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
At daylight the next day Ohaikawiliula made preparation to set sail for
Hawaii, where she was going to meet her future husband, Manuahi. While
this preparation was going on, and the double canoe was being hauled
into the sea (the chiefess had not boarded it, however), Lanahuimihaku
and his companion said to Kakuhihewa: “You had better run out and ask
the chiefess of Kauai for a new chant. It is possible that she knows a
late chant from Kauai, then we will study it, else it will be first
acquired by the king of Hawaii, Lonoikamakahiki. Ohaikawiliula will
surely give her permission that it be used in honor of your name, for
Lonoikamakahiki is a chief without any chant dedicated to his name.”
Because of these words, spoken by Lanahuimihaku and his companion,
Kakuhihewa and his servants went up to where the double canoe was
moored and Kakuhihewa reached out and held the chiefess, Ohaikawiliula
by the arm, then asked her: “Before setting sail from Kauai, did you
not hear of a new chant belonging to Kauai?” Ohaikawiliula replied: “I
have a chant.” Kakuhihewa again asked: “Is it a very late one, not
heard in the country districts?” Ohaikawiliula replied: “It has not
been heard in the country districts; it was used only at the royal
court up to the time of my departure. It is one used in honor of my
name.” Kakuhihewa again asked: “What is the title of the chant?” “It is
‘The Mirage of Mana,’” replied Ohaikawiliula.
Kakuhihewa then proceeded to master the chant by giving each of his
servants a line to commit to memory. After this was done, Ohaikawiliula
proceeded on her way to Hawaii, while Kakuhihewa and his servants
returned to the house, where the chant was connected line by line, as
committed to memory [248] by the servants, until it was mastered in
whole just as given them by Ohaikawiliula.
When Kakuhihewa was being taught the chant by Ohaikawiliula, it was
very considerate of her not to have informed him that she had already
taught the same to Lonoikamakahiki. She did not even say a word about
the matter; probably she had forgotten all about it. If she had told
Kakuhihewa of teaching Lonoikamakahiki the chant it would not have been
taken for a subject in the game of hoopapa that followed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account