'Ailolo

Originally published in Ka Hoku o Hawaii Kamehameha and his warrior Kekūhaupi‘o Written in Hawaiian by Reverend Stephen L. Desha Translated by Frances N. Frazier Produced with the assistance of the State of Hawai‘i Historic Preservation Division, DLNR Kamehameha Schools Press Honolulu • 2000 pg. 15-24

Kii: Janice Kai

After they arrived at the canoe landing at Kapu‘a and lifted their canoes ashore, the niuhi was taken to a large canoe shed. Koaia commanded all the men of their canoe to keep away from that place, not one of them was allowed to pass by that canoe shed. Koaia’s command was carried out by the men for he held power over the people and was feared because of his skill at lua. When all the people had left that place save only Koaia and Kekūhaupi‘o, Koaia spoke concerning what was to be done:

‘Auhea ‘oe, e Kekūhaupi‘o, your work on the ocean is done. Our expedition was pursued by good fortune. Now you must take out the eyes of the niuhi. One shall be offered to our god of lua, and one shall be eaten raw by you. By the nature of your eating of the eye of the shark shall be seen your status as a fighter in the future. When all is ready within this new canoe shed, which has not had a canoe in it, we shall perform the ‘ailolo ceremony, and your strength shall this day be confirmed by me. Then Koaia’s student of lua shall be strong indeed.

     When the paddlers had left the canoe shed Koaia immediately ordered Kekūhaupi‘o to remove the eyes of the niuhi, and prepare to go to the heiau to offer the right eye of the shark to Kāne [Lono], the god in whom Kekūhaupi‘o had complete faith. Kekūhaupi‘o listened well to these instructions by Koaia, the bold hero of the land of Kapalilua. They went together to the heiau of Lono, nearby in Kapu‘a. Taking a black pig and many other black things to be offered at the altar of Lono, they recited prayers to their god Lono. The service of worship went well, and then they returned to the newly prepared shelter which had been built for the ‘ailolo ceremony of Koaia’s chiefly pupil.

On their arrival at the heiau Koaia had said:

‘Auhea ‘oe, my chiefly pupil: our actions at the heiau of Lono have progressed well and I think the god has heard you and your prayer for help. Now prepare yourself to eat the left eye of your opponent of the wide ocean. Eat without thought of rejection, and it will bring success in your ‘ailolo ceremony on this day. When you have eaten the eye of the shark we shall attempt the successful completion of our work. You shall attempt in every way to prevail over me by lua and I shall attempt, also, to release the means by which you secure me. By great skill you can secure your teacher, but within me is doubt of your victory over me.

     In a little while following these words, Kekūhaupi‘o prepared to eat the left eye of the shark. He took it but before eating it he raised his voice in prayer to his guardian spirit of lua, the god Lono. On completion of his prayer, without disgust he ate the eye, accompanying it with a bit of broiled breadfruit. This accompaniment of breadfruit, whose name ulu means growth, would bring the growth of strength, fearlessness, and skill to him.

     This was done with the offering of graduation prayers for the binding of strength to Kekūhaupi‘o. Then Koaia again spoke:

Ah, this final offering of ours has gone well. All that remains is the attempt of the pupil with his teacher. If your cleverness and strength are great, then you shall prevail over your teacher. Be open, clever in grasping, then stand taut before the adversary. Prepare yourself, and if you are vigilant in every way you shall overcome me.

     Slowly, then, they prepared to wrestle and show their skills. One of them was to use all his readiness to enable him to escape from the other. Koaia enwrapped Kekūhaupi‘o with his lua hold, and Kekūhaupi‘o released his grip. Although Koaia had held him as though bound, like an eel he sank away out of the hold.

     For some time they wrestled, the one trying to prevail over the other. At one time it seemed as though the victory was slanted toward the pupil because of his preparedness and youthfulness, but we must understand that Koaia was a man most skilled in bone-breaking, who had been victorious over every one of his opponents for many years. He was a subject of conversation because of his proficiency and was feared by those who contested him. Is this student, who had been so patiently schooled, about to triumph?

     The strength of this lua teacher of Kapalilua had not lessened, as he was not a weak old man. He was very large, perhaps taller than his pupil, more than six feet in height, long armed, crowned with strength and possessing great skill in bone-breaking. Therefore, it would be very difficult for the victory to be slanted toward Kekūhaupi‘o. However, we shall see, O reader of this remarkable story of this famous warrior of the era of the ancient chiefs of our beloved land.

     For a long time they attempted to prevail, one over the other, and the sweat rolled from their bodies. When Koaia held his pupil in a lua hold he would score a point. But Kekūhaupi‘o would counter with a point learned from his teacher. They contested with each other from side to side of the shelter, and there were no eyes to observe this fight between teacher and pupil. At one time Koaia gasped for breath, not having the strength of his youth, and he said to his pupil that they should rest a little. They did so, and then resumed the contest. We should remember, readers, that Kekūhaupi‘o did not become short of breath and would not have, the reason being his training as a runner when he had been taught at his father’s home in Ke‘ei, and also his practice with the spear and the staff.

While they were resting the teacher said:

E Kekūhaupi‘o, I see how you will fight in the future. Very few people will be able to stand before you on the battlefield. I have observed the development of your musculature and of your physique—this type of fighting body was called by our ancients “he moa lawa” [man of great strength]. You are sufficiently strong whereas your hands spring from the strong foundation of a body equipped with strong, mature bones. The most important thing for you is to be very cautious when you begin with your opponent. Alert observance of his condition, previously unknown to you, shall secure you victory, for you will study his weaknesses. This is one of the first rules of this type of fighting in which we are engaged. It is important for you to notice whether he is left-handed, if so it will be easy for you to overcome him, having practiced some strokes with your left hand.

Perhaps these words are sufficient: let us resume. However, my pupil, if I am overcome by you this day, then you will be the very first to triumph over Koaia, the lua instructor of chiefs. Let us get on with the remaining strokes, and when it is done we shall return to the rope knotted by the gods (piko kaula nakinaki a nā akua).

\  When they had again rested, they sprang again to the attempt to overcome one another. The expertise of Koaia’s pupil was very great. Koaia attempted the stroke he had not taught to Kekūhaupi‘o, thinking that by this stroke he would bind him. However, the teacher was astounded that his pupil, with great skill, opened up the hold by which he had bound him. When Kekūhaupi‘o did this, Koaia said to him:

E ku‘u haumana ali‘i, I have seen your truly great skill, and I am unable to bind you with that last stroke which I had not taught you, thinking that by this I would be saved from you. But I see that it has become as “bath water” to you, my pupil, and I think that you have conquered me, not because of your hold on me, but because of your youth and great patience in learning this profession. Let us cease our performance. However let me tell you that there is absolutely no one who can “slap your head”4 in the future. There is no one who is completely able in this fighting skill of our ancestors and who is also able to throw the ‘īkoi and bind up a man with great cleverness.

     When Kekūhaupi‘o heard these words from his instructor, he agreed with some regret because, inwardly, he realized that they had not engaged in the contest for long when he was secured by his instructor with the lua grip.

     It would be proper, also, for the writer of this remarkable story of Kekūhaupi‘o to explain the nature of the ‘īkoi, or tripping club used by the ancients. This was one of the very clever professions taught by this Hawaiian race, however, it was also used by the people who attacked and plundered others in ancient times. The proper basis for this instruction was in connection with warfare. However criminal persons converted this discipline into a means of robbery. Along with the teaching of this art, the means of releasing from strokes, which someone might think of using, was also taught. It was a matter of course for persons adept in lua, if they were going far, to carry a staff for this was their escape from anyone who threw the ‘īkoi at them. That staff protected them from entanglement at the hands of a person who attacked them.

    The ali‘i delegate Kūhiō is perhaps the person living at this time who was taught portions of this ancient means of fighting. He was taught some lua strokes, and the throwing of the ‘īkoi. This act of using the ‘īkoi was demonstrated before Queen Kapi‘olani. When Queen Kapi‘olani witnessed this very clever work of the time of her ancestors, she was frightened and directed the old man who was teaching the young ali‘i Kūhiō to cease doing it. By the statement of the ali‘i delegate to the writer of this story, this remarkably clever action displayed the power of that old man in binding a man. One of the very remarkable things was the absolute ability of that old man to bind Kūhiō’s body at any place he desired. The ali‘i described it thus to us:

That old instructor of mine said to me that we were going before Queen Kapi‘olani to show the nature of throwing the ‘īkoi, and the binding where he might desire with the rope of the ‘īkoi in his hand. On arrival before the queen, I stood before my royal aunt, and then the old instructor stood forth, turning and saying these words to the queen: ‘This work, e ku‘u ali‘i, is wound together with the way of robbing men of their lives in ancient times, yet this work was not founded to kill men, but was to strengthen ourselves on the many battlefields of ancient times. Also, it was something employed at the time when strong warriors met, and when they did not triumph with the spear, then, the famous warrior took from a fold of his malo an ‘īkoi with cord. The warrior who had been trained in its use would bind his opponent with great ease. You shall see, e ke ali‘i mō‘ī wahine, the speed with which the young ali‘i is bound by the flying ‘īkoi of our ancestors.

With these words, that old instructor took out an olonā cord fastened to a heavy object with a hole pierced to fasten the cord. He wound the other end of the cord around his right arm, then he turned to the queen and asked: ‘Ea e ke ali‘i mō‘ī wahine, where do you wish me to bind him with the ‘īkoi?’ The queen immediately replied he should attempt to bind my right arm and body in the hold he wished. Then the old man instructed me [Kūhiō] to stand prepared and raise up my left arm as though I was a left-handed man about to hurl a spear at him, leaving my right arm by my side. I did so and in a brief moment before I realized it, he threw that ‘īkoi and it bound my right arm. What I did realize was that the ‘īkoi was thrown below my thighs, and my body and right arm were bound. I was unable to prevent my entire body and arm from being bound by that cord. After that he called to me to stand as though I was holding a spear with my right hand and attempt to hurl the spear at him, and in a brief moment my body and left arm were wound and absolutely bound, and he was able to pull so that I fell to the ground. Again, I stood and attempted to go before him while he held the “flying ‘īkoi” and when he threw it, my neck was wound about with the cord. When my neck was thus bound, the queen became frightened because of the work of this old man and she said to him that he must not teach me that knowledge of throwing the ‘īkoi, since this was truly a deed which killed men.

Perhaps that is why I do not know the profession of the flying ‘īkoi of our ancient people. Afterwards I attempted to ask that old man to teach me, disregarding the ban by the queen, but he would not consent to break his oath to Queen Kapi‘olani, and this is the reason for my ignorance of this genuinely skilled profession of our ancestors. However, I was taught some strokes of lua but did not become an adept and did not know and have forgotten most of those clever lua strokes.

     Let us return to our story of Kekūhaupi‘o, the most famous warrior of old Hawai‘i. If this story had been set in other lands the foreigners might think it to be a theatrical presentation, and not a true story of the bravest warrior chief of Hawai‘i. However, we shall show some of the most important deeds of this famous chief. After the lua contest between the teacher and his pupil which we previously described, Kekūhaupi‘o was reluctant to break off, so Koaia brought out the materials for the use of the ‘īkoi and said to his pupil:

You shall take the defensive staff and I shall hurl the ‘īkoi in an attempt to ensnare you. Be very vigilant with the staff I have given you: without it you can be caught by the ‘īkoi. In the future, when you go to lonely places, do not forget to take that staff in your hand, it is the best means by which to escape this weapon of our ancestors. Also, be very vigilant as to how the ‘īkoi is thrown at you. If it is below, at your legs, then the staff shall be as a third leg to protect you, and also, if at the upper part of your body and arms, then it shall be an addition to protect you from the attempt to bind you. Are you ready?

     Kekūhaupi‘o quickly assented, standing ready with the staff in his hand. Perhaps here it would be best to explain the reason for the staff so that readers of this new era can understand its use, although in a previous issue the use of the ‘īkoi by the Hawaiian people was described.

     That staff in his hand would form a third partner for his legs as a defense when the ‘īkoi was hurled. When the rope attached to the ‘īkoi wound around his legs, the staff would cause the rope to slip to the ground. Also, if a clever person lacked a staff he could open out his legs if the rope was about to wind about them, and then draw his legs together so that the rope would fall down. This is only a little explanation for the benefit of the new generations of this land so they will know of this clever weapon of our ancestors. Perhaps some of our readers will be irritated by this verbosity, but we publish this remarkable old story to educate our readers. How many persons living today know of the skill of our ancestors? Therefore, forgive this explanation concerning our ancestors’ methods of fighting.

     When Kekūhaupi‘o assumed his defensive stand, Koaia’s observant eye noted it, but before action commenced he said: “If in this action I do not prevail over you, then we shall change over, and you shall hurl the ‘īkoi and I shall defend myself. What do you think, my chiefly pupil?” “Perhaps by this means you shall truly see, my teacher, the readiness of your pupil, but will it not be only a guess if you alone secure me, and I only release the snare which you hurl?” Koaia laughed at these words, understanding the great desire of his pupil to prevail over him by some means. Then he called out: “Stand ready, O lua student who ate the burning eye of the terrifying niuhi of the ocean. Stand forth and show the cleverness your teacher has taught you.” Then, like the whirling of a windmill in a high wind, the rope in his hand sped, yet it was observed by the unsleeping eye of the famous warrior of Ke‘ei of the Kona districts in the famous calm of ‘Ehu. With the sound of the wind the ‘īkoi wound itself around his legs, and equally as alert as his teacher, Kekūhaupi‘o set his staff outside his legs as the rope wound about, then moved his staff closer and the rope fell uselessly. Koaia quickly pulled his rope back without giving Kekūhaupi‘o the time to seize the head of the ‘īkoi and pull it from him, for by that means its thrower could be toppled by the one he meant to ensnare.

     With great cleverness Koaia rewound his rope and again the rope tied to the ‘īkoi whizzed around Kekūhaupi‘o’s body, but he parried with his staff, holding it out from his body so that the rope simply fell down. Before Kekūhaupi‘o was able to bend down, the ‘īkoi again left the hand of Koaia with the sound of the wind and the dirt flew up in front of Kekūhaupi‘o’s feet. Koaia had thrown the ‘īkoi between his pupil’s legs, but Kekūhaupi‘o set his staff out from his neck because he realized this was a feint by his teacher to bind his neck and then wind between his thighs. This was a very clever stroke—one which a certain old man later performed before Queen Kapi‘olani to terrify the queen by binding the neck of Kūhiō, and he was commanded not to teach that stroke.

     The teacher’s cleverness was rendered ineffectual before his pupil’s defense. Again Koaia retrieved his ‘īkoi and hurled it in a deceptive way as though he thought to ensnare a portion of the body, however he cast at the feet, and before Kekūhaupi‘o was able to return his staff to his legs, the rope sank below his legs. Like a flash of lightning Kekūhaupi‘o spread his legs, and at the moment Koaia thought to pull his rope and topple his pupil, the rope fell without fulfilling the teacher’s desire. Then Koaia spoke these prideful words:

Truly great is the cleverness and vigilance of my pupil. Perhaps there is no cleverness that can bind you, only if your eyes are closed, or you do not see the weapon at the moment it is hurled. There will be pride in the future because of captives taken by your skill.

     Then they rested, the pupil thinking of demonstrating his proficiency in hurling the ‘īkoi at the one who had taught him. Likewise, my good reader, even as Kekūhaupi‘o hinted to his teacher, perhaps there is a morsel remaining in the “empty calabash” of Ka Hoku o Hawaii.When Koaia realized he had been unable to capture his pupil with the ‘īkoi, he gave it to Kekūhaupi‘o, saying:

‘Auhea ‘oe, my pupil, you have the knowledge from your teacher. Now, attempt to cast the ‘īkoi at me, and if you are able to ensnare me, then you are the very best of the students I have taught and, as I have already said, you are the best of them all in your knowledge of our ancestors’ methods of fighting.

     As Koaia finished speaking they prepared for the test of skills between them. Kekūhaupi‘o acutely observed his teacher’s stance, and his inquiring eye noted Koaia’s alertness. Although he was an old man he appeared to be of equal years with Kekūhaupi‘o. When Kekūhaupi‘o threw the ‘īkoi his teacher quickly warded it off and the rope fell harmlessly. Kekūhaupi‘o again attempted to cast it over his arms, but Koaia opened out his arms and the attempt failed. Then Kekūhaupi‘o studied his opponent for any weakness and noticed that Koaia opened out one arm quite far, and then he remembered his teacher’s dust-throwing ruse, so that he cast the ‘īkoi between his opponent’s legs planning to cause it to wind slantwise around his teacher’s right arm. When Kekūhaupi‘o whirled the ‘īkoi and cast at the dirt, where Koaia stood, it went between Koaia’s thighs, then Kekūhaupi‘o quickly raised his hand with such speed of execution that Koaia was unable to protect himself. The rope, lying between Koaia’s thighs wound around his right arm, and when Kekūhaupi‘o raised the rope Koaia toppled over in front of his pupil. Kekūhaupi‘o quickly freed his teacher and helped him to stand but the fall had knocked the wind out of him. For a few moments he stood with amazed face, and when he had recovered his breath he said admiringly:

E Kekūhaupi‘o ē, you have achieved an excellence in combat which I have seen for the first time in anyone—here I stand before you as the prisoner of your skill. This is the very first time victory has been achieved over your teacher. You have triumphed because of your great vigilance and alertness. You shall broaden your knowledge of this type of combat and in the future will be able to thwart famous warriors.

     As they had finished, they returned to the teacher’s dwelling, where they roasted a black pig in the imu and Kekūhaupi‘o feasted with his beloved teacher, with much good conversation. Thereafter Kekūhaupi‘o prepared to return to the home of his father, who was the konohiki at Ke‘ei. When all the young warrior’s bundles were ready he bade his teacher farewell and boarded his father’s double canoe which awaited him and he returned with joy to his parents’ home.

     On his arrival in Ke‘ei he was greeted with admiration by the Ke‘ei folk, because their young warrior had returned having successfully completed his training. His father received him with enthusiasm, prepared a feast which they enjoyed together and said to him:

‘Auhea ‘oe, my beloved son, I have prepared you with the knowledge of combat which is not only for my benefit, but for assistance to our haku ali‘i. While you were staying in Kapalilua an inquiry arrived about us and I reported your readiness in various methods of combat. The last word of command I received from Ali‘i Alapa‘i was that, when your instruction was finished, you be brought into the presence of the chiefs to show your preparedness in combat for, my beloved son, our haku ali‘i has the voice of power. Therefore, after our feast, when you have seen your family and the playmates of your youth, we shall go to Kohala, as our royal chiefs are gathered at Kokoiki to await the lying-in of Chiefess Keku‘iapoiwa.

     His father’s words seemed good to Kekūhaupi‘o, as he desired to appear at the court and to know the brave men of the court, famous for their fearlessness in combat.

     After the meal Kekūhaupi‘o went to see his close family and his old playmates, who saw in him a warrior trained in the ancestral arts of combat. Some of these young men went with him to fight under the Conqueror of the Pacific at the time of Kamehameha’s very first battle at Moku‘ōhai in which his hoahānau Kīwala‘ō was killed by him,5 and when Keōua and Keawemauhili6 were put to flight. Perhaps our story will go as far as this famous battle. His haku ali‘i designated him to serve Pai‘ea, the “Napoleon of the Pacific” and to instruct him in warfare.

     Kekūhaupi‘o and his father then departed for Kokoiki at Kohala, to join the court of Alapa‘inui, the ruler of Hawai‘i in those days, and to meet the chiefs of the districts of Ka‘ū, Hilo, and Hāmākua who also were gathered there.

4 Literally pa‘i ke po‘o means “to slap the head” and is used in the sense of overcoming by superior status or superior strength as it was kapu to touch the head of an ali‘i.

5 According to Kamakau (1961:121) and Desha in the October 27, 1921, issue, it was Ke‘eaumoku who killed Kīwala‘ō, not Kamehameha.

6 Throughout the text, the name Keawemauhili appears without diacritical marks to be consistent with the explanation of this chief’s name given in the November 3, 1921, issue of Ka Hoku o Hawaii. It appears as Keawema‘uhili in most publications.