CHAPTER II
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THE BIRTH OF UMI.
In course of due time it became apparent to all that Akahiakuleana was with child. Her husband thought of course the child was his, so he took great care of his wife. He did not know that it belonged to Liloa. When Akahiakuleana gave birth to the child, she gave him the name of Umi, and brought him up carefully until he was well grown. As he grew, Umi was very mischievous and would often go out to play with other boys. It was his custom on going out to join the boys in their games to bring them all to the house and then give them all the food in the house. When his mother’s husband returned he would get angry and often punish the boy. This was continued for many days, until at last the mother took pity on the boy and protested against the harsh treatment of her son Umi.
One day Umi secretly asked of his mother: “Have I not a different father?” The mother replied: “Your father is in Waipio; his name is Liloa.” Umi then said: “Shall I not go and see my father?” The mother replied: “Yes, you may go.” Some time after this Akahiakuleana’s husband again beat Umi, when she said to her husband: “My husband, the child is not yours that you should beat him.” The husband in angry voice then asked: “And whose child is it, Liloa’s?” The wife replied: “Yes, it is Liloa’s child, let me tell you.” The husband asked: “What have you to prove that the child is Liloa’s?” Akahiakuleana then called for her maid servant to bring the things for Umi that were left by Liloa. On the things being brought in the wife said: “Here are the proofs.” When the husband saw these things, his doubts were removed, for he was sure the boy Umi belonged to Liloa.
Some days after this Akahiakuleana said to her son Umi: “Here is the loin cloth of Liloa, gird it about you; here is the necklace of whale’s tooth, wear it around your neck; here is the war club, hold it in your hand. Now when you go down to Waipio and meet your father, remember this: When you get to the bottom of the Waipio valley you will see a river which you will have to swim across. When you reach the opposite bank you will see a house standing facing you; that is Liloa’s house. You must not enter in by the gate, but you must climb over the fence. You must not enter in by the front door, but you must go around and enter the house by the back door. After you are in the house look for the old man that is being guarded, with kahilis around him, that is Liloa, your father, my husband who begot you. Go in and sit on his lap, [142] and when he asks for your name tell him you are Umi.”
After these instructions had been imparted by Akahiakuleana to Umi, she said to Omaokamau: “You must accompany the boy, and you must carry the war club for him; take good care of the war club of Liloa.” When the two boys arrived at a place called Koakea they met a boy by the name of Piimaiwaa. Piimaiwaa then asked them: “Where are you two going?” They answered: “To Waipio.” Umi then said to Piimaiwaa: “Will you be my adopted [143] son?” Piimaiwaa replied: “Yes.” They then proceeded on their way until they came to the river in the Waipio valley called Wailoa; they then swam across it and climbed the opposite bank; and when they looked they saw the house of Liloa standing before them. When they drew near the house Umi said to Omaokamau and Piimaiwaa: “You two remain here while I go in and meet Liloa. If I should get killed, you two must retrace your steps over the road we have come by; but if I should live we will all live.”
As soon as he concluded speaking he proceeded on his way and climbed over the wooden fence that surrounded the dwelling house of Liloa and then proceeded on and entered the house from the back [144] door.
When the officers of Liloa saw that the boy’s life was forfeited to [145] the king, because he had climbed over the fence, the kapued place of the king, they chased the boy with the intention of killing him, but Umi boldly entered and sat on the lap of Liloa. Liloa then opened out his knees and Umi dropped to the floor. As Umi sat on the floor Liloa saw the necklace of whale’s tooth around the neck of Umi, and he also saw his loin cloth around the waist of Umi. Liloa then asked: “What is your name?” The boy replied: “I am Umi.” Liloa then took Umi up onto his lap and kissed him. Liloa then asked him: “Where is your mother, Akahiakuleana?” Umi replied: “She is still at home. It was by her directions that I came to you, and she gave me these things I have on me which you left with her.” When Liloa heard this he said to his men around him: “This is my own loin cloth, and this is my necklace of whale’s tooth.” Liloa then asked the boy: “Where is my war club?” Umi replied: “It is with my companion, Omaokamau, outside of the fence.” Omaokamau and Piimaiwaa were then sent for.
Liloa then proceeded to tell the people how he met the mother of Umi and how he lived with her for some days, saying: “When we went to dedicate the temple, and I one day returned without my loin cloth and I had on a ti-leaf loin cloth, you said that I was crazy; but today you see that here is my loin cloth, my necklace of whale’s tooth and my war club. I left these things for my son, who is here.” [146] At the end of the king’s address they then knew that Umi was the son of Liloa.
Liloa then said to his servants: “Go and get my gods and bring them in the presence of Umi to perform the ceremonies of circumcision.” [147] When the gods were set before Umi, the ceremonies were performed and the navel of Umi was cut, and the sacred drum was beaten. At the sound of the drum, Hakau, the first son of Liloa, heard it, so he asked of the servants: “Why is the drum being beaten?” “It is being beaten because the navel of the new son of the king is being cut. The young man’s name is Umi.” When Hakau heard this he came to meet Umi in a great temper. When he saw Liloa, he asked him: “Is this your new son?” Liloa answered: “Yes.” And then he continued in a kindly way: “You shall be the king and he shall be your servant. You shall be above and he shall be under you.” By these kindly words of Liloa his father, Hakau’s temper was driven away and he pretended to be reconciled to Umi.
When Umi took up his residence with Liloa, he obeyed all of Liloa’s advice, and in this way warmed the heart of his father toward him. Hakau, on the other hand, ill-treated his younger brother, and he kept this up even to the day of the death of their father, Liloa.
Before the death of Liloa, he willed all the lands of Hawaii to his first son, Hakau; but left the temples and the gods to his younger son Umi. On the death of Liloa, Hakau took immediate possession of all the lands of Hawaii, and Umi lived under him as a dependent. While thus living, Hakau showed his hatred of Umi in many ways. If Umi took Hakau’s surf board, Hakau would get angry and tell Umi: “You must not use my surf board, because your mother is not a chiefess; the same with my loin cloth.” This ill-treatment toward Umi was kept up by Hakau right along, which made Umi downhearted; so one day Umi was driven away by Hakau. Umi then took his companions, Omaokamau and Piimaiwaa, and left the king’s presence. After they had climbed the cliff leading out of Waipio, and had reached the heights called Koakea, they then continued on to Kukuihaele where they met Koi, a young man, and he was taken along by Umi. From this place they continued on to Kaumoalii, then on to Koholalele, then to Kealakaha, where Umi was born and where his mother, Akahiakuleana, was living; but they did not call on her, preferring to wander on as strangers. They thus continued on their way until they reached the dividing line between Hamakua and Hilo, in the land of Waipunalei, where on account of darkness they called in one of the houses on the wayside.
In this part of the country there lived many pretty young women, who, when they saw how handsome Umi and his followers were, showed a desire for them for husbands. Umi, on account of his being better looking than his companions, had two wives.
After making their residence in this part of the country, they all four decided to hide Umi’s identity, and to keep him at home and not let him touch work of any kind. To this Umi assented and took up a life of idleness. While living there in this way, Omaokamau, Piimaiwaa and Koi would go farming every day on the lands owned by the parents of their wives, and were thus much praised by those people and were made much of because of their great strength. Umi’s father-in-law and mother-in-law, on the other hand, were displeased at the idleness on the part of their son-in-law, for he never would go out to work. Some time after this they went down to lower Laupahoehoe to have a sea bath.
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