Legend of Hawaii-loa. 



COMPILED AND CONDENSED IN ENGLISH 



FROM 



KEPELINO AND S. M. KAMAKAU. 



A 



CCORDING to an old Hawaiian tradition the alii of the genealogy direct from Kane 

 were called "ka Jioalii" and "he 'Hi poni ia" (anointed chiefs), anointed with the 

 "wai niii a Kaiic." and thus became ''iia 'Hi kapii-akua." The chiefs below them 

 in rank were called "he 'Hi iioa" (not anointed), but were still chiefs of the "iku-nuu." 

 they could succeed to the government of the land and were then called "he Moi." 



The chiefs (kahoalii) had both temporal and spiritual power. Their genealogy 

 (papa aHi) was called "ikit-pau," because it alone led up to the end or beginning of all 

 the genealogies; no one reached further back than theirs. The chiefs of the "papa 

 iku-iuiu" could only have temporal power and be recipients of the ordinary "kapii-aHi" 

 awarded to other chiefs according to rank, whereas "ka hoaHi" enjoyed both the "kapii- 

 aktia" and the "kapu-aHi." 



This often brought on dissensions and enmities between the chiefs of the papa ikii- 

 lutu and those of ikii-paii. The former would often introduce the ancestors of the ikii- 

 paii upon their genealogies in order that they might be considered as springing from the 

 kapii akua race and become also "ka Jioalii'" of the "nun-pan" and "ikn-pan." 



The worshii^ers of Kane were called "he papa laa" or "lie papa Kane." Those 

 who worshiped images were called "he pae kii," and those who worshiped nobody were 

 called "he laa-liian." The "laa-liian" were godless people, and in the time of Wakea and 

 Pajja, the first chiefs of the ikn-niiii in this country, a number of worthless kapus were 

 introduced to support the wickedness of \\'akea. 



In very olden times no human sacrifices were offered to Kane. "He kapn kc ka- 

 naka na Kane" was the settled law of that time, because the kanaka was considered 

 sacred to Kane and like unto him. The idol-worshipers, and the followers of the "Hi 

 noa" (nut i)f the Uoalii race) oft'ered human sacrifices. 



One of the ancient prayers was recited on the great festi\-al days as follows: 



The Priest: () Kane inc Ku-ka-I'ao. M, oia "nci ? 

 77(1' L'ongrcgation: M(K.>ia, c, oia. 



'For a translation of this prayer see Fornander, Polynesian Race, Vol. i, p. 6i. 



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