Fornander collection of Hawaiian antiquities and folk-lore, Volume 1 (of 3) : $b The Hawaiians' account of the formation of their islands and origin of their race, with the traditions of their migrations, etc., as gathered from original sources
History
Fornander collection of Hawaiian antiquities and folk-lore, Volume 1 (of 3) : $b The Hawaiians' account of the formation of their islands and origin of their race, with the traditions of their migrations, etc., as gathered from original sources
Folklore -- Hawaii; Hawaii -- Social life and customs; Hawaiian language -- Texts; Legends -- Hawaii
When the people of Maui saw the great fleet of canoes coming into the
harbor at Kapueokahi they were sore afraid. Shortly after this word was
received and passed from place to place that it was Umi and his wife
Piikea come to make war on Piilani. Piilani, [223] however, was dead at
this time, but he had a son by the name of Kalaninuikupuapaikalaninui,
who was the king of Maui at this time.
When the people of Hana heard that the canoes were on a war expedition
they all ran to the top of the Kauiki hill [224] and stayed there.
Umi said to Piikea, his wife: “Let us not make war on Maui as Piilani
is already dead.” The reason why Umi did not wish to make war was
because he took pity on the son born of Piilani, for Umi thought that
it would be proper for the young man to have charge of the kingdom, and
that Piikea and Kihapiilani be the parents, [225] but Piikea stubbornly
refused to have anything of the kind; she wanted to make war until the
son of Piilani was killed, because she reasoned that if this young man
was allowed to live there would be more fighting in the future. When
Umi saw that it was useless to try to change his wife’s mind, he
ordered his three chief officers, Omaokamau, Piimaiwaa and Koi to go
and make war on the stronghold of Kauiki.
THE KAUIKI HILL.
This hill is famous, for it is a natural fort and people on it are
generally safe from assault, being protected on all sides by steep and
inaccessible cliffs. To the top of this hill a ladder was built on one
side, a sort of small bridge made so as to entrap those trying to take
the hill, that if those from below were to climb up in attack stones
would be rolled down on them, thereby injuring them. Furthermore, a
large wooden image was hewed out and made to stand at night, and served
the purpose of a guard. The image was called Kawalakii, and this great
statue kept the warriors below from climbing the hill at night.
CHAPTER IV.
UMI’S GENERALS. RELATING TO OMAOKAMAU.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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