Honolulu Star Bulletin. Wednesday, January 30, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor
Once the heiau Iliili-opae at Mapulehu, Molokai, was dedicated, it became a first class heiau which the Hawaiians called Pookananka.
The name is derived from human sacrifice. It literally means the man (kananka) with a white head (poo).
In most pookanaka heiau, the sacrifice was allowed to lay on the altar until the flesh rotted away and the skull bleached (poo). As a result, a smell haunted these heiau.
The rituals of Iliili-opae were different. The sacrifice was allowed to rot but was thrown into a fire pit where it burned.
Services were held during the four Ku days (third through sixth) of each month and on the night of Kane (27th).
In between times, the temple was closed. The gods departed to take care of other affairs and the priests went to live in the village with their families.
NEXT SERVICE
When the time neared for the next service, the temple was cleaned, decorated with fresh shrubbery and lauhala mats spread on the altar.
The college priests which lived about Iliili-opae was very strong and large. It was led by the priests of the Moo of Ku (order of Ku) called Kanalu.
Next in importance were the Lono priests.
The priests of Ku became so powerful that they were in reality the rulers of the land. They demanded so many human sacrifices that their Mu or Ulua priests were hated by the people.
The Mu priests were called Ulua priests because they were sent out to sea on certain nights to obtain an ulua fish for sacrifice. The fish was baited by striking the canoe with the oar.
If an ulua fish were not caught, then the priests came ashore and hunted for a human "ulua."
KNOCK ON DOORS
The priests went about the sleeping village and knocked with their oar on the doors.
If any man were so foolish as the stick his head out, he was immediately dragged off to the temple with a line about his neck (like a fish) and made a sacrifice.
It was the duty of the Mu priests to enforce the kapu of silence during services. Anyone who made a noise was at once dragged out of the house and killed.
In most Pookanaka heiau, the priests were exempt from sacrifice. But at Iliili-opae, the order was so severe that a priest could be used as a sacrifice if all other means of obtaining an offender failed.
NEXT: History
* Reference: "Native Planter's In Old Hawaii" pp. 37-41, Phases of the Moon
Note: The next tract is also labeled No. 15. I am re-typing it "As Is."
Once the heiau Iliili-opae at Mapulehu, Molokai, was dedicated, it became a first class heiau which the Hawaiians called Pookananka.
The name is derived from human sacrifice. It literally means the man (kananka) with a white head (poo).
In most pookanaka heiau, the sacrifice was allowed to lay on the altar until the flesh rotted away and the skull bleached (poo). As a result, a smell haunted these heiau.
The rituals of Iliili-opae were different. The sacrifice was allowed to rot but was thrown into a fire pit where it burned.
Services were held during the four Ku days (third through sixth) of each month and on the night of Kane (27th).
In between times, the temple was closed. The gods departed to take care of other affairs and the priests went to live in the village with their families.
NEXT SERVICE
When the time neared for the next service, the temple was cleaned, decorated with fresh shrubbery and lauhala mats spread on the altar.
The college priests which lived about Iliili-opae was very strong and large. It was led by the priests of the Moo of Ku (order of Ku) called Kanalu.
Next in importance were the Lono priests.
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| Ulua Photo Credit |
The priests of Ku became so powerful that they were in reality the rulers of the land. They demanded so many human sacrifices that their Mu or Ulua priests were hated by the people.
The Mu priests were called Ulua priests because they were sent out to sea on certain nights to obtain an ulua fish for sacrifice. The fish was baited by striking the canoe with the oar.
If an ulua fish were not caught, then the priests came ashore and hunted for a human "ulua."
KNOCK ON DOORS
The priests went about the sleeping village and knocked with their oar on the doors.
If any man were so foolish as the stick his head out, he was immediately dragged off to the temple with a line about his neck (like a fish) and made a sacrifice.
It was the duty of the Mu priests to enforce the kapu of silence during services. Anyone who made a noise was at once dragged out of the house and killed.
In most Pookanaka heiau, the priests were exempt from sacrifice. But at Iliili-opae, the order was so severe that a priest could be used as a sacrifice if all other means of obtaining an offender failed.
NEXT: History
* Reference: "Native Planter's In Old Hawaii" pp. 37-41, Phases of the Moon
Note: The next tract is also labeled No. 15. I am re-typing it "As Is."
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