► Kapus Restrict the Alii

Honolulu Star Bulletin. June 24, 1953 - Tales About Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor 

RELIGIOUS KAPUS
RESTRICT THE ALII

HIDDEN ALII, No. 8

     The story of the hidden alii told by Kauhai to Queen Emma and her mother Kekela had as its background the religious ceremonies of old Hawaii which were totally unknown today by Hawaii's young people. 

     The time of the story is about 1800. Kamehameha had conquered and pacified Oahu and had stationed his own alii on Oahu as the rulers of each district. Keulua, an uncle of Moopu'u II, was the Konohiki (district manager) and tax collector for the king at Kalua-nui (Big Hole) near Punaluu on Windward Oahu. 

     The settling of the story is a heiau temple in Kona, Hawaii, dedicated to the war god Ku. 

    The occasion was one of the rigurous 10 day ceremonies for dedicating and setting up a new ohia wood image of the god. Services began when the ohia image had been hauled from a location in the forest to the heiau. Carving of the image had been done in the forest.

DEDICATION SERVICE

     The order of the Ku priests, plus the priests of the Kane and Kanaloa orders were assembled within the walls of the great stone heiau altar. To conduct the services which lased day and night.

     With the priests were the king, all the male alii of the court and as many commoners as would attended such a rigorous service. No women were allowed.

     The king and the highest alii assembled in a grass house built near the heiau altar. The alii were not allowed to go outside the grass house during that 10 day period. The front of the house, facing the altar, was open so that they could take part in the service without being seen by the commoners.

     There were no toilet facilities in this sacred house. Such facilities would be a defilement to the place. Slave attendants of the alii served their masters by thrusting vessels through the thatch of the outside wall of the house.

GODS IN PROCESSION

     Kamohoalii I was one of the principal priests taking part in the services.

     At one point, he led the procession of the priests who paraded about the altar carrying the images of their many gods. At other times, he led the ceremonies in which Kamohoalii and the priests said responsive prayers.

     Within the sacred grass house with the alii were Kamahoalii II and Moopu'u II. It was there duty to see that the kapus were enforced.

     The boy, Kalawainui II, was also present and participating as one of the alii.

Next: Kalawainui II breaks kapu.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Source: https://familysearch.org/patron/v2/TH-300-43958-0-84/dist.pdf?ctx=ArtCtxPublic

► Paradise Gained and Lost - 5: Rearing Kepakailiula

The Saturday Star-Bulletin, Honolulu, T.H., January 12, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor   

     Kepakailiula (the red skinned person) whom the brothers at once called "Ke-paka" was a beautiful child.

     Kiinoho quickly rewrapped the baby in his feather cape and left the child for 40 days and nights beside the fireplace. (The Hawaiian fireplace was a hole in the ground - "puka" - with rocks around it.)

      When he reopened the feather cape, the child had grown into a beautiful boy. He had red skin, red eyes, a straight back, open face, no deformities and no pimples.

     Kiinoho called to his brother Kiihele to look upon "our son."

A RAINBOW
     Kiihele noted that a rainbow stood stood over their house when Kiinoho called to him. The rainbow matched in beauty the fires which glowed from Kilauea volcano - fires made by the goddess Pele.

Kilauea Volcano eruption 
and lava flow

     Keiki a kaua (our son) grew up on a diet of bananas. As a small boy he ate a bunch of bananas for each meal.

     Time flew by for the brothers Kiinoho and Kiihele as they watched the boy grow into sturdy manhood.

     One day they looked at their son and realized that he was a man. Kiinoho said to Kiihele,

     "You must look for a suitable wife for Kepaka."

     Kiihele gladly went on his errand. He traveled about the Island searching out each woman or girls said to be a beauty.

     He was sadly disappointed during the first days of his search. Each beauty had a fault of some kind.

     It was not until he reached Kona that Kiihele found a girl as beautiful and perfect as the full moon.

     He made an agreement with her parents and quickly returned to Paliuli to tell he brother and Kepaka of the charming Makolea.

ALL PREPARED
     Kiinoho had prepared everything for the wedding. When Kiihele returned, the three were able to set out for Kona within two days time.

     Those two days were spent in saying goodbye to all the loved things in Paliuli.

     When the three set out, with Kepaka wrapped in his fine feather cape, Kiinoho said a prayer to the gods asking them to care for Paliuli.

     Upon their departure, the gods "closed up" Paliuli with a great mist and no mortal has ever found it since.

He Mana'o...

This segment of the story intrigues me! What was the author trying to convey in this story/version? There didn't seem to be an obvious plot or point. As a reader, I was left in suspense.The girl mentioned in the story was named "Makolea." I would have liked to know more about her. Being that there is no reference title at the end of the story to another segment, I assume this segment was the last and concludes the "tale."