Before the Molokai king started the construction work on the great heiau (stone temple) to be erected at Mapulehu, the high priest drew the outlines of the propose temple in the sand.
The high priest was his own architect. He did not require a professional; neither did have to follow the plans of other heiau.
He could improvise and follow the outlines of the site to make the most of his beauties.
ENORMOUS TASK
The king at once saw the enormities of his task. The stone walls would require great boulders and the great platforms would need tons of small water polished pebbles for paving.
You would think that the priest would be satisfied to have the king's men go onto Mapulehu ridge and quarry the big stones for the walls.
Anything so simple would not do.
The priest had been visited by a god, in a dream and had been told to bring the rock and pebbles for the heiau from across the mountains at Wailau on the north coast of Molokai.
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| Wailau |
3,150 FEET HIGH
This required the carrying of great stones from Wailau at sea level, up to Wailau stream through forests to the mountain ridge 3,150 feet high, down the Mapulehu stream to the ridge site.
To accomplish the feat, the king set everybody in his realm to work - even the chiefs and their women. He himself worked to set an example.
The people were lined up across the mountain ridge in a single file to Wailau.
HAND TO HAND
The great rocks were passed from hand to hand and the women carried baskets of waterworn pebbles.
The job was so tremendous that the people grumbled, particularly when the food began to give out and the workers were issued one little opae (shrimp) each day.
Modern Hawaiians say the temple received its name, Iliili-opae (single shrimp) from the starvation days when the workers were fed a single shrimp.
PRACTICAL MAN
The Molokai king was a practical man and did not attempt to build the great heiau all in one year.
He probably put the priests off by telling that they too would starve unless the people were allowed to go back to their farming and fishing.
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