CHAPTER XI

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HOW NAMAKAOKAHAI GAVE EVERYTHING TO AUKELENUIAIKU, HER HUSBAND, AND THE BATTLE THAT WAS FOUGHT BETWEEN KUWAHAILO AND AUKELENUIAIKU IN THE HEAVEN.

When Namakaokahai was ready to give everything she possessed to her husband, Aukelenuiaiku, she called her brothers, Kanemoe, Kaneapua, Leapua and Kahaumana. As they stood in her presence, she said to them: “You go up to my uncle and cousin, Kuwahailo and Makalii, and inform them that I have given unto my husband all my possessions. The things above, below, in the uplands, in the lowlands, the drift iron, the iron [84] that stands in the earth, the whale’s tooth, the (ea) turtle shell, the things that grow in the land, and the cluster of stars. Also, tell my uncle and cousin that all these things are now in my husband’s possession; and I also want you to take my husband to them so that they may become acquainted with each other.” All these words of Namakaokahai were pleasing to them.

We must bear in mind that this trip to be undertaken by the brothers of Namakaokahai and Aukelenuiaiku was to heaven.

After Namakaokahai had delivered her orders to her brothers, they began their flight, going as far as the top of the mountains where they rested. In this first flight Aukelenuiaiku went on to heaven, reaching his wife’s place, a most sacred sphere, not accessible to anyone. Although they flew at the same time with Aukelenuiaiku, he got ahead of his brothers-in-law and arrived in heaven first. While Aukelenuiaiku was standing in the sacred place of Namakaokahai, he was seen by Kuwahailo, who said to himself: “Alas! I am afraid my niece is dead; that is why a wizard has arrived, for no one can get up here unless those below are dead.”

In this flight to heaven, Aukelenuiaiku did not think that he was going to meet anyone who would oppose him, and consequently he went along unguarded; but through the powers of his god Lonoikoualii he was warned in time, for the god called out to him: “Say, Aukelenuiaiku, watch or else we will be killed, for I see that we are going to be attacked. Put on your garment of ashes and cover yourself from head to feet; don’t be slow or we will be killed.” By this warning Aukelenuiaiku knew that a conflict was about to begin, and he immediately put on his war pau. As soon as his god finished giving the warning a bolt of fire was sent out from the hand of Kuwahailo and the land began to be in flames. The name of this bolt of fire was Kukuena. After which a large black rock was sent out, called Ikuwa, the thunder. When these things came in contact with the robe of ashes of Aukelenuiaiku, they became as nothing, like chaff and were blown away by the wind.

In this story it was said that when the thunderbolt came in contact with the garment of Aukelenuiaiku it caused the roaring and rumbling of the thunder which is heard to this day. After the bolt of fire was extinguished and the rock became as nothing, Kuwahailo looked at Aukelenuiaiku and lo, he was still in the place where he saw him, still alive. This grieved Kuwahailo heavily: it bode dire trouble that his enemy, the defiant [85] of Kuaihelani, should stand alive before him. After a time he sent another bolt of fire, called Mahuia, and another rock, called Welehu, the second strongest bolt of thunder. The roar was deafening, the heaven rocked, the foundations of the earth were shaken, the waves of the ocean rose high as mountains, large rocks were loosened from the cliffs, the cliffs were opened up and the birds on the mountain heights were alarmed. When these came in contact with the robe of ashes of Aukelenuiaiku they became as nothing, like a gust of wind.

After these death aims of Kuwahailo he again looked and saw Aukelenuiaiku standing in the same place, and still alive. Kuwahailo then said to himself: “Here I have exhausted all my death-dealing weapons and still that man is not killed yet. This is the first man that has been able to withstand all this.”

We will here leave Aukelenuiaiku and Kuwahailo for a time while we take up the brothers of Namakaokahai. In making their flight from the earth to heaven, they saw that Aukelenuiaiku was going much faster than they were. The length of time they took on this voyage was five days and five nights, while Aukelenuiaiku covered the distance in only one day and one night: hence, when Kuwahailo was pouring out his death-dealing bolts, the brothers were still on their way. When they were approaching heaven, and saw from a distance the fire-bolt called Kukuena, and the black rock Ikuwa being hurled at Aukelenuiaiku, they all cried out in alarm, for they thought their brother-in-law would be killed. They then flew to a rocky valley and there laid down; after the fire and the roar of the thunder had gone by they came out, and when they looked they saw Aukelenuiaiku still standing. They then called to him to come and hide himself between the rocks in the valley, for they knew that other death-dealing bolts were yet to come; but Aukelenuiaiku answered them: “You stay there where you are while I remain here until I shall kill Kuwahailo.” As soon as the last death-bolt had passed by, the nephews of Kuwahailo came out and stood in the presence of their uncle. He then asked them: “How is your sister?” “She is at home.” “And whence comes this wizard?” “That is your nephew, the husband of Namakaokahai.” When Kuwahailo heard this from his nephews, he stood there in fear and trembling, and wondered what he was to do to his nephew Aukelenuiaiku, the hero [86] of Kuaihelani. After a pause of some time he said to Aukelenuiaiku: “My nephew, I have indeed sinned against you, for I have this day treated you unkindly. I will therefore make an offering before you of eight hundred men.” When Kuwahailo returned with his eight hundred men, and they stood before Aukelenuiaiku, Aukelenuiaiku turned to Kuwahailo and asked him: “What are these men for?” His uncle replied: “They are my offerings to you.” Aukelenuiaiku replied: “Leave the men for your grandnephew and as people for the land.”

After this the brothers-in-law of Aukelenuiaiku delivered their message, saying: “We have been sent by your niece to bring you a message.” Kuwahailo then asked: “What is the message?” “She told us to tell you, ‘that the things above, below, in the uplands, in the lowlands, are your [new] relative’s: you will live under him: everything has been given to this man,’ her husband.” This was agreeable to Kuwahailo. After this, they all sat down and held a council. In the council, Makalii came and met Aukelenuiaiku. In coming to meet Aukelenuiaiku, Makalii also brought his wife, Malanaikuaheahea.

We will here speak a few words about the wife of Makalii. This woman, Malanaikuaheahea, was a very beautiful woman. Her skin, to look upon her, was red as fire. On coming out of her house, her beauty overshadowed the rays of the sun, so that darkness covered the land, and the red rain would be seen approaching; the fog would also come, and after these things had been seen the fine rain would come, then the red waters would flow and the lightning would play in the heavens. After these things, then the form of Malanaikuaheahea would be seen coming along over the tips of the fingers of her servants, in all her beauty. [87] Makalii thought a good deal of his wife and he made much of her. The sun was eclipsed by her, and the rainbow was her footstool. When Aukelenuiaiku saw these different things and then the wife of Makalii, he grew faint and dizzy, and could hardly control himself, so he made up his mind to come back to earth.

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