Ka Uapo'aihale

Kauapoaihale, the house surrounding rains is famed in story for the area in Kahalu'u, Oahu. This rain, also called Ka-ua-poai-hala (the rains that surround the hala grove) moves in all directions encircling and drenching everything it touches. In this ahupuaa, due to the erratic winds blowing up along the face of the pali or cliffs of Koolaupoko the twisting of wind currents moves the rain in all directions leaving everything completely drenched.

Ahuimanu was the aina and home of Olohe Lua Richard Likeke Paglinawan. His name Kekumuikawaiokeola, was given to him by Kawena Pukui, who was a friend and mentor to him and his ohana. His status in his profession of lua was olohe kukui, because of the old knowledge and traditions he was responsible to hold on to in this art of his. This status was the same for his olohe Kaoho Kemoku Kenn and Naluahine Kaopua. These three olohe lua kukui were the keepers and resource of this art, passed down from generations. These three had a great impact on lua and it's  survival in modern Hawaii today.

The face of ka Pali Koolaupoko shows the waawaa or grooved out scars from the intense water that continues to flow down its face. These erect cliffs and gullies stand proud and upright, looking over the lands and sea that front it.

Pali ku e na papali Koolau, ha’a hula le’a ka ua I Ahuimanu e...

Erect are the cliffs of Koolau, where the rains moves with pleasure to Ahuimanu

A Koʻolau wau ʻike i ka ua

 E kokolo a lepo mai ana e ka ua

 E kaʻi kū ana kaʻi mai ana e ka ua

 E nū mai ana ka ua i ke kuahiwi

 E poʻi ana e ka ua me he nalu

 E puka, e puka mai ana ka ua

 Weli, ke one i ka heli ia e ka ua

 Holowai nā kahawai

 Koke wale nā pali

 Hae e ka wai ka ilina he ʻīlio

 He ʻīlio hae ke nahu nei

From Koʻolau, I watch with the rain

It comes with swirling dust

The rain passed in columns, it passed by

The rain roars in the mountain

It sounds like the roar of the surf

It smites, it smites, now the land

The sands were pelted by the rain

The creek beds filled; water ran down

It poured down the hillsides

The waters became angry and raged like a dog

The dog rages, he bites to be free

Source: Bishop Museum, Mader Collection 1930-35, Kanahele Kaʻio tradition. This hula tells of Hiʻiaka's journey to Kauaʻi to bring Lohiau back to Pele. Among the many obstacles she encountered was the rain at Koʻolaupoko, Oʻahu.

HIIAKA EXPERIENCES KOOLAU WEATHER

Hiiaka found many things to try her patience and ruffle her temper in Pali-Koolau: Squalls, heavy with rain-drops picked up by the wind in its passage across the broad Pacific, slatted against her and mired the path; but worse than any freak of the weather were her encounters with that outlaw thing, the mo’o; not the bold robber creature of Hawaii which took to the wilds, as if in recognition of its own outlawry, but that meaner skulk, whose degenerate spirit had parted with its last atom of virtuous courage and clung to human society only as a vampire, unwilling to forego its parasitic hold on humanity. It was in the mood and spirit begotten of such experiences that she sang:

Ino Koolau, e, ino Koolau!

 Ai kena i ka ua o Koolau:

 Ke ua mai la i Ma-elieli,

 Ke hoowa’awa’a mai la i Heeia,

 Ke kupa la ka ua i ke kai.

 Ha’a hula le’a ka ua

 I Ahui-manu, ka ua hooni,

 Hoonaue i ka pu’u ko’a,

 Ka ua poai-hale o Kahalu’u.

 Lu’u-lu’u e, lu’u-lu’u iho nei au

 I ka puolo waimaka o ka onohi

 Ke kulu iho nei, e.

Vile, vile is this Koolau weather:

One soaks in the rain till he’s full.

The rain, it pours at Ma-eli-eli;

It gutters the land at He-eia;

It lashes the sea with a whip.

The rain, it dances in glee

At Ahuimanu, moving

And piling the coral in heaps,

Shifting from side to side of the house,

This whisking rain of Kaha-lu’u.

Heavy and sad, alas, am I,

Mine eyes, a bundle of tears,

Are full to o’erflowing.

Source :Pele and Hiiaka A Myth From Hawaii  Author: Nathaniel Bright Emerson pg 91

Aloha e ke ahi o ka ua Ko’olau,                 

Ka ulu kukui o ka Uapö’aihale.                

Ka ‘äina i ho’opulu ‘ia i nä laumeki    

He wai ‘au’au no’u.                                   

Helele’i ka ua a'o Pakole                          

Ua kawaü, ua ‘elo, a kele lua ka ‘ike.        

‘O Maelieli kahi i ka hoe ai kaua             

He kahi ‘o’i’o‘ina i kawakawa ‘ia                

He ahu one, he ahu puko'a 'ōwahawaha

Eia he pulu äu, he halau lua 

Ka olohe o ka halau palua                   

Paliku o na Koolau, i ka ua Poaihale

Greetings to the torch of the Ko’olau rains

The grove of the house encircling rains 

A land made drenched by the spears

A bath water for me

The rain came down at Pakole

Wet, soaked, till drenched is the knowledge

Maelieli is where we stopped

A place of relaxation made damp by the rain

A sand mound, a hill of grooved coral

Here is your branch, a school of lua                     

The skilled one of the two pa

Standing erect are the cliffs of Koolau in the house encircling rains

Source: K.K. Kuialuaopuna