Pele and Hiiaka: A Myth From Hawaii

23I’imi, derived seemingly from imi, to seek. ↑

24Lalama, derived seemingly from lala, a branch; or possibly, from lama, a flambeau. ↑

25Kane-hekili. Thunder is always spoken of as under the control of god Kane. ↑

26Ka-ulua, the name of one of the months in the cool season of the year; one can not say positively which month is intended, for the reason that the nomenclature varied greatly in the different islands, and varied even on the same island. ↑

27Kumu-kahi, the name of a hill in Puna on the easternmost cape of Hawaii; also the name of a monolith once set up there; in this connection the name of the female kupua who acted as keeper of the Sun’s eastern gate. This name is almost always coupled with that of … ↑

28Ha’eha’e, of whom the same account can be given as above. ↑

29Kapo-ula-Kina’u, one of the family. The epithet ula-kina’u is used in allusion to the fact that her attire, red in color, is picked out with black spots. The name Kapo alone is the one by which she is usually known. ↑

30 The awa papa had a small root, but it was of superior quality. ↑

31Moe-ha-una-iki, literally, the sleep with a gentle snore—such sleep as follows the use of awa. The poet personifies this sleep. To such lengths does the Hawaiian poetic imagination go. ↑

32Pahu kapu a ka leo. One—who ought to know—tells me this means the ear; as if the ear were the drum on which the voice played. ↑

33Ho’okiki kanawai, to enforce, to carry out the law. ↑

34He kua a kanawai. It was said of Pele that her back was hot like fire, and that a bundle of taro leaves laid thereon was cooked and turned into luau. It was an offense punishable by death for any one to stand at her back or to approach her by that way. ↑

35He kai oki’a kanawai, literally, an ocean that separates. Exclusiveness, to live apart, was the rule of Pele’s life. This principle is enforced with further illustration in the next line:— ↑

36He ala muku no Kane me Kanaloa. Even to the great gods Kane and Kanaloa the path of approach to Pele was cut off by the edict, thus far shalt thou come and no further. ↑

37He ki ho’iho’i kanawai. The ki is said, to my surprise, to be the thong with which a door was made fast, ho’iho’i, in the olden times of Hawaii. I cannot but look upon this statement with some suspicion. ↑

38Leo, the voice; articulate speech. Leo o ka kanaka hookahi. This one supreme man was Kane. The poet evidently had in mind the myth which is embodied in a certain Kumu-lipo, or song of creation: Kane, the supreme one, looking from heaven, saw Chaos, or the god of Chaos, Kumu-lipo, spread out below and he called to him to send his voice—leo—to the east, to the west, to the north and to the south. Kumu-lipo, thus roused from inaction, despatched the bird Halulu, who flew and carried the message to the east, to the west, to the north and to the south. ↑

39Ka manu, the bird Halulu, above mentioned. ↑

40Kai-nu’u a Kane. This expression is an allusion to god Kane’s surf-riding, which is often mentioned in Hawaiian mythology. Huli refers to the curling or bending over of the breaker’s crest; Nu’u to the blanket of white and yeasty water that follows as the wake of the tumbling wave. The Hawaiians who are best informed in these matters have only vague ideas on the whole subject. ↑

41Amama, a word frequently used at the end of a prayer in connection with the word noa (free), as in the expression amama, ua noa. The evident meaning is it (the tabu) is lifted, it is free. I conjecture that the word amama is derived from, or related to, the word mama, light, in the sense of levitation. ↑

42Kui-hanalei, a region in Puna, not far from the caldera of Kilauea, said to be covered now with pahoehoe and aa. ↑

43Pu’u-lena, a wind that blows in the region of the volcano. ↑

44Ke-ka-ko’i (literally, the ax-maker), the name of the guide and path-finder to the company. ↑

45Ka-maiau, their trumpeter who carried a conch. ↑

46Hinihini, a poetical name for a land-shell, probably one of the genus Achatinella, which was popularly believed to give a shrill piping note. ↑

47Mapu, one of the trumpeters. ↑

48Ale ula, a cloud of steam and smoke, such as accompanied an eruption. ↑

49Ale lani, the patches of blue sky between masses of clouds. ↑

50Pu-ko’a, a column of steam and smoke bursting up from a volcanic eruption. ↑

51A’aka, a column of lapillae, accompanied by hot vapor and smoke, such as jet up from a volcanic crater or fissure. ↑

52Lono, a message; to hear a message, i.e., to receive it. The expression ahu a lono is at first a little puzzling. It means the visible bulk, or sign, of the message. ↑