Traveling About North Hawaiʻi

Our guide asked him to go along with us; he agreed, and we moved on until we stood at the tip of the road beneath Koaʻekea, this was the road taken by ʻUmi and his aikāne, Piʻimaiwaʻa folks [that being Piʻimaiwaʻa and ʻŌmaʻokāmau], and makai of there was the foundation of the house of Milu, that being Paoo; upon there is a rock with a nook, where the liver of Milu was placed, taken by Kaʻalaeanuiahina and hidden there.

Also upon there is where the soft palate [kīleo] of Kihapū was broken because it was dropped from the mouth of Puapualenalena, the dog who fetched that conch, and it sounded, which is when the gods atop Hōkūwelowelo guarding it heard.

I will speak a little on that; Līloa had an ʻawa patch in the uplands of Moʻomuku, and he was bewildered by the one who raided it, and after a constant watch, it was seen that it was a dog that was doing the stealing, and when the dog left with the ʻawa, the men followed until they arrived at the residence of the keeper of the dog; the men returned to Līloa and told him they found the one who was stealing from his ʻawa patch, that it was a dog and his keeper, in the mountains facing Waimea; that is when Līloa commanded his men to bring the ʻawa thieves, and Līloa also ordered them to fetch them and bring them in good health, and this order of the aliʻi was carried out; the men arrived before the man and his dog, and they told him of words of the aliʻi to come; the keeper of the dog agreed at once and he went and appeared before Līloa. Līloa asked, “Can your dog go and fetch the conch (Kihapū), because it is my great nemesis; and should it be gotten by your dog, then you and your dog will live;” however the keeper of the dog believed, as for Līloa’s words saying the two of them would die, that Līloa and his men would not be victorious over his dog, Puapualenalena.

However, the keeper of the dog agreed and commanded his dog that he was to fetch it, and when Puapualenalena was coming back with Kihapū, a side of the conch hit the brow of a cliff, and that is why it fell and sounded; the kīleo was broken, and the god heard; he hastened, he was gone, and the god was left frustrated. If you all want to see Kihapū, go to the Hawaiian National Museum and you can see it in the room of splendid things.

Directly below the road of Koaʻekea are the fishponds of Līloa, Lokoʻula and Laakea [Lālākea]; but Lokoʻula is filled up with sand, and upland of the ponds is the house site of Līloa.

Upon that house foundation is where Hakau was killed by the men of ʻUmi.

Pertaining to Pakaalana.—This is where was placed the sacred cord [ʻaha kapu] of Līloa, that being Ahuula [ʻAhaʻula], and it was by this cord that the ancient aliʻi were recognized by the cord falling, but if the person approaching before the cord was not an aliʻi, it would not fall.

Stone Image [Kiʻi Pōhaku].—There is a tall rock standing at the corner of the enclosure, and within it is the stone image of Līloa, and it was beat by Kapiʻolani and she broke off the top of the stone, and beyond that lay the sacred platform of Līloa [ka paepae kapu o Līloa], which was made like stairs. Līloa’s was the second step above, where the sun rose, and the step below was his kahu’s; it was made like that so that the shadow of the kahu would not fall upon the aliʻi.

Kahua Hale.—This is the foundation of the house where Līloa and the chiefs played kōnane, and this foundation is where Līloa found ʻUmi playing kōnane, that is Kauleialoa.

Puuolea.—This is where the malihini chiefs went to rest, and if they wanted to have an audience with Līloa, they released a pig; if the pig went and lay before the kahuna of Līloa, then the aliʻi would be called to go and see Līloa, but if the pig went and returned, then the aliʻi was not allowed to go and see Līloa; it was understood that the aliʻi was there to rob Līloa, and he was expelled immediately and if he loitered, he was put to death.

Papakonane.—Covered totally under sand is the kōnane board of Līloa, under coconut trees; if it was not buried in sand, the two of us would have dug it up with the kamaʻāina.

Honuaʻula.—This is a heiau looking straight out to sea where men were killed to sacrifice to the foolish gods of that Līloa, and Mokuʻula is the center of that heiau, it is a stone that stands at the ocean.

We saw the cliffs that Hainakolo climbed to eat ʻūlei fruit; there is much ʻūlei on that cliff, and it looks like a cliff that cannot be climbed by men; “Perhaps you can but while getting torn up by the ʻūlei,” I said. All that remained to be seen was where Leimakani was found by Kaholoholouka and Kaholoholokai because of the rough ocean. We saw the house foundation where Luʻukia lived, that being the woman who splattered Lono [Lonokaiolohia] upon the rocks. This direction was toward the north side of Waipiʻo going upland to the west.

Moaʻula.—This is a heiau; this is one of the places where Līloa lived and dedicated heiau, and it is a place where the aliʻi stayed and had fun. It was there that all of the aliʻi lived with their men when ʻUmi went to fetch Hakau and kill him.

The way of the kahuna.—Right above Moaʻula Heiau is the area famous for these kāhuna of the narrow path, because these kāhuna treated the illness of the Chief Līloa until he died; the makaʻāinana gathered together, whereupon they exited from a small door in the back of the house and climbed up the cliff; and from that is where this famous saying comes from: the kahuna travels on a narrow trail [he alaiki ko kahuna]; this is a road that is not overgrown by ʻūlei until this day; pili is the grass that grows, and on the sides of the road ualei [ʻūlei].

Neneue.—This is a pool, but there was a shark named Neneue, and it was there that the shark lived; when he saw men, women, and children going surfing; he told them, “Don’t you all go, the shark has not eaten its breakfast;” when the men and women reached the ocean, he followed, removed his clothes, and dove in; he swam as a shark and when he came upon a person, the shark chomped down. He then turned and returned home and this was something he always did; and it was someone from Kaʻū who witnessed this, and so he went and bit the breast of Neneue making him ashamed; making him go all the way to Hāmākua where his stone body dwells.

Waiʻōmaʻo.—This is a pool, it is the water which Leimakani sprinkled upon his son, Lonokaiolohia, being that he was killed by Luʻukia, his wife, splattered upon the rocks, and at this pool, he was sprinkled upon with water until he revived, according to Lalau [Misconstrued] folks, and lived in Waipo and Kauluela.

Pertaining to Kaholoholouka and Kaholoholokai [the fishermen of Luʻukia].—These were the two men who found Leimakani at the ocean pool, when they went fishing, walking about the tide pools, and they raised him to adulthood; these are two valleys lying one below and one above.

The Waterfall of Hiʻilawe.—These waters are directly behind Mio’s house; the falling water is lovely to see; my son climbed up alone and went swimming while I watched from the house while still having the falling waters in clear view. (Not concluded.)