Ka‘ao Ho‘oniua Pu‘uwai No Ka-Miki (The Heart Stirring Story of Ka-Miki)

Kii: Waiau -Paradise of The pacific 1922

HE WAHI MO‘OLELO NO KA ‘ĀINA

A ME NĀ ‘OHANA O WAIKI‘I MA WAIKŌLOA

(KALANA O WAIMEA, KOHALA),

A ME KA ‘ĀINA MAUNA:

A Collection of Traditions and Historical Accounts

of the Lands and Families of Waiki‘i at Waikōloa

(Waimea Region, South Kohala), and

the Mountain Lands, Island of Hawai‘i

 Kepā Maly • Cultural Historian and Onaona Maly

The tradition of Ka-Miki is about two supernatural brothers, Ka-Miki (The quick, or adept one) and Maka-‘iole (Rat [squinting] eyes) who traveled along the ancient ala hele and ala loa (trails and byways) that encircled the island of Hawai‘i. Born in ‘e‘epa (mysterious premature) forms, Ka-Miki and Maka-‘iole were the children of Pōhaku-o-Kāne

and Kapa‘ihilani, ali‘i of the lands of Kohana-iki and Kaloko. Reared by their great grandmother, Ka-uluhe-nui-hihi-kolo-i-uka (The great entangled growth of uluhe fern which spreads across the uplands), the brothers were instructed in the uses of their supernatural powers. Kauluhe, who was also one of the manifestations of the earth-mother goddess and

creative force of nature, Haumea (also called Papa), who dwelt at Kalama‘ula on the heights of Hualālai, was also a goddess of competitors. Following completion of their training, Ka-uluhe sent Ka-Miki and Maka-‘iole on a journey

around the island of Hawai‘i to challenge disreputable ‘ōlohe (experts, skilled in all manner of fighting techniques and competing in riddling, running, leaping, fishing and debating contests, etc.) and priests whose dishonorable conduct offended the gods of ancient Hawai‘i.

The narratives are set in the time when Hīkapōloa and Kapa‘au-iki-a-Kalana were the two primary chiefs of Kohala (ca. thirteenth century). During their journey, Ka-Miki and Maka-iole competed along the ala loa and ala hele and on the kahua le‘ale‘a (contest arenas) associated with the royal courts of the chiefs of the islands’ six districts. In this account, the nature and boundaries of Kohala District are as follows:

Kohala nui, o Kohala iki, o Kohala loko, o Kohala waho, o Kohala makani

‘Āpa‘apa‘a, o Pili o Kalāhikiola, o Na-pu‘u-haele-lua. ‘Oia ho‘i! ‘Oia la! O nā

‘okina iho la ‘ia o ka ‘āina ha‘aheo i ke kahili a ka makani ‘Āpa‘apa‘a e ho‘ola‘au

mai ana me he ipo ala ka nē hone i ka poli o ke aloha —

Large Kohala, little Kohala, inner Kohala, outer Kohala, Kohala of the ‘Āpa‘apa‘a wind, of Pili and Kalāhikiola, the two traveling hills. Indeed! They are the combined districts of this proud land brushed by the ‘Āpa‘apa‘a wind, maturing like a love nestled fondly in the bosom of love (Ka Hoku o Hawaii, March 22, 1917).

For generations, sayings like the one above, have been spoken in praise of Kohala and its various land divisions which extend from Honoke‘ā on the Hāmākua boundary to Ke-ahu- a Lono on the Kona boundary. The lands from Kawaihae to Waikōloa and ‘Anaeho‘omalu are within the region called Kohala waho (outer Kohala). Narratives Describing Waiki‘i, South Kohala and the Mountain Lands When the brothers completed their training and tests of their skills had ended, Ka-uluhe instructed Ka-Miki to journey to the hālau ali‘i (royal compound) of Poli‘ahu, one of the elder relatives of the brothers. Poli‘ahu and her companion Lilinoe, were the guardians of Waiau and the sacred water of Kāne. She then instructed Maka-‘iole to go collect the ‘awa (Piper methysticum) of the god Luanu‘u at Waipi‘o. The water and the ‘awa were to be used in an ‘ai-lolo (ceremony of graduation), commemorating the sacred nature of the brothers and completion of their training in ‘ōlohe skills. Ka-uluhe instructed the brothers —

“…You, Maka-‘iole, are to fetch the yellow barked ‘awa which the gods drink till they are drunk, and bleary eyed, till their eyes are reeling, it is the ‘awa that is there along the sacred cliff of Waipi‘o in the breast (the ledge) of Ha‘iwahine -

at the long plain of ‘Āpua…” Maka-‘iole stood up straight, prepared to fly like the ‘iwa bird soaring upon the

winds… Ka-uluhe then called to Ka-Miki, telling him:

“…e kii oe i ka wai a Kāne, aia i luna i ka piko o ke kuahiwi i ka hālau alii o Poliahu a me Lilinoe, me ka hanai a laua o Ka-piko-o-Waiau. Aia malalo mai o kaulu o ka paepae o Pohaku-a-Kane e nana iho la ia Pohakuloa, o ka ohana ‘ia

ko makuakane. E kii oe i ka wai no ka awa o olua…” “You are to fetch the sacred water of Kāne which is there atop the

summit of the mountain (Mauna Kea), at the royal compound of Poli‘ahu, Lilinoe, and their ward, Ka-piko-o-Waiau. The water is there below the ledge of the platform of Pōhakuakāne, from where you may look down to Pōhakuloa; they are your family through your father’s genealogy. You are to fetch the water that will be used to make the ‘awa for you two…”

Telling Ka-Miki to travel with all swiftness, Ka-uluhe then offered a traveling chant, to keep Ka-Miki warm while traveling the trail to the hālau ali‘i of Poli‘ahu—

Ala hele mauka la                                The path goes to the uplands

Ala hele makai la                                 The path goes to the lowlands

Ala hele mehameha i ke                     It is a lonely path to the

kualono                                                       mountain

Ala hele kuo-u koekoe                        A damp dreary path

He ahi kou kapa e mehana ai            A fire will be the wrap

                                                                      which warms you

E lala ai i ke ala kapu la                       Warming you along the sacred trail

A ko kupuna wahine                            Of your ancestress with many

kino manamana                                         body forms

Manamana ke ala nui ou                    Your path will have many branches

e kuu kama                                             my child

E Nana-i-ka-ulu-o-Kamalama              O Nana-i-ka-ulu-o-Kamalama

(Ka-Miki)

Ku ana hoolono i ka leo ou                Stand and heed my voice

O ko kupuna wahine nei la It is         I your ancestress

Ku—e, ku la                                         Stand, make ready

Ku hoolono, lono e!                            Stand and hear, listen! (Ka-Miki)

Ku ana hoolono i ka leo ou               Stand and heed my voice

Ko kupuna wahine nei la                  It  is I your ancestress

Ku—e, ku la                                        Stand, make ready

Ku hoolono, lono e!                          Stand and hear, listen!

Ka-uluhe also told the brothers that they were to go to the place of their ancestress Lani-ku‘i-a-mamao-loa (whose name is commemorated in the place name Lani-mamao at Waimea); for she had the kānoa (‘awa bowl), called Hōkū‘ula and the mau‘u ‘awa (strainer) Ka-lau-o-ke-Kāhuli, which would be used in preparing the ‘awa ceremony. Ka-uluhe then told Ka-Miki:

“…e ukuhi ai i ka wai kapu a Kane ma laua me Kanaloa, a e hii ae i ka poli a huli hoi mai. Maluna mai oe o na kualono, kuahiwi, kuakea, e lehei ana ma na kuamauna, mauna kapu kameha‘i hoopaee i ke kanaka, a moe luhi ka leo—e, ae…”

“…dip into the sacred water of Kāne and Kanaloa and hold it close to your breast while returning. You shall be at the heights of the mountainous region, at the whitened peaks, leaping on the mountain top, the sacred and astonishing mountain [Mauna Kea], that causes people to go astray, and the voice is wearied by calling out—indeed it is so…” Ka-Miki and Maka-‘iole then set out to complete their tasks, first traveling to meet their ancestress Lani-mamao on the windward plains of Waimea (in the region of Mahiki) (February 5, 1914).

The brothers greeted their kupuna with genealogical chants, and gained her recognition of their descent. When Lani-mamao inquired of their journey and quest, Maka-‘iole called out to her with a mele (chant), explaining the nature of his task.nLani-mamao exclaimed — “What is your kupuna thinking of, sending you to fetch the cherished ‘awa of Luanu‘u-a-nu‘u-pō‘ele-ka-pō-loa, king of the hordes of ghosts who dwelt at Waipi‘o?” She then inquired. “Where is the water that she told you to fetch?” Ka-Miki answered —

“I ka wai kapu a Kane ma laua me Kanaloa, i ka paepae kapu o ka Pohaku-aKane, ke nai ia ala e ka ohu Kakikepa, e ka uwahi noe a ka wahine o ka lua…”

“It is the sacred water of Kāne and Kanaloa at the sacred platform of Pōhaku-a-Kāne, overcome by the mists Kākīkepa, that is like the steaming mists of the woman [Pele] who dwells at the crater…”

Because of the great challenges the brothers would face while going to fetch the ‘awa and water of the gods, Lani-mamao tested their knowledge of the skills necessary to make sure that they were prepared to meet the challenges which lay ahead of them. Lanimamao set out the supernatural net Ku‘uku‘u which was also called Kanikawī - Kanikawā [the thick rainbelt fog] that trapped and ensnared many travelers. She told Ka-Miki and his brother to leap into the net, which they did, she then pulled the net closed and placed high overhead in the rafters of her house. In no time, Ka-Miki had pulled on the lines and caused the net to ho‘omōhala (to blossom or open), thus the brothers were freed.

 Lanimaomao then told Nana-i-ke-kihi-o-Kamalama (Ka-Miki):

Great is your alertness, bravery, skill, cleverness, strength, and wisdom; indeed if you possessed only half of your abilities you would not have been able to free yourself. No one has ever escaped from this net, and if you had not been able to free yourselves, your training would not have been adequate. Because of this sign, it is you Ka-Miki who must fetch the ‘awa of the ghost king Luanu‘u, for only you could succeed (February 12, 1914).

Thus, Ka-Miki agreed to go to Waipi‘o. Lanimamao then told Maka-‘iole, that he was to go to fetch the strainer Ka-lau-o-ke-kāhuli [a native sedge] from the plain of Waikōloa…

Ka-Miki departed and arrived at the compound of Luanu‘u. Unknown to Luanu‘u, Ka-Miki took the ‘awa, and then gave the king a tap before departing… Outraged, Luanu‘u instructed his retainers, Mū-kā and Mū-kī, to seek out the thief. On their journey to find the culprit, they circled the island and traveled to the heights of Humu‘ula, where they inquired of ‘Ōma‘okoili and ‘Ōma‘okanihae if either of them knew who this rascal thief was. They also traveled to the heights of Ka-piko-o-Waiau, the ward of the chiefesses Poli‘ahu and Lilinoe, where they peered down upon the multitudes, and watched the sacred water of Kāne mā , to where the ‘auwai (water channel) was dug…. (February 19, 1914). …Ka-Miki returned to Lanimaomao and presented the sacred ‘awa container Kapāpāiaoa and ‘awa of Luanu‘u to his ancestress. She bathed him in her rains, and caused lightning and thunder to praise his accomplishments.

"(Mā is a Hawaiian word that means “and companions, friends” or “and others).”

Lanimamao then gave Ka-Miki the kānoa ‘awa (‘awa bowl), Hōkū‘ula—with the kapu of Lono-Makahiki—so that he could go get the wai kapu (sacred water) of Kāne and Kanaloa (at Mauna Kea). (March 5, 1914). Ka-Miki then leapt and disappeared in the mists that seem to crawl upon the forest growth. Arriving at the spring (of Waiau), Ka-Miki began dipping the ladle into the sacred water of Kāne, to fill the ‘awa bowl Hōkū‘ula —

“…A ia wa i ike mai ai ua wahi akua kiai i ka ale o ka wai a hu ae la mawaho o ka punawai. A ia laua i holo mai ai, o ka maalo o ke aka ka laua i ike a nalo aku la. A ua kapa ia ka inoa o ua punawai ala o “Ka Wai Hu a Kane,” a hiki i keia la.

No ka hu ana i ke kioe ana a Ka-Miki i ka wai iloko o ke kanoa awa o ke akua.”

“…At that time, the guardians, Pōhakuakāne and Pōhakuloa, saw the water rippling, and overflowing from the spring. As they went to investigate, they saw a shadow pass them by. Because of the overflowing of the water, the spring came to be called Ka-wai-hū-aKāne (The overflowing waters of Kāne), and so it remains named to this day. It overflowed because Ka-Miki scooped the water, filling the ‘awa bowl of the god.” Ka-Miki then joined Maka-‘iole at Holoholokū on the plain of Waikōloa. And as they traveled across the plains on their way back to Hualālai, the wind goddess Wai-kō-loa (Water carried far) caused the water to splash over the brim of Hōkū‘ula. Some of the water was carried afar by the wind and fell, forming a new spring. When the spring appeared, Pōhaku-a-Kāne fetched some of the water. Because Pōhaku-a-Kāne fetched some of the water, that place is called Wai-ki‘i (Fetched-water) to this day. This happened near the hills of Pu‘u Keke‘e.

Pōhaku-a-Kāne took the water he retrieved to the base of the cliffs of Mauna Kea and dug into the earthen plain of Pōhakuloa and placed the water there. From Pōhakuloa, the water flowed under ground and appeared as springs at

several other places, including Ana-o-Hiku at Hanakaumalu, Honua‘ula, and Kīpahe‘e-wai on the slopes of Hualālai… (March 12, 1914).

Following completion of the ‘awa ceremonies with Ka-uluhe, Ka-Miki and Maka-‘iole began their journey around Hawai‘i, traveling south through Kona. While at Kapalilua, South Kona, Ka-Miki was described as the skilled ‘ōlohe from the lands of Nāpu‘u (the Pu‘u Anahulu-Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a vicinity). In describing Nāpu‘u, the wind of Waikōloa was mentioned—

Napuu (pu) Alu Kinikini i kuia e ke ao-lewa i ka makani i ka hoohae a ka Naulu, i ka hoelo ia e ka Waikoloa a me ke Kaumuku kuehu lepo i ke kula pili — The many gullied or folded hills where the wind borne Nāulu rain clouds appear,

[land] moistened by the Waikōloa wind, with the Kaumuku winds which stir up the dust on the pili grass covered plain… (December 3, 1914)

When the journey around Hawai‘i Island was completed, Ka-Miki entered into contests at Pua‘a, Kona, before the chief Pili-a-ka-‘aiea. It was in the events associated with these contests that traditions of the people and places of the Waikōloa region and neighboring lands were once again described. The narratives describe several places on the Waikōloa plain including Po‘opo‘o, Pu‘u ‘Iwa‘iwa and Pu‘u Hīna‘i, below Waiki‘i; and Kanakanaka, Lālāmilo, and lands makai of Waikōloa.