Unwritten Literature of Hawaii Part 7

In later, in historic times, this visitor, whom we have kept long waiting at the door, might have voiced his appeal in the pa.s.sionate words of this comparatively modern song:

[Footnote 59: _Wai-ale-ale_ (Leaping-water). The central mountain-ma.s.s of Kauai.]

[Page 41]

_Mele Kahea_[60]

Ka uka holo-kia ahi-manu o La'a,[61]

I po-ele i ka uahi, noe ka nahele, Nohe-nohea i ka makani luhau-pua.

He pua oni ke kanaka-- 5 He mea laha ole la oe.

Mai kaua e hea nei; E hea i ke kanaka e komo maloko, B hanai ai a hewa[62] ka wa'ha.

Eia no ka uku la, o ka wa'a.[63]

Translation]

_Pa.s.sword--Song_

In the uplands, the darting flame-bird of La'a, While smoke and mist blur the woodland, Is keen for the breath of frost-bitten flowers.

A fickle flower is man-- 5 A trick this not native to you.

Come thou with her who is calling to thee; A call to the man to come in And eat till the mouth is awry.

Lo, this the reward--the canoe.

[Footnote 60: This utterance of pa.s.sion is said to have been, the composition of the Princess-Kamamalu, as an address to Prince William Lunalilo, to whom she was at one time affianced and would have married, but that King Lihohho (Kamehameha IV) would not allow the marriage. Thereby hangs a tragedy.]

[Footnote 61: _La'a_. The region in Hawaii now known as Ola'a was originally called La'a. The particle _o_ has become fused with the word.]

[Footnote 62: _Hewa ka waha_. This expression, here tortured, into "(till) the mouth awry," is difficult of translation. A skilled Hawaiian scholar suggests, it may mean to change one from, an enemy to a friend by stopping his mouth with food.]

[Footnote 63: _Wa'a_. Literally a canoe. This is a euphemism for the human body, a gift often too freely granted. It will be noted that in the answering mele komo, the song of admission, the reward promised is more modestly measured--"Simply the voice."]

The answer to this appeal for admission was in these words:

_Mele Komo_

E hea i ke kanaka e komo maloko, E hanai ai a hewa waha; Eia no ka uku la, o ka leo, A he leo wale no, e!

[Translation]

Welcoming-Song

Call to the man to come in, And eat till the mouth is estopt; And this the reward, the voice, Simply the voice.

The cantillation of the _mele komo_: in answer to the visitor's pet.i.tion, meant not only the opening to him of the halau door, but also his welcome to the life of the halau as a heart-guest of honor, trebly welcome as the bringer of fresh tidings from the outside world.

[Page 42]

VII.--WORs.h.i.+P AT THE ALTAR OF THE HALAU

The first duty of a visitor on being admitted to the halau while the tabu was on--that is, during the conduct of a regular hula--was to do reverence at the kuahu. The obligations of religion took precedence of all social etiquette. He reverently approaches the altar, to which all eyes are turned, and with outstretched hands pours out a supplication that breathes the aroma of ancient prayer:

_Pule Kuahu_ (no Laka)

O Laka oe, O ke akua i ke a'a-lii[64] nui.

E Laka mai uka!

E Laka mai kai!

5 O hoo-ulu[65] o Lono, O ka ilio nana e haehae ke aha, O ka ie-le ku i ka wao, O ka maile hihi i ka nahele, O ka lau ki-ele[66] ula o ke akua, 10 O na ku'i[67] o Hauoli, O Ha'i-ka-malama,[68]

Wahine o Kina'u.[69]

Kapo ula[70] o Kina'u.

O Laka oe, 15 O ke akua i ke kuahu nei la, e!

E ho'i, e ho'i a nolao i kou kuahu.

Hoo-ulu ia!

[Footnote 64: _A'a-lii_. A deep-rooted tree, sacred to Laka or to Kapo.]

[Footnote 65: Hoo-ulu. Literally to make grow; secondarily, to inspire, to prosper, to bring good luck. This is the meaning most in mind in modern times, since the hula has become a commercial venture.]

[Footnote 66: _Ki-ele_. A flowering plant native to the Hawaiian woods, also cultivated, sacred to Laka, and perhaps to Kapo. The leaves are said to be pointed and curved like the beak of the bird _i-iwi_, and the flower has the gorgeous yellow-red color of that bird.]

[Footnote 67: It has been proposed to amend this verse by subst.i.tuting _akua_, for _ku'i_, thus making the idea the G.o.ds of the hula.]

[Footnote 68: _Hai-ka-malama_. An epithet applied to Laka.]

[Footnote 69: _Kina'u_. Said to mean Hiiaka, the sister of Pele.]

[Footnote 70: _Kapo ula_. Red, _ula_, was the favorite color of Kapo. The _kahuna anaana_, high priests of sorcery, of the black art, and of murder, to whom Kapo was at times procuress, made themselves known as such by the display of a red flag and the wearing of a red malo.]

[Translation]

_Altar-Prayer_ (to Laka)

Thou art Laka, G.o.d of the deep-rooted a'a-lii.

O Laka from the mountains, O Laka from the ocean!

[Page 43] 5 Let Lono bless the service, Shutting the mouth of the dog, That breaks the charm with his barking.

Bring the i-e that grows in the wilds, The maile that twines in the thicket, 10 Red-beaked kiele, leaf of the G.o.ddess, The joyous pulse of the dance In honor of Ha'i-ka-malama, Friend of Kina'u, Red-robed friend of Kina'u.

15 Thou art Laka, G.o.d of this altar here.

Return, return and reside at your altar!

Bring it good luck!

A single prayer may not suffice as the offering at Laka's altar. His repertory is full; the visitor begins anew, this time on a different tack:

_Pule Kuahu_ (no Laka)

Eia ke kuko, ka li'a; I ka manawa he hiamoe ko'u, Hoala ana oe, O oe o Halau-lani, 5 O Hoa-lani, O Puoho-lani, Me he manu e hea ana i ka maha lehua Ku moho kiekie la i-uka.

I-uka ho'i au me Laka 10 A Lea,[71] a Wahie-loa,[72], i ka nahelehele; He hoa kaana ia no'u, No kela kuahiwi, kualono hoi.

E Laka, e Laka, e!

B maliu mai!