CHAPTER I

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HIS EARLY TRAINING.

Lonoikamakahiki [228] was the king of Hawaii after the death of Keawenuiaumi [229] at a period about sixty-four generations from Wakea. Keawenuiaumi was his father and Kaihalawai was his mother. Lonoikamakahiki was born at Napoopoo, and it was at this place that he was brought up by his retainers until he was full grown. His retainers were Hauna and Loli, and Kohenemonemo the wife of the two men.

When Lonoikamakahiki was quite young, when he was just about beginning to reason for himself, he looked up one day and saw the various implements used by his father in the different games, which were hanging up in the palace; when he saw the long spear used in the game of pahee [230] he looked at it for a long time and then asked his retainers: “What are those long things hanging up there on the side of the house?” The retainers replied: “They are pahee spears.” Lonoikamakahiki again asked them: “What are they used for?” The retainers then told him: “When two men wish to wager certain articles of value, they would proceed to the pahee grounds and upon arriving at the place they would decide first as to the wager, whether it be articles of value or pieces of land. If they do not wager these things, then they would put up other things, such as their bones, meaning their lives. After the bets are agreed on, they would then proceed to play the game of pahee. If the points to be scored in order to win the game be made fifteen, then the one who first obtains this number of points would win and the one with the lesser points would lose; then the winner takes the articles wagered, or whatever had been placed as wagers. Sometimes the articles of value would be so great that it would take three and four houses to hold them all. But if the things wagered be their bones, then death of course would be meted out to the loser. Wagering for bones was not made very often, only when the parties entered into the merits of their skill by long and spirited arguments, each claiming to be superior to the other. That is the use of those long things you see.”

When Lonoikamakahiki heard this explanation he replied: “Those things are worthless and have very little use; the great objection I have against them is that they are used by men for the purpose of making wagers, even to the extent of their bones, on the result of their skill after heated arguments. That is the reason they are worthless.” The retainers then said: “That is what the pahee spears are used for and the reason why they are being kept by your father.”

Lonoikamakahiki again looked up and saw a round, flat stone and again asked: “What is that thing?” The retainers replied: “It is called an olohu.” [231] Lonoikamakahiki again asked: “What is it used for?” Then the retainers told him that it was used in the same way and for the same purpose as the pahee spears. At this Lonoikamakahiki replied: “Throw it away; it is also worthless.”

Again Lonoikamakahiki looked, and when he saw the sugar-cane top, used as an arrow, he asked of his retainers: “What is that?” The retainers replied: “It is an arrow made from the sugar-cane top.” Lonoikamakahiki again asked: “And what is it used for?” The retainers replied: “It is also used in games. If two or three fellows wish to play the game with the arrows [232] they go to the playground and see who could glide his arrow on the ground the farthest. The one who can send it the farthest wins. If articles of value have been placed as wagers the winner takes them. It is used in the same way and for the same purpose as the pahee spears, and large wagers have been lost and won on the game.” Lonoikamakahiki then replied: “It, too, is worthless; you had better break it up and throw it away.”

Again Lonoikamakahiki looked up, and when he saw a wooden club he asked: “And what is that thing?” The retainers replied: “It is a wooden club.” [233] Lonoikamakahiki again asked: “And what is its purpose?” The retainers replied: “It is an implement of war and used to kill people with. If a battle is being fought with one side opposing the other then the war club comes in use as an implement of war. When this club is used in war it can kill as many as forty people, and sometimes it will kill more people than that.” Lonoikamakahiki then said: “That thing is also without value. Its only use would be for a stick to turn over the stones in an umu.” [234]

Again Lonoikamakahiki looked up and saw a bundle of war spears; [235] he then asked: “What are those things?” The retainers replied: “They are also used to kill people with. In times of war when men are fighting each other these spears are used at close quarters by thrusting, and at long range by throwing, at the enemy. These spears in the hands of strong men can be thrown for some distance. If the person on the other side is of great skill he could ward off one or more spears at a time, and in that way avoid being hit.” Lonoikamakahiki then said: “Yes, those things are of some value; but the person who can skilfully ward them off is of more importance. These things of my father’s are of some value; therefore, if my navel string is still in your keeping, then tie it together with my father’s bundle of war spears.”

Lonoikamakahiki again looked, and seeing the strings of a sling hanging he asked: “What is the use of those strings hanging from the wall?” The retainers replied: “They belong to the sling.” [236] Lonoikamakahiki again asked: “What is it used for?” The retainers replied: “A stone is placed in the opening in the middle of the sling, then the ends of the strings are brought together and held in the palm of the sling hand; then swing the sling around the head and when you think it time to let go, one of the ends of the string is released which allows the stone to fly out at the same time. Sometimes the stone would fly over forty fathoms, and if a person is struck with it the force would kill the person. It is, however, used as an implement of war.” Lonoikamakahiki then said: “That makes two things of value belonging to my father. Tie it up with the bundle of spears.” Lonoikamakahiki in this manner inquired into the use of all the things kept by his father. He denied the usefulness of everything but two, which two things he had the greatest desire to reserve for his own use.

Sometime after this, Lonoikamakahiki again visited the house where the different implements of war and games were kept, and again looked and saw the things he had ordered to be broken and destroyed still hanging in their respective places, so he returned and asked of his retainers: “I thought you two had destroyed those things that I told you to.” His two retainers answered him saying: “We cannot destroy the things belonging to your father, for he would consider it a matter sufficient to cause our death, because the war club is one of the things highly valued by your father, for it has been used in his great battles, and it has been the means of killing many of his enemies.” Lonoikamakahiki becoming very stubborn in the matter, the retainers therefore went to Keawenuiaumi and reported to him the wish of his son.

When Keawenuiaumi heard this report he was greatly surprised because of the strange wish expressed by his son. He therefore sought out Lonoikamakahiki with the intention of asking him why he wished to have these things destroyed. When Keawenuiaumi came to the place where the boy was being cared for by the retainers, he found that Lonoikamakahiki was out canoe sailing with some of his other retainers. When Lonoikamakahiki returned Keawenuiaumi was waiting for him; the boy then went up to the father and sat on his lap. [237] In order to have the matter understood by his son properly Keawenuiaumi took Lonoikamakahiki to the house where the different implements of war and games were kept, and there the father asked the son: “What do you think of these things?” meaning the implements of war and games hanging on the wall. The son replied: “These things are of no value or use. I have told those two (Hauna and Loli) to destroy them all, but to keep the bundle of spears and the sling, for they are of value.” Keawenuiaumi then said to the boy: “That is not what I think about those things. When the time comes for you to assume the care of the whole island, then you will be in a position to do as you like; you can then throw these things away if you see no use in retaining them.”

After this incident Keawenuiaumi for some time thought over the future of the boy and wondered what would become of him after he had grown up. The father said to himself: “It looks as though the boy will some day go contrary to all the laws that have heretofore governed the apportioning of lands, and I wonder what this chief will do after he has grown up.”

Sometime after this Lonoikamakahiki entered the temple with his retainers and there saw the images standing up in one of the corners, when he asked of his retainers: “Who are those persons standing there within the wall?” His parents and retainers replied: “They are not persons; they are the gods of our parents, your grandparents.” When Lonoikamakahiki heard that the images were gods he was sore afraid [238] and held on to his parents with all his strength, for he had been told by his playmates that ghosts were things to be avoided and feared, and he thought the images were the ghosts. Because Lonoikamakahiki held on to his parents they said to him: “You must not be afraid; what you see are not ghosts; they are the gods who own this place.” Lonoikamakahiki then asked of his parents: “What are they good for?” The parents made reply: “The reason why they are kept is this: If in case of battle one is taken captive or defeated, they offer a prayer to the gods, and then the gods will direct the person to safety. If, on the other hand, a canoe is capsized out in mid-ocean, prayers are offered to the gods and those in the canoe will be saved. If a season of famine should come, prayers are offered to the gods and the food would again appear out of the earth. These are some of the benefits why a god should be kept.” Lonoikamakahiki then said to his father, Keawenuiaumi: “That makes three things in your keeping that are of value. I will take care of these things.”

Sometime after Lonoikamakahiki had outgrown his childhood days and had almost attained manhood, he began to learn the art of dodging and throwing the spear; he also learned how to box and wrestle. These things were in time mastered by him. When he became proficient in these arts of defense and of war, the teachers who had charge of his training in these matters then held the last customary ceremonies, as a sign of foretelling how he would act in life. The signs were favorable in all the different arts with one exception, that of boxing, which, not being favorable in this one thing, he was advised to eliminate this one art from the list of those he was to participate in. In other words, he was forbidden from ever going into any boxing contest. Because of this Lonoikamakahiki relinquished his claims as a boxer. It was in the art of wrestling, however, that Lonoikamakahiki proved himself to be the most proficient.

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