► Molokai Iliili-Opae: Priestly Mana - 17

The Saturday Star Bulletin. Honolulu, T.H., February 2, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor   

     The ruins of Iliili-opae heiau at Mapulehu on Molokai are today neglected.

     They are covered with a rank growth of guava, hau and keawe. A path near them is used by the Molokai people who travel across the mountain to Wailua on the northern beach.

     By Christians, the ruins are called " the remains of ignorance and superstition."

     By Hawaiians they are feared for the possible mana (spiritual power) which lingers in the stones.

     It is a pity that no one takes an interest in them. The ruins should be cleaned up and made a tourist attraction. 

     A marker or pamphlet should tell the story of how services were conducted there and the history of the edifice.

     Not all tourist would be interested, but many tourist would like to know the Polynesian tried to learn divine law through prayer and sacrifice.

FAMOUS PRIESTS

     The priests who lived in Molokai colleges and the Molokai priests who worked alone where famous during the monarchy for their special mana.

     Molokai priests prayed diligently. They were able to interpret the will of the gods and so derived this special mana (divine force) from their gods.

     Since the gods of old Polynesia were just like human beings with the same characteristics, the priests who interpreted their laws were good students of human nature.

MANA IN STONES

     The Molokai priests put their mana into the stones which were used to build the Molokai Heiau. The mana lingers today.

     On other Islands, the stones from the great heiau were used to build roads and many Christian churches.

     Such things did not happen to most Molokai heiau. Those who attempted to desecrate the temple stones were punished.

     If used for a pig pen, the pigs died. If used for an irrigation ditch, the water refused to run through and sank into the ground.

     If used to build the foundations of a house, death struck a member of the family.

     It was dangerous to move the ............. unfortunately the end of this tract was not included. I hope to locate the remainder soon.

What do you think?
     Knowing what you know now about the impact tourism and foreign concepts of land ownership and development has had on Hawaii-an resources, sacred sites and burial sites, what do you think about the author's commentary in this tract?

► Molokai's Iliili-Opae - 4: Materials

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.

Wailau

  Photo Credit

 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

► Molokai's Iliili-Opae - 2: How Obtained

Honolulu Star Bulletin. Tuesday, January 15, 1957 - Tales about Hawaii, Clarice B. Taylor 

     Neglected heaps of stones on Mapulehu ridge in southeastern Molokai mark the remains of the second largest heiau (stone temple) in all Hawaii.

     The name Mapulehu (dust-rising wind) indicates that the beautiful site was always fanned by a breeze.

     The heiau site is by a middle ridge between Mapulehu and Punaula ridge (Red Coral Ridge) a short distance inland from the southeast coast of Molokai.

     It overlooks Kalohi Channel to the Island of Maui.

BEAUTIFUL SITE 
     The site is beautifully situated. Fresh water streams ran by it in ancient days to feed the fertile lands below the ridge and the fishponds situated near the shore.

     Judging from the size of the heiau and the number of men required for its construction, the surround lands and the seacoast must have been well populated.

     From earliest times, Molokai was noted for its great priests, men of intelligence and mana (spiritual power) gained by constant prayer.

SPECULATION
     We can imagine how these intellectuals gained the Mapulehu site for the heiau. 
     It presumably happened after the ruling Ke Alii had asked the priests to observe religious ceremonies which would forecast whether or not he would be successful in his next raid on his neighbors across the channel.

     Ke Alii was present at the service conducted under rigid kapu.

     He heard the priests predict success for him and he feld secure in their prophecy since no sound had been heard during the service - all had been absolutely quiet.

A QUESTION
     At the end of the ceremony while eating the pig which the king had provided for the sacrifice, the high priest turned to the king and asked:

     "How was our service?"

     The king jubilantly replied,

     "Fine, fine."

     The high priest quickly said,

     Then could yo not give me that piece of land at Mapulehu? I want it for my kilokilo (star gazer) so that he can watch the heavens through a clear sky and forecast the star signs."

     The king could do nothing else but say "yes."

Next: The Prediction. 

*  Note: The word, "feld" is original to this text.