Note: My collection of clippings did not include the heading date on this particular article.
Honolulu Star Bulletin. January (?) 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor
The story of the construction of the great Iliili-Opae Heiau at Mapulehu on Molokai was told and retold by word of mouth for many generations until written down in 19th century.
In the retelling, each generation of Hawaiians embellished the story with certain miraculous details.
The modern can reconstruct the story without miracles.
THE STONES
The great stones for the foundations and walls probably came from Mapulehu Ridge and the site itself.
The rectangular platform is built against the ridge its full length. Much material must have been exposed in digging the excavation required for it.
Certain stones, such as those used for the altar, may have come from Wailau.
LONG LINE
The story of the people standing in a line across the mountain to Wailau on the north beach may have grown out of the continuous lines of people moving back and forth across the mountain to bring the waterworn pebbles for the paving.
The story of the people being fed on a single shrimp may have grown out of the fact that the pebbles for the paving called iliili were found in the Wailau Stream where the people also found the fresh water shrimps.
ASSOCIATION
The shrimps and the pebbles became associated and the temple derived its name, pebble shrimp, from the association.
The construction work was accompanied at certain intervals by religious services and by human sacrifices. The number of sacrifices would live in the memory of the people for many generations.
Human sacrifices were needed at the bottom of the four corners of the great walls.
PROTECTION
These sacrifices protected the walls and insured their endurance against earthquakes, floods and other disasters.
The rocks were fitted together without mortar so that they have stood hundreds of years through violent earthquakes.
It was after the foundation work was completed that the great number of human sacrifices were required.
NEXT: Temple Fittings
He ninau...
I have some questions to put out there: Were those people who were sacrificed of the Kauwa people? Were there Kauwa on Molokai and on every island? If not Kauwa, how was a person selected for sacrifice?
Honolulu Star Bulletin. Thursday, January 17, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor
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.
NEXT: Great size
