Chapter 60 of 86 · 1988 words · ~10 min read

CHAPTER V

THE WAGER MADE BY KAKUHIHEWA AGAINST LONOIKAMAKAHIKI.

After Kakuhihewa had heard from Loli the answer given by Lonoikamakahiki, that the chant belonged to the king of Hawaii, the chant was then made the subject of a contest. [249] After this was agreed on the two kings came together to decide on their bets. Some time was taken up in this before they agreed upon the different objects for the wager. Kakuhihewa on his side offered that portion of Oahu from Leahi point to the Kaena point as against the large feather kahili of Lonoikamakahiki, Eleeleualani. Lonoikamakahiki on his side would not agree to this, saying: “I will not wager my feather kahili for that amount of land.” Because Lonoikamakahiki refused to agree to this offer made by Kakuhihewa, Kakuhihewa again offered all the lands, in addition to the former offer, embraced within the point of Kaena to the Kaoio point at Kualoa.

Because of this last offer made by Kakuhihewa, which really meant the passing away from him of almost all the lands of Oahu, Lonoikamakahiki replied: “I will not allow my feather kahili to be wagered for the amount of land you offer.” Kakuhihewa then replied: “Since you have not agreed to my offer, make your offer then.” Lonoikamakahiki said: “I will wager my feather kahili as against the inside of this house.” Kakuhihewa then made answer: “That is agreed; here it is. You are satisfied with the inside of the house as against your kahili, while I was offering you almost all my possessions, which I had the chance of losing to you.”

After the wagers had been agreed on, the loin cloth and kapa of Lonoikamakahiki were given up at last. Kakuhihewa then said: “You recite the chant first, for you have claimed that the chant was one in honor of your name. After you have finished, then we will recite ours.” Lonoikamakahiki replied: “You people had better make the first recital, since I have claimed that you have appropriated the chant belonging to others and are claiming it your own. In this way we will ascertain positively whether the chant is yours. After you have finished, then I will make my recital.”

Because of this argument advanced by Lonoikamakahiki, Kakuhihewa agreed that they make the first recital of the chant taught them by Ohaikawiliula. Following is the chant that caused the dispute:

It is the mirage [250] of Mana. It is as though following behind. The water is following, The water of Kamakahou is following; The water that is not water, The mirage of Mana. Like the sea is the water, Like the water is the sea, Like the sea is the water of Kamakahou. The sugar-cane trash from my eating was cast away. After I had gone beyond I failed to recognize. What was seen behind, again appears in front. The Iliau [251] has wilted in the sun [As] the plentiful dew of the morning. Passed are the emblems of the god of the year, [252] Gone to bury the dead [On] the barren sands of Nonohili. The coconut grove bends low seaward of Pokii, In reverence to [the god] Makalii.

“There, that is the chant in honor of our name. Now it is your turn.” Lonoikamakahiki replied: “The chant is not yours, it is mine.” Kakuhihewa said: “We will know it is your chant, without any doubt, after you have recited it.” Lonoikamakahiki then began the recital of the chant, first taking the chant in his own name as taught him by Hauna, and at the end he added on the chant taught him by the chiefess from Kauai. Following is the chant in full:

Kahikahonua to Elekaukama, Halalakauluonae, Nanamakaikaeleua, Mahehaluakama, Laloia, Laloae Kama. [253] Cling perseveringly to the breast Of Kukulu of Halaaniani. Falling hither, falling thither, [254] Falling in the time of Kama, [255] The base of the sky, Kama, The base of Kuami Paepaeilani Kekupuaiawaawa In the time of Hakiawihi Kama Hakekoai, O Lono. Opuukahonua, Kamakalewa, Noiaku Kamahuola, [256] Peu and Kiha, The base of Kama, Haena and Koenamimi. Young is the offspring of Lonokaeho. [257] Who art thou? It is Kakaeke, Hanakaeke, Nanakaeke, Paakaeke, Maakake. That is the bag that will bring fame, That is the bag, the bag of— [258] Two— There are two Honokeana Keana; There are two caves of Opihi; There are three Kahana; Two Mailepai; Two Honokawai; Kawailua; Kekaa making the third. There are four Mahinahina On the top [259] of Alaeloa. There are four lands containing Hono: [260] Honokahua, Honolua, Honokohau, Honopou; That makes four lands containing Hono. [261] The fifth is Kahakuloa, Kahakuloa makes the sixth, Makalina makes the eighth, Waihee makes the ninth, The ninth is Honokea, [262] Of the divisions in Wailuku. The tenth. One is Koolau, One is Wailuku, One is Paie, [263] One is Kahookuli in going. Two— Two stand up. Two— Two sit down. Two— Two are inclining against Keaahala. Two— Two Nuailua. Three— Three Makaiwa. Three— Three foundations. Four— Four Waipio. Four— There are four in the uplands of Halehaku. Five— There are five Pauwela. Five— Five Huleia. Five— There are five people Chasing each other on the lonely coast of Paie. The one in the lead is the seventh. There are seven Pulehu, There are seven Mana, The Ohia of Paukauwila is the seventh. There are ten— There are ten of Lele. There are ten— There are ten of Molokai. There are ten— There are ten of Lanai. There are ten— There are ten of Kanaloa Kahoolewa, [264] The foundation, the joining together of the isles. They join and hug like lovers. Scrape away, scrape away. There is Hilo Thatching, Ridging; There is your lover Passing by. The mouth is closed, The hand beckons, The eyes also beckon, Else he will be ashamed And weep at The quiet cliffs. Water is on Oahu, It shows there above. Kaunuohua is low Like a crawling hill at Nihoa. That cliff, This cliff, That fence of wood. The great one there below, He sits; He sits, he stands, He points, he sticks out his tongue, Kukahaulani. He has the eyes of a bird, Head of a bird, Beak of a bird, Tongue of a bird, Neck of a bird, Breast of a bird, Wing of a bird, Body of a bird, Leg of a bird, Thigh of a bird, Tail of a bird, Knee of a bird, Feet of a bird, Claws of a bird, Feathers of a bird, Neck of a bird, Crop of a bird, Liver of a bird, Intestine of a bird. Since you are a small bird, Out you must go In the upland wilderness, For such is the way you dwell in Kona. And catch the spawn of the Ii And carry the spawn of Keaau. O thou Hanalei! Hanalei, the source of the rains, Made low from carrying such a burden, Who has stood on the hill top Whose shadow has reached the bottom. They are greatly wearied by the roughness [of the sea]. Lift up the canoe, Let the people get aboard With the probing sticks, With the binding ropes, With the floaters. Get aboard, paddle away, get on. The canoe master is aboard; It is Lelepahu of Hawaii; It is the large Hawaii of Kane; It is Hilo of Kane of Kapu; It is Hilo with the high cliffs; It is Ku, the Lehua-eater; The bosom companion of Kalalea and others who dwell there. Who dwell there. The house stands in Kona, The front faces Koolau, The wall faces Tahiti. The posts were from Halawa In Kauhuhu of Pele, of Peue. Molokai is the back, Lanai the front. What is Molokini? Wailuku is the locality of flying clouds. What is broad Kula? It is open upland. Kaluanui of Kaluanui, It stands by the twin hills, The palm houses [265] of Kane Which were thatched for me at Auwahi. The potatoes of Puukamaele, Of Kipapai, of Honokaupu, Of the Oopu [266] of Waikolu. I am going home to partake of some food. The kala [267] shall be my fish Until satisfied. It is a fish sacred to my god. Let the canoe enter At Kaluakoi, The barren coast of Puumomi, At the entrance of Wailau, Of Umipiilani.

It is the mirage of Mana; It is as though following behind; The water is following; The water of Kamakahou is following; The water that is not water, The mirage of Mana. Like the sea is the water, Like the water is the sea. The sugar-cane trash from my eating Was cast away, left behind, forgotten. After I had gone beyond I failed to recognize. What was seen behind, again appears in front. The Iliau has wilted in the sun [As] the plentiful dew of the morning. What was seen behind, again appears in front Of Laauhaele. Passed are the emblems of the god of the year, Gone to bury the dead [On] the barren sands of Nonohili. The coconut grove bends low seaward of Pokii, In reverence to [the god] Makalii.

One can here follow on with the portion of the chant that remains. It is also a chant in honor of the name of Lonoikamakahiki, which is the one that Lanahuimihaku heard, and it is often added to the chant taught them by Ohaikawiliula.

When Lonoikamakahiki was repeating the chant which Ohaikawiliula had taught Kakuhihewa, Kakuhihewa saw that Lonoikamakahiki knew it, so he said to Lanahuimihaku and his companion: “Say, I see that Lonoikamakahiki knows of this chant?” Lanahuimihaku and his companion replied, saying to Kakuhihewa: “Yes, we see that he does. We lived with him while in Hawaii, but he had no chant of this kind. It is possible, however, that a canoe has gone to Hawaii without touching here and the chant was carried to Hawaii in that way.”

After Kakuhihewa was beaten by Lonoikamakahiki, Kakuhihewa ordered all the people to get out of the house and thus leave the house to Lonoikamakahiki, the king of Hawaii, who had won. When this order was given Lonoikamakahiki was standing just outside of the door with a war club in his hands. As soon as the order was given to vacate the house the men immediately proceeded to go out; but as soon as the first party started out they were killed by Lonoikamakahiki. When the people saw this they retreated back into the house for they were afraid of being put to death by Lonoikamakahiki. When Kakuhihewa saw the people coming back into the house he asked: “Why are you people coming back? Don’t you know that we have to get out and leave the house to Lonoikamakahiki?” The people replied: “Don’t you know that you made a foolish bet? Such and such persons have been killed by Lonoikamakahiki. Here you have made a wager whereby we are to be killed.”

When Kakuhihewa heard this from the people, he said to Lanahuimihaku and his companion: “Say, is this true?” Lanahuimihaku and his companion then replied: “Yes, it is true, because when you offered to wager your lands until there remained but a very small portion of Oahu he refused and would not wager his feather kahili for all the land you offered; but he accepted instead the inside of this house. He took this offer because of yourself the king, and your people, in order to kill us. We are beaten. You had better cry out to the king for mercy, and that we be saved.” Kakuhihewa then called out: “Say, King of Hawaii, have mercy! You have won.”

When Lonoikamakahiki heard this call for mercy, together with the cries of the people, he desisted and allowed the people to get away, and in the name of his regularly accepted law, “Mercy has rendered the law useless,” he withheld his hand and would not attack the people further. This was the beginning of the many hoopapa contests of Lonoikamakahiki.