a mahope iho oia i kai e ka pua ai me kana pua o Pua-ne. Ia ia e ka pua ana me na kamalii, lele aku la kana pua a he ohule, ne iho la, a he makole, ne iho la, he oopa, ne iho la; ekolu ahupuaa i hala i ka lele ana o kana pua, hiki i ko Kawelu wahi e noho ana. Mawaho o ko Kawelu wahi kahi i haule ai o ka pua, kena aku la o Kawelu i kona kahu e kii i ka pua a lawe mai, a loaa mai la ka pua ia Kawelu, huna iho la ia.

Kawelu was a young girl and was very beautiful. She was without blemish, and was of very high rank, being the daughter of a high chief who lived at some distance away. She was at this time living with her attendants.

He wahine opiopio puupaa maikai loa o Kawelu ke nana aku, aohe ona kina, he ’lii, e noho ana ia me kona kahu, o kona mau makua ma kahi e aku.

Hiku in his desire to find his arrow arrived at this place and asked of Kawelu if she had seen his arrow which he thought had fallen somewhere near her. “No,” said Kawelu. Hiku said: “I saw my arrow drop here.” “We have not seen your arrow,” replied Kawelu. Hiku then said: “If I call for my arrow by its name it would make answer.” “Please do so,” continued Kawelu. “Pua-ne, Pua-ne,” called out Hiku. “Yes,” answered the arrow. “There you are, you two have hidden my arrow.” Kawelu then called out to Hiku: “Come and get your arrow.” As Hiku reached for the arrow, Kawelu grabbed his hand and pulled him into the house. As Hiku entered, Kawelu ordered her attendant out, after which they plighted their vows. This was kept up for five days, when Hiku became very hungry, for Kawelu went and took her meals by herself without asking Hiku. On the sixth day, as Kawelu went out to the eating house to take some food, Hiku rose and went up to his home at Kaumalumalu.

Hiki mai la o Hiku a ma waho o ka hale, ninau aku la: “E na ’lii e, aole anei olua i ike i kuu pua i lele mai nei a haule iho nei maanei iho nei?” “Aole,” wahi a Kawelu. I aku o Hiku: “Ua ike pono mai nei au i ka haule ana o kuu pua maanei.” “Aole maua i ike i kau pua,” pela mai o Kawelu. Wahi a Hiku: “Ina no wau i kahea aku i ka inoa o ka’u pua, e o mai no.” “O i ana,” pela mai o Kawelu. “Pua-ne, Pua-ne.” “O.” “A aia hoi paha la, ua huna olua i kuu pua.” Kahea mai o Kawelu ia Hiku: “Kiina mai ko pua.” Ia Hiku i kii ai i ka pua, lalau mai la o Kawelu a huki aku la ma ka lima. A komo o Hiku i loko o ka hale, kipaku o Kawelu i ke kahu e hele i waho, a hele ke kahu, ia wa laua i umeume ai i na kaula maawe a ka manao, he hana io. Noho iho la laua i loko o ka hale i ke ao a me ka po, a hala elima la ia laua, ma keia mau la a laua i noho ai, ua pololi o Hiku i ka ai, no ka mea, ala ae la no o Kawelu, hele e ai, me ka olelo ole ia Hiku. I ke ono o ka la, hele o Kawelu e ai, ia wa i hoi ai o Hiku i kona wahi i uka o Kaumalumalu.

When Kawelu came back after her meal she discovered that Hiku was not in the house, so she went out to look for him; as she came out of the house she saw him climbing the heights of Puukuakahi. Kawelu then started after him, calling her husband to come back; but Hiku refused to come back saying: “I will not return, for I was made to feel hungry in your house; go back.” When Kawelu reached the top of Puukuakahi, Hiku had reached the top of the heights of Puukuakolu, and this distance between them was maintained until Hiku had reached the heights of Puukuaumi and Kawelu on the heights of Puukuaiwa. At this place Hiku called out for the maile vines, the ie vines, the ohia trees and all the different kinds of vegetation to creep over and to grow up in the pathway behind him, thus closing the way to Kawelu. She, however, upon coming to the place where the different vines had tangled up her way, struggled on, tearing her pau and other garments and receiving scratches all over her body. At this Kawelu chanted her love to Hiku in the following lines:

Ma keia hoi ana o Hiku, hele o Kawelu e ai a hoi mai, i nana aku ka hana aole o Hiku o loko o ka hale, huli ae la ia a nana i uka, e pii ana o Hiku i Puukuakahi. Hahai aku la o Kawelu mahope i ke kane, e kahea ana e hoi mai, hoole mai o Hiku: “Aole au e hoi aku, no ka mea, ua pololi au i kou hale, o hoi.” A hiki o Kawelu i Puukuakahi, a Puukuakolu o Hiku, pela laua i pii ai a hiki o Hiku i Puukuaumi, hiki o Kawelu i Puukuaiwa. Kahea o Hiku i ka maile, ke ie, ka ohia, ka nahelehele. Ia wa, hihi o mua a paa ke alanui, aohe alanui e hiki aku ai o Kawelu, a ua pau ka pa-u a me ke kapa, ka ili i ka poholehole. Ia wa kau aku o Kawelu i kona aloha ia Hiku, penei:

Hiku is climbing the heights,
As the branches of the trees are hindering my way.
It is being pressed down by the rain,
The flowers have fallen down below,
The flowers rejected by Kanaloa.
Let me have some of the flowers that I may string me a wreath,
The flowers that we two have indulged in;
For you have indulged, Hiku, in the love of a sister.

Pii ana Hiku i ke kualono,
E ka lala e kau kolo nei,
Ua keekeehia e ka ua,
Ua helelei ka pua i lalo,
Ka pua malau a Kanaloa,
Homai ana kekahi pua e kui ae i ko’u lei,
Ka pua i walea ai maua;
Ua walea oe e Hiku i ka ipo kuahine.

Kawelu wept bitter tears upon finding herself thus abandoned, and after a while again chanted:

Uwe iho la o Kawelu me na waimaka e helelei ana, a hopu iho la i ka upe a ka ae la, kau hou aku la ia:

Kawelu shall henceforth live in Hanakaumalu,
Kawelu shall henceforth live in Hanakaumalu,
Where the koolau winds waft there below,
Stringing the blossoms of the kou,
For my companion hath now become my idol to be carried standing and at my breast,
For I shall henceforth belong there below.

Noho ana Kawelu i Hanakaumalu,
Noho ana Kawelu i Hanakaumalu,
Aheahe koolau wahine o lalo,
Kui ana i ka pua o ke kou
Ko’u hoa, ua lilo i hiiku i hiialo,
No lalo ka hoi oe e ke hoa.

In this chant of Kawelu she voiced her intention of giving up the idea of again looking for Hiku, her lover, and of going home and strangling herself, and thereby go down to dwell with Milu in the under world, as in the last line of her plaint.

Ma keia mele hope a Kawelu, ua pau kona manao uhai ia Hiku, eia ka mea i holo i kona manao, o ka hoi a kaawe, a iho i lalo me Milu e noho ai, e like me ka lalani hope o ke mele ana.

Hiku continued on his way until he arrived at his parents’, where he again lived with them. His love for the vanished twilight of Kona, Kawelu, however, kept growing stronger and ever stronger, until it was more than he could bear. He finally decided to return to Kawelu as soon as he could forget her ill treatment of him.

Hoi aku la o Hiku a hiki i na makua, noho iho la me ke aloha i ka liula koili o Kona, oia o Kawelu, e manao ana a pau kona huhu hoi me Kawelu.

Kawelu after voicing her intent returned home and said to her attendants: “I am going to sleep and I don’t want you to wake me up, nor to hear any disturbances. I shall awaken when I feel like it.” Upon entering the house she laid down as though to sleep and strangled herself to death. After a day and a night had gone by, the people began to grow restless about Kawelu, so they opened the door and entered the house. Upon looking at Kawelu they saw her tongue hanging out; she was quite dead.

Hoi aku la o Kawelu a hiki i ka hale, olelo aku la i na mea a pau: “E hiamoe ana au, mai hoala oukou i kuu hiamoe; mai komo mai kekahi ma ko’u wahi moe; mai hoohalulu, na’u no wau e ala ae.” Ma keia moe ana o Kawelu, ua kaawe oia a make iho la. A hala ka la a me ka po, nauki loa na mea a pau i ka moe loa o Kawelu, kii aku la wehe i ka puka, i nana aku ka hana, e lewalewa mai ana ke elelo, ua make loa.

The people mourned for her many days, the people of Kona joining in, for they all loved Kawelu. After the time of mourning was ended the people went up to the mountains for timbers, for the purpose of building a house in which to place her corpse. While on this mission some of the people went up as far as the place where the parents of Hiku were living, and they were asked as to the object of their mission. They replied: “We have come for house timbers for our young chiefess, who is dead.” “What is her name?” “Kawelu.”

Uwe iho la lakou me ka kanikau i na la he nui; makena iho la na makaainana o Kona ia Kawelu, a hala ia, pii na kanaka i laau hale e waiho ai ke kino kupapau o Kawelu. Ma keia pii ana, hiki loa aku la kekahi kanaka ma kahi a na makua o Hiku e noho ana, ninau mai la: “E pii ana oe i hea?” “I pii mai nei makou i laau hale no ke ’lii wahine o makou ua make.” “Owai ka inoa?” “O Kawelu.”

The men then returned; while Hiku, who was lying down, rose and came to ask his parents, saying: “What were you talking about out there with those men?” “Kawelu is dead, and they came up here for timbers to build a house in which to place her dead body. That is what the men said.” When Hiku heard this he wept sorely, for he loved Kawelu. After a while Hiku asked his parents if he could go and get Kawelu; the parents replied: “Go to the priest and tell him your wish.” Hiku then rose and went to the priest and told him of his intention of going in search of Kawelu. To this the priest replied: “Go and get much kowali vine, then go out to mid-ocean and let down one end of the vine into the sea, for your wife is now in the possession of Milu. It is possible the spirits may all have a desire to take a ride on the swing, then you will be able to get Kawelu; but you must first rub yourself all over with old decayed kukui nut.”

Hoi aku la ua kanaka ala, ala mai o Hiku a ninau mai i na makua: “Ea! Heaha ka oukou olelo ma waho nei me ke kanaka?” “Ua make o Kawelu, o ia kona kumu i pii mai nei i laau hale e waiho ai ke kino kupapau. Oia ka olelo a ua kanaka ala.”

A lohe o Hiku, uwe iho la ia me ka waimaka, no ke aloha ia Kawelu. Ia wa, ninau aku la o Hiku i na makua, no ka pono o ke kii ana ia Kawelu. Olelo mai na makua: “E hele oe a ke kahuna olelo aku.” Hele aku la o Hiku a hiki i ke kahuna, hai aku la i na mea a pau loa e pili ana no Kawelu. I mai ke kahuna: “E imi oe i kowali a nui, alaila, holo a ka moana, hookuu iho i lalo, no ka mea, ua lilo ko wahine ia Milu; malama o lealea na akua a pau i ke kowali, alaila loaa o Kawelu, a e hamo hoi oe ia oe i ke kukui pilau.”

Hiku did as he was instructed by the priest, and after collecting all the kowali vines he could get, he took a double canoe and paddled out to mid-ocean; he then lowered one of the kowali vines into the sea, and taking another vine he lowered himself down. Just as he was going over the side of the canoe he told the men: “When you feel a jerky motion, haul up the vine.” Hiku then lowered himself down and when he reached the lower world he began to swing himself on his vine. When the people of the lower world saw Hiku swinging himself back and forth, they all wanted to have a ride. Kawelu was by the side of Milu. The spirits then called out: “Say, you ill-smelling spirit,” but Hiku paid them no attention. The spirits were all anxious for a ride on the swing and were also taken with the chant Hiku was singing:

Hana aku la o Hiku e like me na olelo a ke kahuna. Holo aku la me na waa a ka moana, hookuu i na kowali i lalo a pau loa, a o Hiku hoi ma kekahi kowali, lele ana i lalo, olelo aku o Hiku i ka poe o luna o na waa: “Ina i umeume au i ke kowali, alaila huki oukou.” Iho aku la o Hiku me na kowali a hiki i lalo, lele ana, ike mai la na mea a pau loa i ka lele o Hiku, lealea mai la; e noho ana o Kawelu me Milu. Kahea mai la na mea a pau loa: “Kahi akua pilau, kahi akua pilau.” Aka, ua makemake loa na mea a pau i ka lele o Hiku i ke kowali, a me kona olioli mele ana, penei:

I have a swing,
While the rest of you children have none;
When you fall, it is only to sit on your behind.

Ko’u kowali,
Kamaliilii kowali ole,
Haule iho i lalo papaakea ka okole.

By these actions of Hiku they all jumped on the vine and began swinging back and forth. Milu could not keep himself away, so he too took a ride, leaving Kawelu all by herself. Hiku on seeing this invited Kawelu saying: “Here is our swing, come and ride with me.” “I will not ride with you for you smell bad.” Hiku replied: “I will cover myself over with my mantle and you can sit on me.” At this Kawelu consented and she jumped and sat on Hiku, and they began to swing back and forth. While Kawelu was enjoying herself, Hiku pulled on the vine, so those on the canoe began to haul it up. Just as they were about to reach the surface Hiku held on to Kawelu very tightly and held her so until they got into the canoe, and from there on to the house.

Ma keia mau hana a Hiku, kau mai la na mea a pau i ke kowali a me Milu kekahi, a lele aku la, a koe o Kawelu aohe ona kowali e lele ai. Kahea aku o Hiku: “Eia ko kaua kowali e lele ai.” Hoole mai o Kawelu: “Aole au e lele me oe, he pilau oe.” I aku Hiku: “Pale ae no hoi paha wau i kahi kapa, a kau iho no hoi oe maluna o’u.” Ma keia olelo a Hiku, lele mai la o Kawelu a kau pu me Hiku i luna o ke kowali hookahi a lele aku la. A nanea o Kawelu i ka lele o ke kowali, ia wa umeume o Hiku i ke kowali, alaila huki o luna, a kokoke i luna loa, puliki o Hiku ia Kawelu a paa, a puka loa laua i luna a kau i na waa, a hoi aku la i ka hale.

When they reached the house where the dead body of Kawelu was lying, Hiku pushed the spirit of Kawelu into the body from the feet. After the spirit had gone as far as the knees, it came back as it was afraid of the body for it was decaying. Hiku, however, kept on urging the spirit up into the body, and he did this for some days until it finally entered the body, then on to the breast, then to the throat and at last Kawelu crowed like a rooster. After this she was taken up and warmed until Kawelu was restored to life and was again herself.

A hiki i kahi i waiho ai ke kino kupapau o Kawelu, hoo aku la o Hiku i ka uhane o Kawelu ma na wawae, komo aku la a na kuli, hoi hou, no ka makau i ka pilau o ke kino. Pela o Hiku i hana ai a hala he mau la, komo ka uhane a loko o ke kino, a ka umauma, a ka puu, o o moa ae la o Kawelu.

The two from this time on again took up their thread of life where they had left it and lived on as husband and wife.

Mahope o laila, puholoholo iho la a ola ae la o Kawelu, a hoi no e like me mamua, a noho iho la laua he kane a he wahine.