Ka Moolelo o Eleio - Mokuna 8

S. N. Pualewa
October 1863

Reproduced below is the eighth installment of S. N. Pualewa’s 12-part mo‘olelo published serially in the Hawaiian Language newspaper Kū‘ōko‘a in September–November 1863. Although Pualewa’s title suggests that ‘Ele‘io, the fleet-footed messenger of Maui’s high chief Kāka‘alaneo, will be the hero of the story, the greater part of the story is, in fact, concerned with the life of Kāka‘alaneo’s son, the trickster-chief Kaululā‘au, who is still remembered for ridding Lāna‘i of its horde of murderous akua. The story of Kaululā‘au has undergone something of a revival with the publication of Ellie Crowe’s children’s book The Boy Who Tricked The Ghosts and with Keali‘iwahine Hokoana’s production of the one-man play The Legend of Kaululā‘au. Crowe’s book, in our opinion, would have benefited from a careful examination of the story’s primary, Hawaiian language sources. Much of Hokoana’s success, on the other hand, stems from her adherence to Pualewa. We present Pualewa’s "Mokuna 8" below.

Mokuna 8, Nupepa Kuokoa, Okatoba 24, 1863

A lohe o Kaululaau ia mau olelo a Pahulu, no ka pau loa o ke akua oia wahi i ka make i ka nalu, alaila, ninau hou aku la o Kaululaau i ke akua ona ia Lono, "Pehea kaua e hele no ka mea, ke olelo mai nei o Pahulu, ua pau loa ke akua o keia wahi i ka make i ke poiia e ka nalu."

I mai la hoi o Lono, "Auhea oe, mai hoolohe wale aku oe i ka olelo mai a Pahulu, no ka mea, no iala ka oleloia ana, he hana lepo ulaula ko ke akua, he poo huna ko iala i ke aouli; e aho e kali kaua maanei i keia po, a i hiki hou ole mai hoi ke akua, alaila, ua pau io i ka make, o ko kaua hele ka hoi ia ma kau wahi e aku e noho ai."

Alaila, hai aku la o Kaululaau i kona manao ia Lono, "Akahi no au a hoomanao mai i ke aloha i oʻu mau makua i keia manawa, no ka mea, ia kaua i hele mai nei, elua wale no wahi puna ko, oia iho la ka ai o ka hele ana o keia wahi makamaka ole; no ka mea, ma ka hale o koʻu mau makua, he nui loa ka lakou mau mea ai e ai ai i kela la i keia la."

Olelo mai la o Lono, "Mai aloha oe i ou mau makua, no ka mea, ua kiolaia mai oe e make i ke akua o Lanai nei; no ka mea, ina oe e aloha i ou mau makua a hoi hou oe i Maui, alaila make oe, aole oe e ola, no ka mea, he keiki oe no Mauhaalelea, a ua kiola loa ia oe no ka make. Aka hoi, ina kaua e noho i keia aina, a pau ke akua o keia wahi a puni ka aina i ka lukuia e oe, a kaapuni kaua i keia aina, a i loaa ole kekahi akua hookahi ia kaua, alaila, hoi mai no kaua a keia wahi la, ia nei no oe e ho-a aku ai i ke ahi; a ike mai ou mau makua i ka a aku o ke ahi, malia a manao iho ou mau makua aole io no oe i make i ke akua, alaila, o ka laweia mai ka hoi ia o ka ai nau, ai iho oe ono ka ai ana, no ka mea hoi, ua make ae la ka hoa paio."

Ma keia kamailio ana a Lono ia Kaululaau, ua lilo ia i mea oluolu loa i ko Kaululaau manao; a noho io iho la laua malaila ia po, no ke kali ana i ka hiki hou mai o ke akua. I ke kali ana o laua i ua po nei, aole wahi mea a hele mai o ke akua, hookahi wale no akua i hele mai, o ka ahailono no a laua nei, oia hoi o Pahulu.

Eia nae, i ka ike ana mai o Kaululaau, o Pahulu hookahi wale no ka mea i hele mai ia po, alaila, olelo aku la o Kaululaau ia Lono. "E aho e pepehi ae kaua ia Pahulu a make, no ka mea, oia hookahi wale no koe, aole hoi paha ana make, nolaila, hookahi wale no ia, elua pu hoi kaua."

Alaila, olelo mai la o Lono ia Kaululaau, "Aole pono kaua ke pepehi ia Pahulu, no ka mea, i na kaua e pepehi ia Pahulu, alaila, aole e puni o Lanai nei ia Kaua, no ka mea, o Pahulu oia no ka mea i ike i kahi e noho nui ai o ke akua, a oia no hoi ka mea nana e hoolohe mai ka kaua mea e makemake ai e hana aku, a malaila wale mai no o Pahulu; a oia no hoi ka waha mana, e kamailio aku maluna o ka nui o ke akua o Lanai nei, nolaila, mai koi oe e pepehi ia Pahulu."

A i ke kakahiaka anaʻe o kekahi la ae, ia wa, hele hou mai la o Pahulu, a olelo mai la ia Kaululaau ma, "E aho e hele kakou a hiki i ka lae o Kahoomano, (O Kalaehi kekahi inoa oia wahi) ilaila kakou e noho ai i kekahi mau la, a naʻu no hoi e hoolauna aku me ka nui o na akua o makou e noho ana ma ia wahi; a ina hoi lakou e ae mai ia’u ma ko makou launa ana, alaila, ua ike iho la no hoi oe i ke kumu i pau mai nei ke akua o kela wahi ia oe, a pela no hoi oe e hana ai i keia wahi."

A pau ka Pahulu kamailio ana i kana pono ia Kaululaau, a me Lono, alaila, kakali aku la o Lono, o ka ui mai o Kaululaau ia ia i ka pono o ko laua hele ana, ame ka pono ole.

Alaila, ninau mai la o Kaululaau ia Lono, "Pehea kaua, ua pono anei ka ianei e olelo mai nei ia kaua e hele kakou, i na e nana mai oe a ua pono, alaila, pono kaua ke hele, ina no hoi oe e nana mai aohe no hoi he pono, alaila, e aho no hoi ko kaua noho ma keia wahi."

Alaila, olelo aku la o Lono, "Ua oi aku ka pono o ko kaua hele ana mahope o ka olelo a Pahulu, no ka mea o ianei no ke kamaaina o keia wahi, a o ianei no ka mea i ike pono i ka pau ana o ke akua o keia wahi a kaua e noho nei, nolaila, ua pono ia kaua ke hele mahope o ka Pahulu olelo i keia manawa."

A holo ka olelo no ka hele ana, ia wa koke no, o ko lakou nei hele aku la no ia a noho ma ka lae o Kahoomano.

A poaha ko lakou noho ana malaila, a o na hana a pau a Kaululaau i hanaʻi ma Waiahoolae, oia no ka mea i hanaia ma Kahoomano.

A pau ko lakou noho ana ma ka lae o Kahoomano, alaila, nee ae la lakou a noho ma Kahaulehale, a poalua ko lakou noho ana malaila, o ka Kaululaau hana kahiko no nae i hoomakaiaʻi ma kahi ana i noho mua ai, o ia no kai hanaia ma Kahaulehale; ia lakou nae e noho ana ma Kahaulehale, a hele aku la oia ma ia wahi aku, alaila, halawai aku la o Kaululaau me keia mau kanaka e noho ana i ka lae kahakai. Ia lakou i halawai ai, a ike pono aku la keia he mau kanaka io no, alaila, kamailio pu iho la lakou me ua mau kanaka nei.

Alaila, olelo aku la keia i ke akua ona ia Lono, "Kupanaha maoli, olelo ia hoi keia aina he aina kanaka ole, he akua wale no kanaka, eia ka hoi he aina kanaka no."

Alaila, olelo mai la o Lono, "Aole no he kanaka o keia aina, o ke akua wale no, i na e ike ia ke kanaka, alaila, he olulo ia kanaka, no Molokai mai paha la, ua holo mai nei a make i ka moana, au mai nei paha a pae mai ianei, oia kau i ike iho la he kanaka. Aka, eia nae ka pololei, e ninau pono aku no oe i ua mau kanaka la, a na laua no ia e kamailio pono mai ia oe, anoaia aole io he mau kanaka, he mau akua io no paha, kuhihewa kaua he akua, aole ka!"

Ia wa, pane aku la o Kaululaau ia Lono, "E aho nau e kamailio aku ia Pahulu, e nana pono ae ia i ke ano o ke akua o keia aina; a ina e hoole mai oia, aole pela ke akua, a he mau kanaka io kela, alaila, naʻu hoi ke kamailio e pono ai, no ka mea, ua ku ae la hoi i koʻu aoao i ko ke kanaka."

Nolaila, lilo ka nana ana ia Pahulu, ia wa olelo mai la oia ia Kaululaau ame Lono, "Aole keia he mau akua, aole pela ke ano o ke akua o ko makou aina nei."

I ka hoole ana mai a Pahulu aole he akua, alaila, lilo hou ke kamailio ana na Kaululaau me ua mau kanaka nei.

Hooneenee aku la o Kaululaau a kokoke loa me laua la, alaila, aloha aku la keia ia laua la, "Aloha hoi paha olua e nei mau kanaka?"

Aloha mai la no hoi laua la, "Aloha no hoi paha oe e nei keiki opiopio maikai."

Ia manawa, hoomaopopo aku la o Kaululaau i ua mau kanaka nei i ko laua wahi i hele mai ai a hiki ai hoi i Lanai.

Alaila, olelo pono mai la ua mau kanaka nei ia Kaululaau, "No Molokai mai maua, i holo mai nae maua e holo loa i Maui, o ka make e nei i ka moana, o ka au hele mai nei paha ia la, pomaikai ka pae ana mai i Lanai nei. Eia hoi ka hewa, ua pakele mai nei hoi i ka make o ka moana, o ka make hoi paha auanei a ke akua i koe, nolaila, aole i ikea ka pono, oia ka maua mea e mihi nei la, no ka mea, he aina akua keia."

Alaila, i aku la o Kaululaau i ua mau kanaka nei, "Aole olua e make, no ka mea, he mau kanaka makua olua, aole ka hoi au i make ke kamalii, make hoi olua."

A ike aku la o Kaululaau i ka mokoi paeaea a ua mau kanaka nei, alaila ninau aku la o Kaululaau, "He mea aha keia a olua e hana nei?"

Alaila, olelo mai la laua, "He mea paeaea na maua, penei e hana ai, o ke kaula no o ka waa, oia no ke aho, o ka o no o ka pea, ola no ka mokoi, a o kekahi uha puaa no, o ia no hoi ka maunu, nakiikii ka uha puaa i ke aho a paa; aia a poeleele iho, alaila, kiola aku iwaho o kahi papaa hale nei o maua la, ia manawa, kii ae la ke akua, a paa iho la i ka uha puaa, alaila, hapai mai la ka mokoi, paa mai la ke akua, ia wa, kaikai mai la maua a hookomo iho i ka ele, a lomi iho mawaho o ka eke, make iho ana ia akua, i na no eha akua, pau no a eha i ka make i paa mai ai i ka uha puaa."

Alaila, olelo aku la o Kaululaau, "Ae, he wahi hana maikai io no hoi ka olua e hana nei? Heaha la hoi auanei ka hewa, e aho no e hana no hoi olua i ka olua hana, malama o pau no hoi koonei akua i ka olua hana, alaila, o ko olua aina iho la no hoi ia; a owau hoi, e hele aku no hoi au ma keia wahi aku e noho ai, a ike ia hoi ka pono, alaila, o ka pono ka hoi ia o ka noho ana o keia aina makamaka ole."

O keia mau kanaka nae e kamailio pu nei me Kaululaau, oia hoi na kanaka o Molokai mai. Ua manao ia, o laua no na kupuna i loaa mai ai na kupuna o Lanai. A ma o laua la i loaa mai ai o Lonoikapuokoko, a ma ona ala i puka mai ai o Kaluaikeaokiikii, a malaila e pili ai ia hanauna me na mamo a Kaiakea a me Puhene.

A nolaila, ua oleloia ia moolelo ma ko Molokai olelo ana no ke kaha pili a Kaiakea.

A pau ko lakou kamailio ana, alaila, hele aku la o Kaululaau a noho ma ka lae o Kaena, a noho kela me ka luku aku i ke akua i mea e pau ai lakou i ka make.

Ua noho loihi loa lakou malaila i kekahi mau la, a ike o Pahulu i ka pau o ke akua o ia wahi, alaila, olelo aku la o Pahulu ia Kaululaau ame Lono, "Ua pau ke akua o keia wahi, e aho e hele kakou a ma kela aoao o Honopu, malaila kakou e noho ai, malama ua nee aku nei paha ke akua ma ia aoao e noho ai, no ka mea, ke nana hele nei au ma keia wahi aole akua i koe, nolaila, ua makehewa kakou ke noho maanei i keia mau la loihi loa."

A mamuli o keia olelo ana a Pahulu; alaila, ua nee io aku no lakou a noho ma Honopu, aia ia wahi ma kahi e ane kokoke aku ana i ka pali o Kaholo, aka, o Kaumolopau nae kahi e pili pu ana me Kaholo.

A hiki lakou nei ma Honopu, a noho malaila i kekahi mau po, aole nae he akua o ia wahi, no ka mea, ua kaapuni hele o Pahulu ia mau la a me ia mau po ma ia apana mai o a o, mai kai a uka, aole ona halawai iki me ke akua, nolaila, aole o lakou kuleana e noho hou ai malaila.

Nolaila, ua nee hou aku la lakou e noho ma Kaunolu, a malaila ua noho loihi hou lakou ma ia wahi, no ka mea, na ike o Pahulu he wahi akoakoa ia o ke akua.

Nolaila, olelo aku la o Pahulu ia Kaululaau, "E aho e noho kakou i anei, no ka mea, ua ike mai nei au, aia iluna pono o Kahilikalani ke akua kahi i noho ai. Eia nae ka mea hai aku ia oe e Kaululaau, e luku a uanei oe i ka nui o ke akua a pau; a o ke akua auanei e kapaia’na la o Kanemakua, alaila, mai pepehi auanei oe ia ia, no ka mea, he hana nui kana. O kana hana, oia ke kamaaina mau o keia wahi, a nana no e malama i kela i-a o ke kai. Oia ke akua, no ka mea, ina oia e make, aole mea nana e kiai pono i keia lae akua, no ka mea, malama paha e pau io ana ke akua o keia aina ma keia hana au e hana nei, a e noho mai ana paha ka mea i like pu me kou ano aʻu e ike aku nei, alaila, ua koe iho la no ke kumu e laka mai ai o ke akua, a ma ona la e hiki ai ke kaumaha aku, a e lilo o Kanemakua i aumakua lawaia no ia poe."

Alaila, ua maikai ia mea i ko Kaululaau manao. A noho lakou malaila, me ka hana aku i kana oihana mau o ka pepehi aku i ke akua o ia wahi, a malaila hoi o Kaululaau i ao ai i ka paeaea ana i ke akua, e like me ka hana ana o na kanaka o Molokai i pae mai ai ma Kahaulehale, a no ka lehulehu o na hana maalea i loaa ia Kaululaau mamuli o ke ao-ao ana mai a kona akua a Lono, nolaila, ua pau na akua i ka make o Kaunolu.

A pau ka lakou hana ana ma Kaunolu, alaila, manao iho la lakou e haalele ia wahi, a e nee hou aku ma kekahi wahi hou aku. Nee iki ae la lakou a noho ma Mamake, a malaila i luku ia aku ai.

(Aole i pau.)

Ka‘iwakīloumoku’s Hawaiian language transcription of Ka Moolelo o Eleio was made by Keali‘iwahine Hokoana and edited by Kīhei de Silva. The story can be viewed in its original Kū‘ōko‘a context on the website Ulukau.org.