Unwritten Literature of Hawaii Part 8

15 A maliu mai oe pono au, A a'e mai oe pono au!

[Translation]

_Altar-Prayer_ (to Laka)

This my wish, my burning desire, That in the season of slumber Thy spirit my soul may inspire, Altar-dweller, 5 Heaven-guest, Soul-awakener, Bird from covert calling, Where forest champions stand.

There roamed I too with Laka, [Page 44] 10 Of Lea and Loa a wilderness-child; On ridge, in forest boon companion she To the heart that throbbed in me.

O Laka, O Laka, Hark to my call!

15 You approach, it is well; You possess me, I am blest!

[Footnote 71: _Lea_. The same as Laia, or probably Haumea.]

[Footnote 72: _Wahie loa_. This must be a mistake. Laka the son of Wahie-loa was a great voyager. His canoe (_kau-meli-eli_) was built for him by the G.o.ds. In it he sailed to the South to rescue his father's bones from the witch who had murdered him. This Laka had his home at Kipahulu, Maui, and is not to be confounded with Laka, G.o.ddess of the hula.]

In the translation of this pule the author has found it necessary to depart from the verse arrangement that obtains in the Hawaiian text.

The religious services of the halau, though inspired by one motive, were not tied to a single ritual or to one set of prayers. Prayer marked the beginning and the ending of every play--that is, of every dance--and of every important event in the programme of the halau; but there were many prayers from which the priest might select. After the prayer specially addressed to Laka the visitor might use a pet.i.tion of more general scope. Such is 'the one now to be given:

He Pule Kuahu (ia Kane ame Kapo); _a he Pule Hoolei_

Kane, hikii a'e, he malama [73] la luna; Ha'aha'a, he malama ia lalo; Oni-oni,[74] he malama ia ka'u; He wahine [75] lei, malama ia Kapo; 5 E Kapo nui, hala-hala [76] a i'a; E Kapo nui, hala-hala [77] a mea, Ka alihl [78] luna, ka alihi lalo; E ka poha-ku.[79]

Noho ana Kapo i ka ulu wehi-wehi; 10 Ku ana i Moo-helaia,[80]

Ka ohi'a-Ku iluna o Mauna-loa.

Aloha mai Kaulana-a-ula [81] ia'u; Eia ka ula la, he ula leo,[82]

He uku, he mohai, he alana, [Page 45] 15 He kanaenae na'u ia oe, e Kapo ku-lani.

E moe hauna-ike, e hea au, e o mai oe.

Ata la na Iehua o Kaana,[83]

Ke kui ia mai la e na wahlne a lawa I lei no Kapo-- 20 O Kapo, alii nui no ia moku, Ki'e-ki'e, ha'a-ha'a; Ka la o ka ike e ike aku ai: He ike k.u.mu, he ike lono; He ike pu-awa [84] hiwa, 25 He ike a ke Akua, e!

E Kapo, ho'i!

E ho'i a noho i kou kuahu.

Ho'ulu ia!

Eia ka wai,[85] la, 30 He wai e ola.

E ola nou, e!

[Footnote 73: _ Malama_. Accented on the penult, as here, the word means to enlighten or a light (same in second verse). In the third and fourth verses the accent is changed to the first syllable, and the word here means to preserve, to foster. These words furnish an example of poetical word-repet.i.tion.]

[Footnote 74: _Onioni._ To squirm, to dodge, to move. The meaning here seems to be to move with delight.]

[Footnote 75: _Waliine lei._ A reference to _Laka,_ the child of Kapo, who was symbolized by a block of wood on the altar.

(See p. 23.)]

[Footnote 76: _Hala-hala a i'a._ Said to be a certain kind of fish that was ornamented about its tailend with a band of bright color; therefore an object of admiration and desire.]

[Footnote 77: _Hala-Hala a mea._ The ending _mea_ is perhaps taken from the last half of the proper name _Hau-mea_ who was Kapo's mother. It belongs to the land, in contrast to the sea, and seems to be intended to intensify and extend the meaning of the term previously used. The pa.s.sage is difficult. Expert Hawaiians profess their inability to fathom its meaning.]

[Footnote 78: _Alihi luna._ The line or "stretching cord,"

that runs the length of a net at its top, the _a lalo_ being the corresponding line at the bottom of the net. The exact significance of this language complimentary to Kapo can not be phrased compactly.]

[Footnote 79: _Poha-ku._ The line that runs up and down at the end of a long net, by which it may be anch.o.r.ed.]

[Footnote 80: _Moo-helaia._ See note a, p. 33.]

[Footnote 81: _Kaulana-a-ula._ See note d, p, 33.]

[Footnote 82: _Ula leo._ See note e, p. 33.]

[Footnote 83: _Kaana._ A place on Mauna-loa, Molokai, where the lehua greatly flourished. The body of Kapo, it is said, now lies there in appearance a rock. The same claim is made for a rock at Wailua, Hana, Maui.]

[Footnote 84: _Pu-awa hiwa (hiwa,_ black). A kind of strong awa. The gentle exhilaration, as well as the deep sleep, of awa were benefits ascribed to the G.o.ds. Awa was an essential to most complete sacrifices.]

[Footnote 85: _Wai._ Literally water, refers to the bowl of awa, replenished each day, which set on the altar of the G.o.ddess.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 38 PLATE V TI (DRACAENA TERMINALIS)]

Verses 9 to 15, inclusive, are almost identical in form with the first seven verses in the Mele Kuahu addressed to Laka, given on page 33.

[Translation]

An _Altar-Prayer_ (to Kane and Kapo): _also a Garland-Prayer, used while decorating the altar_

Now, Kane, approach, illumine the altar; Stoop, and enlighten mortals below; Rejoice in the gifts I have brought.

Wreathed G.o.ddess fostered by Kapo-- 5 Hail Kapo, of beauty resplendent!

Great Kapo, of sea and land, The topmost stay of the net, Its lower stay and anchoring line.

Kapo sits in her darksome covert; 10 On the terrace, at Mo'o-he-laia, Stands the G.o.d-tree of Ku, on Mauna-loa.

G.o.d Kaulana-ula twigs now mine ear, His whispered suggestion to me is This payment, sacrifice, offering, 15 Tribute of praise to thee, O Kapo divine.

Inspiring spirit in sleep, answer my call.

Behold, of Iehua bloom of Kaana The women are stringing enough To enwreath G.o.ddess Kapo; 20 Kapo, great queen of that island, Of the high and the low.

The day of revealing shall see what it sees: [Page 46] A seeing of facts, a sifting of rumors, An insight won by the black sacred awa, 25 A vision like that of a G.o.d!

O Kapo, return!

Return, and abide in your altar!

Make it fruitful!

Lo, here is the water, 30 The water of life!

Hail, now, to thee!

The little G.o.d-folk, whom the ancients called Kini Akua--myriads of G.o.ds--and who made the wildwoods and wilderness their playground, must also be placated. They were a lawless set of imps; the elfins, brownies, and kobolds of our fairy world were not "up to them" in wanton deviltry. If there is to be any luck in the house, it can only be when they are dissuaded from outbreaking mischief.

The pule next given is a polite invitation to these little brown men of the woods to honor the occasion with their presence and to bring good luck at their coming. It is such a prayer as the visitor might choose to repeat at this time, or it might be used on other occasions, as at the consecration of the kuahu:

_He Pule Kuahu_ (no Kini Akua)

E ulu, e ulu, Kini o ke Akua!

Ulu Kane me Ka.n.a.loa!

Ulu Ohi'a-lau-koa, me ka Ie-ie!

A'e mai a noho i kou kuahu!

5 Eia ka wai la, he wai e ola.

E ola no, e-e!

[Translation]