The Koolau Pali of Molokai, Famed for its Superiority

Mr. Solomon Hanohano, greetings.
In this song I sing, we see the boast of the native sons of Molokai.

Many have thought,
Many have dreamt,
Of the land of Piilani
Standing majestically.
The greatest of all
Is my native land,
Great Molokai,
Beautiful isle of Hina.
She is best of all.
     Composed by Kema.

This is indeed a land of palis and those on the Koolau side of Molokai are filled with the growing things of the mountains, from their summits down to the pebble strewn beach below, and so are the borders of the streams. Thus stands a beautiful woman with back as straight as a cliff and face as bright as the moon. Life in the valley of Wailau is pleasant.

I thought that lovely Waipio with her two cliff sides was the most beautiful or the sheer pali of Makaha but I find it is this one, famed in song thus:

High above Olokuʻi rears itself,
A row of pali shelters the house of Kaunuohua
They try to make themselves like Ahumauna
And the wind-swept top of Haupu
That was lifted by a thick shelled turtle.
Man longs for that of which he dreams,
For the pressure of his sweetheart’s hand at Keiua,
My sweetheart is a loved one,
Of whom I yearn to hear,
Let us go, loved one, till we’re drenched.

I asked my host why this stream was named Wailau (many waters) and he said that it was because it began in many brooks that flowed from the palis on every side, hence its name.

I think this is right because I have gone up the valley and have seen small streams flowing here and there before the face of the pali. I went almost two miles up the stream along the mountain trail that leads to Pukoo.

My host’s grandchildren pointed out the mountain trail to ascend to reach the Kona side where Pukoo and others are located. They told me that that was the pali of Hamuwai, where this famous saying was uttered, Koki and Wailau, the ladder of shrimps (O Koki, O Wailau, ke alapii o ka opae). These words were important words, proving that the one who uttered it was an expert in the art of lua fighting of old Hawaii in which he was trained. It meant that the bones of an opponent were broken by the hand before he touched the ground. The words mean–death.

I regret that my host was not along with us. He had gone ahead, and it was our fault for being so slow.

Slowly the goddess moves over Puna,
Yellowing the fine drops of the rain;
Hilo swims abreast in the water
That sets the lehua trees of Leleiwi afloat,
A jealous eye is a watchman for love,
Who tempts him in a dream.
I know naught of that–

Because we lacked a guide, I cannot tell you much of the places that I have seen. The grandchildren said to me, “This place where we are sitting is Malama.”

They hurried into the stream and in no time returned with some lehua-eating oopu and hihiwai shellfish. A fire was lit, the ti-leaf wrapped fish laid on it and when cooked we ate lunch. We ate heartily of hoio fern leaves, shrimps, the lehua-eating oopu fish of Piilani, the wi and hihiwai shell-fishes, so numerous in this stream.

The green foliage of the forest sent forth their fragrance, an odor new to the stranger to smell. These added to our appetites and O how delicious the food tasted.

The afternoon came as we wandered about in the forest and we turned to go home. My host, who had run away from us, was sitting on a rocker and chanting that body-stirring hula song composed by Kaehu–

The ship rolled about so,
Her flag staff was a-tilt,
The boom rolled behind,
Shaking to and fro over the sea,
I looked back at Kauai,
From whence the wind blew.
Hetty startled the fishes,
Sending them skimming o’er the sea.

Two native women of Molokai had followed after me, one was named Kamaiopa and the other Kuliole. It was a good thing for they brought something for the “sailors” to occupy their hands with.

Seeing the oldest land on Molokai

On Sabbath morning, July 24, the ship run by gasolene, belonging to my host’s son, James Naki came from Wailau. He suggested to my host that we go to see Pelekunu and we got ready quickly. I boarded the ship with the wreath of my travels, my daughter, the grandchildren of my host and other people of the place, Mr. George Pauole and his lady Amae Pehu Pauole. This together with the crew made a goodly company.

As we sailed to Pelekunu, I looked at the face of the pali standing there in full beauty. My native friend pointed out the waterfall of Waiehu which was being blown away by the wind. I recalled a chant composed by an expert:

Waiehu in its corner is dissipated by the wind,
Olokui rises, the most beautiful of palis,
Trimmed and cut by the waters of Oloupena,
Let down is the fine-meshed net of wind
That is being woven by Kailipalala,
The sea of Wailua washes up before the face of Honokaupeu,
I will first let my love go forth,
To seek relief till his troubles are gone,
When he comes, I’ll be here.

I saw Haupuhele stand forth and my friend said, “See that pile of rocks in the sea?” I looked, and he told me that it was Opeaanana (Scrotum-a-fathom-long). I asked, “Who owned such a long scrotum?” He said jokingly, “It belonged to a deep-sea squid, with ink bag removed, leaving the skin hanging limp.” Everyone laughed.

I thought to myself, “What peculiar names the ancients of this place gave. They range from Pelekunu (Malodorous) to the single egg of the aʻo, bird of the sky.

As we passed the face of a long pali jutting into the sea, my friend said, “That jutting pali we are passing and you are looking at now is named Umeumelehelehe.” I recalled a chant that I had heard,

Laughter crouches down in the wintry rain,
Bruised by the blowing of the wind,
Windy is Haupu, it has eaten its fill,
Umeumelehelehe puffs her mouth at the storm,
She seems to tease Malelewaa
Till one thinks that it is the truth.
Perhaps it is so, O tiny drops of water,
Let me drink, then we’ll visit.

When we reached the point we saw Pelekunu Valley. It is rather a narrow valley and bends in at an angle. We saw the houses standing there but strangely, saw no one. Everyone was gone to Mana and only the homes stood there. When the ship stopped, a boat was lowered and I went on it with my fellow travelers. My friend said, “Do you see that hill up there? That is Haupu-kele, the fortress of Kapeepeekauila. He was the dauntless warrior of Kamuleinuuhiwa and Kiokoaea the highest point of that hill. He battled against Kana, the rope-bodied son of Hakalanileo and Hinalealua, who was reared by Uli. It was he that Moi dreamt of and chanted about while he was sleeping in the heiau of Maniniaiake. So he called to the bird brothers of Keoloewa, chief of Haupu, as he uttered these lines,

“Awake, awake, awake o Plover,
Awake O Sandpiper, awake o Petrel,
Bird brothers of Keoloewa.
Go and tell your lordly brother
That a warning came in a dream,
Many troubles will come to the land,
There will be a defeating,
By the warrior of Aiwaawaa,
A warrior born of Hina,
Born in Kana with a rope-like body,
Like the kaee vine clinging to a banana stalk,
Like a spider’s web is the body of Kana
Adopted child of Uli of the stuffed nose,
The angry nose, the challenging nose,
Of a wild dog’s, a fierce shark’s,
Alas, he will come to make the hill quake,
This is the dream of Moi, the mighty priest.”

My friend informed that this hill was said to rise up high and so it was written in the story book of Kawahawale. There were turtles that lifted the hill up. When they were killed there was no one to lift this hill that we are now looking at. This hill is sung of in this chant,

Haupu towers above
Like a shield for Manuahi.
Take a glance at Nuakea
At the clean ti plants of Keawaiki,
Small thoughts move within,
And flutter to the summit of Huelo,
I am of the family of Kauhuhu,
That supernatural being of the sea,
The ornament of the calm (sea) of Moi,
In the swaying sea of Awanui,
Where you’ll find laughter
That satisfies your desire (for mirth).