XV.
HINA, THE WOMAN IN THE MOON.
The Wailuku river has by its banks far up the mountain side some of the most ancient of the various interesting picture rocks of the Hawaiian Islands. The origin of the Hawaiian picture writing is a problem still unsolved, but the picture rocks of the Wailuku river are called "na kii o Maui," "the Maui pictures." Their antiquity is beyond question.
The most prominent figure cut in these rocks is that of the crescent moon. The Hawaiian legends do not attempt any direct explanation of the meaning of this picture writing. The traditions of the Polynesians both concerning Hina and Maui look to Hina as the moon goddess of their ancestors, and in some measure the Hawaiian stories confirm the traditions of the other island groups of the Pacific.
Fornander, in his history of the Polynesian race, gives the Hawaiian story of Hina's ascent to the moon, but applies it to a Hina the wife of a chief called Aikanaka rather than to the Hina of Hilo, the wife of Akalana, the father of Maui. However, Fornander evidently found some difficulty in determining the status of the one to whom he refers the legend, for he calls her "the mysterious wife of Aikanaka." In some of the Hawaiian legends Hina, the mother of Maui, lived on the southeast coast of the Island Maui at the foot of a hill famous in Hawaiian story as Kauiki. Fornander says that this "mysterious wife" of Aikanaka bore her children Puna and Huna, the latter a noted sea-rover among the Polynesians, at the foot of this hill Kauiki. It can very easily be supposed that a legend of the Hina connected with the demi-god Maui might be given during the course of centuries to the other Hina, the mother of Huna. The application of the legend would make no difference to anyone were it not for the fact that the story of Hina and her ascent to the moon has been handed down in different forms among the traditions of Samoa, New Zealand, Tonga, Hervey Islands, Fate Islands, Nauru and other Pacific island groups. The Polynesian name of the moon, Mahina or Masina, is derived from Hina, the goddess mother of Maui. It is even possible to trace the name back to "Sin," the moon god of the Assyrians.
The moon goddess of Ponape was Ina-maram. (Hawaiian Hina-malamalama), "Hina giving light."
In the Paumotan Islands an eclipse of the sun is called Higa-higa-hana (Hina-hiua-hana), "The act (hana) of Hina--the moon."
In New Zealand moonless nights were called "Dark Hina."
In Tahiti it is said there was war among the gods. They cursed the stars. Hina saved them, although they lost a little light. Then they cursed the sea, but Hina preserved the tides. They cursed the rivers, but Hina saved the springs--the moving waters inland, like the tides in the ocean.
The Hawaiians say that Hina and her maidens pounded out the softest, finest kapa cloth on the long, thick kapa board at the foot of Kauiki. Incessantly the restless sea dashed its spray over the picturesque groups of splintered lava rocks which form the Kauiki headland. Here above the reach of the surf still lies the long, black stone into which the legends say Hina's kapa board was changed. Here Hina took the leaves of the hala tree and, after the manner of the Hawaiian women of the ages past, braided mats for the household to sleep upon, and from the nuts of the kukui trees fashioned the torches which were burned around the homes of those of high chief rank.
At last she became weary of her work among mortals. Her family had become more and more troublesome. It was said that her sons were unruly and her husband lazy and shiftless. She looked into the heavens and determined to flee up the pathway of her rainbow through the clouds.
The Sun was very bright and Hina said, "I will go to the Sun." So she left her home very early in the morning and climbed up, higher, higher, until the heat of the rays of the sun beat strongly upon her and weakened her so that she could scarcely crawl along her beautiful path. Up a little higher and the clouds no longer gave her even the least shadow. The heat from the sun was so great that she began to feel the fire shriveling and torturing her. Quickly she slipped down into the storms around her rainbow and then back to earth. As the day passed her strength came back, and when the full moon rose through the shadows of the night she said, "I will climb to the moon and there find rest."
But when Hina began to go upward her husband saw her and called to her: "Do not go into the heavens." She answered him: "My mind is fixed; I will go to my new husband, the moon." And she climbed up higher and higher. Her husband ran toward her. She was almost out of reach, but he leaped and caught her foot. This did not deter Hina from her purpose. She shook off her husband, but as he fell he broke her leg so that the lower part came off in his hands. Hina went up through the stars, crying out the strongest incantations she could use. The powers of the night aided her. The mysterious hands of darkness lifted her, until she stood at the door of the moon. She had packed her calabash with her most priceless possessions and had carried it with her even when injured by her cruel husband. With her calabash she limped into the moon and found her abiding home. When the moon is full, the Hawaiians of the long ago, aye and even today, look into the quiet, silvery light and see the goddess in her celestial home, her calabash by her side.
The natives call her now Lono-moku, "the crippled Lono." From this watch tower in the heavens she pointed out to Kahai, one of her descendents, the way to rise up into the skies. The ancient chant thus describes his ascent:
"The rainbow is the path of Kahai. Kahai rose. Kahai bestirred himself. Kahai passed on the floating cloud of Kane. Perplexed were the eyes of Alihi. Kahai passed on on the glancing light. The glancing light on men and canoes. Above was Hanaiakamalama." (Hina).
Thus under the care of his ancestress Hina, Kahai, the great sea-rover, made his ascent in quest of adventures among the immortals.
In the Tongan Islands the legends say that Hina remains in the moon watching over the "fire-walkers" as their great protecting goddess.
The Hervey Island traditions say that the Moon (Marama) had often seen Hina and admired her, and at last had come down and caught her up to live with himself. The moonlight in its glory is called Ina-motea, "the brightness of Ina."
The story as told on Atiu Island (one of the Society group) is that Hina took her human husband with her to the moon, where they dwelt happily for a time, but as he grew old she prepared a rainbow, down which he descended to the earth to die, leaving Hina forevermore as "the woman in the moon." The Savage Islanders worshiped the spirits of their ancestors, saying that many of them went up to the land of Sina, the always bright land in the skies. To the natives of Niue Island, Hina has been the goddess ruling over all tapa making. They say that her home is "Motu a Hina," "the island of Hina," the home of the dead in the skies.
The Samoans said that the Moon received Hina and a child, and also her tapa board and mallet and material for the manufacture of tapa cloth. Therefore, when the moon is shining in full splendor, they shade their eyes and look for the goddess and the tools with which she fashions the tapa clouds in the heavens.
The New Zealand legend says that the woman went after water in the night. As she passed down the path to the spring the bright light of the full moon made the way easy for her quick footsteps, but when she had filled her calabash and started homeward, suddenly the bright light was hidden by a passing cloud and she stumbled against a stone in the path and fell to the ground, spilling the water she was carrying. Then she became very angry and cursed the moon heartily. Then the moon became angry and swiftly swept down upon her from the skies, grasping her and lifting her up. In her terrible fight she caught a small tree with one hand and her calabash with the other. But oh! the strong moon pulled her up with the tree and the calabash and there in the full moon they can all be traced when the nights are clear.
Pleasant or Nauru Island, in which a missionary from Central Union Church, Honolulu, is laboring, tells the story of Gigu, a beautiful young woman, who has many of the experiences of Hina. She opened the eyes of the Mother of the Moon as Hina, in some of the Polynesian legends, is represented to have opened the eyes of one of the great goddesses, and in reward is married to Maraman, the Moon, with whom she lives ever after, and in whose embrace she can always be seen when the moon is full. Gigu is Hina under another and more guttural form of speech. Maraman is the same as Malama, one of the Polynesian names for the moon.
INDEX
Page.
Akea or Atea, see Wakea, 41
Akalana, or Ataranga, 3, 4, 166
Alae birds, 12, 18, 27, 62, 65, 120, 123
Alae-Huapi, 120
Alae-nui-a-Hina, 123
Ao-tea-roa, 23, 93, 106, 108, 128, 137
Aumakuas, 26
Ava-iki, or Hawa-i-ki, 5, 37, 41, 52, 72, 137
Awa, 8
Axe, stone, 93, 94
Bailing dish, 123
Bananas, 45, 64
Banyan, 56, 71
Barbs, spears, 79, 101
Birds, 85, 110, 112, 135, 144
Bird-machine, 125
Birds, painted, 85, 112
Black rock, 32, 48
Boiling pots, 100, 152
Bones, fish hooks, 15, 83
Brittany, 57
Bua-Tarana-ga, 5
Cain and Abel, 89
Calabash, 19, 31, 84, 115
Cannibalism, 91, 93
Canoe, Maui's, 28, 118, 150
Cats-cradle, 86
Cloud, Maui's-ao-opua, 150
Coco-nut Island, 19, 26
Cook, Captain, 7
Cooking the rain, 163
Coral, 29
Creation, 4, 80, 86
Crocodile, 148
Death, 25, 38, 67, 82, 137, 170
Death chant, 138
Dog, 80, 102
Dragon, 97, 148, 153
Earth twisted, 12, 15
Eclipse, 42, 158
Eel, 7, 33, 83, 94, 130
Eel baskets, 79, 102
Eight-eyed, 83, 124
Ellis, William, 84
Egypt, 44
Evolution, 85, 103, 109, 132
Fairies, 113
Fire-finding-- Australia, 59 Bowditch Islands, 76 Chatham Islands, 75 De Peysters Islands, 59 Hawaii, 61, 120 Hervey Islands, 67, 70 Indians, 57 New Zealand, 67, 74, 88 Peruvians, 59 Samoa, 67, 70 Savage Islands, 67, 72 Society Islands, 66, 72 Tartary, 59 Tokelau Island, 67
First man, 89
Fishing up islands-- Hawaii, 14, 18, 26 Hervey Islands, 26 New Hebrides, 25 New Zealand, 19, 88 Samoa, 24 Tonga, 24, 28
Fish hooks, 12, 15, 20, 26, 81, 118
Fish nets, 81
Flood, 25
Flying machine, 125
Forbes, Rev. A. O., 42
Fornander, A., 83
Ganges, 154
Gilbert Islands, 34, 60
Gill, W. W., 36
Gray, Sir George, 7, 20, 23, 49, 101, 110
Green stone, 110, 134
Guardian of under-world, 4, 5, 17, 70
Hades, 129
Halai hills, 64, 155
Hale-a-ka-la, 7, 13, 32, 43, 62, 143
Hale-a-o-a, 76
Hau tree, 102
Hau spirit, Preface
Haumia-Tiki-Tiki, 34
Hawa-iki, 5, 35, 37, 137, 154
Hawaii-loa, 29
Hawke's bay, 28
Hele-a-ka-la, 122
Hercules, 53, 112
Hervey Islands, 4, 5, 10
Hide-and-seek, 10
Hilo, 7, 19, 26, 64, 129, 147, 155
Hina, 5, 7, 10, 12, 18, 45, 61, 64, 121, 139
Hina-a-ke-ahi, 3, 27, 157
Hina-a-ke-ka, 123
Hina-a-te-lepo, 91
Hina-Kulu-ua, 157, 161
Hina-uri, 101
Hine-nui-te-po, 23, 123, 133
Hina's daughters, 156
Horizon or heaven, 107
Human sacrifices, 159
Hump-back, 125
Huna, 166
Iao, 43
Ie-ie, fiber, 125
Iiwi, 113
Ika-o-Maui, 23
Ili-ahi, 66
Immortality, Maui, 128
Imu, oven, 159
Ina, see Hina, 5, 66, 142
India, 154
Indians, fire-finding, 57
Indians, snaring sun, 54
Ira Waru, 101
Kaahumanu, 143
Ka-alae-huapi, 120
Kahai chant, 169
Ka-iwi-o-Pele, 18
Kalakaua, 8
Kalana-Kalanga, see Akalana, 3, 4, 60
Kalau-hele-moa, 45
Kamapuaa, 83
Kanaloa, 5, 24, 29, 120
Kane, 35, 119, 135
Kane's cave, 119
Kauai, 26
Kauiki, or Kauwiki, 7, 12, 26, 143, 168
Kaula Island, 26
Kipahula, 18
Ki-i-ki-i, 6, 32, 143
Kite-flying, 87, 112, 128
Ko, spade, 94
Kohala, 28
Koolau, 44
Ku, 5
Kualii, 12
Kuna, see Tuna, 7, 99
Ku-olo--Kele, 125
Ku-ula, fish god, 140
La, or Ra, 5, 44
Langi, Lani, 34
Lahaina, 32
Lasso, 47, 51, 80, 144
Lifting the sky-- Ellice Islands, 33 Gilbert Islands, 34 Hawaii, 31 Hervey Islands, 36 Manahiki, 35 New Zealand, 34 Samoa, 32
Liliuokalani chants, 3, 8, 17, 27, 40
Long Eel, 92
Lono, 34
Ma-eli-eli hill, 120
Magic fish hook, 82
Mahui, Mahuika, Mafuia, 5, 60, 68, 73, 132
Mahina, or Masina, 166
Mamo bird, 114
Manahiki Islands, 24, 80
Maori, 28, 34
Marama, or Malama, 166, 171
Marshall Islands, 60
Maru, 89
Mauna Kea, 13
Maui Akalana-- Akamai, 78, 82 baptized, 10, 133 birth, 6 bird or insect, 9, 10, 20, 24, 71, 114, 144 brothers, 3, 6, 14, 22, 24, 78, 107 canoes, 28 children, 82, 93, 137 creation, 4, 80 death, 25, 26 Hawaii, 130 Hervey Islands, 131 New Zealand, 137 Samoa, 131 eight-eyed, 83 footprints, 25, 33 god or demi-god, 4, 148 home, 4, 7, 10, 31, 119 hook, 12, 15, 19, 26, 28 of the malo, Preface prophet, 84 sister, 6 the swift, 64, 117, 121 uncles, 8
Maui-Mua, or Rupe, 106, 125
Maui Hope, 124
Maui Waena, 3, 124
Mercury, 11
Moemoe, 48
Mo-o, 41, 97, 99
Moon, 41, 89, 134
Moon, Hina the goddess, 147, 156, 165
Motu, or Mokua Hina, 170
Mudhen, 120
Muri, 48, 50
Nauru Islands, 171
New Heavens, 107
New Hebrides Islands, 25
New Zealand, 4, 5, 7, 9
Niu Islands, 33
Oahu legends-- Maui and the two gods, 119 How they found fire, 120 Maui catching the sun, 122 Uniting the islands, 123 Maui and Pea-pea, 124
Obsidian, 109, 134
Ohia trees, 80
Olona, 81, 114, 117
O-o, spade, 94
O-o, bird, 114
Paoa, 29
Papa, 34
Payton, 25
Pea-pea, the eight-eyed, 124
Pearl Harbor, 123
Peruvians, 59
Pictographs, 165
Pigeon, 9
Pimoe, 18
Pohakunui, 64
Prometheus, 57
Puka-a-Maui, 151
Pumice stone, 38
Puna, 166
Puu-o-hulu, 119, 123
Ra or La, sun-god, 5, 44
Rainbow Falls, 8, 26, 99, 147
Raro Tonga, 6, 24
Roko, 97
Rongo, 34
Ru, 5, 35
Rupe, Maui-mua, 106, 125
Samoa, 5, 24, 29
Sandalwood, 66
Savage Islands, 74
Savaii, 29, 129
Scorpion, 26
Serpent, 33
Sharks, 18, 123
Short days, 143
Sina, see Hina, 96, 143, 166, 171
Snaring the sun-- Fiji, 54 Hawaii, 42, 122, 144 Hervey Islands, 52 Indians, 54 New Zealand, 48 Samoa, 143 Society Islands, 41, 50, 53, 143 Tonga, 40
Snow, 89
Society Islands, 5
Spears, 81
Spirits, islands of, 129
Stone implements, 86, 93, 110
Sun, created, 41
Supporter of the Heavens, 37
Tabu, 102, 126
Tahiti, 76, 86
Talanga or Kalana, 5, 68
Tane, see Kane, 35
Tangaroa or Kanaloa, 6, 24, 25, 34, 66
Tapa, 11, 13, 42, 62, 116, 119, 122, 141
Taro, 121
Tattooing, 80, 104, 136
Tawhiri, 35
Te-ika-o-Maui, 23
Ti leaves, 125
Ti-i-Ti-i} } Kii-Kii, 6, 25, 32, 34, 60, 68 Tiki-Tiki}
Tini-rau, 106, 108
Tokelau Island, 67
Tonga, 28, 40, 89, 129
Tonga-iti, 41
Tracey Islands, 33
Tu or Ku, 35
Tuna or Kuna, 91 Fiji, 91 Hawaii, 99, 148 Hervey Islands, 154 New Zealand, 92 Samoa, 96
Turner, 24
Ulua, 12, 18
Under-world, 4, 9, 15, 51, 68, 129
Uniting the islands, 123
Upolu, 25
Vatea, or Wakea, 41
Vatupu Islands, 33
Waianae, 65, 119
Waikuna, 100, 148
Wailuku, 7, 26, 80, 140, 146
Waipahu, 125
Waipio, 115
Wakea, Vatea, Atea, 4, 41
Water of life, 134
White, John, 87, 96, 101, 132
Wife of Maui, 91, 124, 137, 156
Wiliwili tree, 44
Winds, 86, 115
Woman in the Moon, 165