COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 389 
being divided equally among the fishermen. The owner of the boat 
supplies everything except food, and generally accompanies the boat 
and gets his regular share with the others. 
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND SUPERSTITIONS OF THE FISHERMEN. 
The Hawaiians are a superstitious race, and at the time of the advent 
of the first missionaries they had many customs and beliefs which were 
common to all the islands, while there were others which were local to 
certain islands and even districts. The fishermen had many which 
were peculiar to themselves and they formed almost a distinct commu- 
nity. Their small heiaus (temples), often called ku-ulas, stood on 
almost every promontory, while they could not use a new net, fishing 
rod, or canoe without prayer and sacrifice to their patron god. Each 
fisherman had his fetiches, or gods, and these are frequently found 
from time to time in secret places where they had been hidden in 1819, 
when idol worship was abolished. 
In all the great ceremonies of the state and church the fishermen 
occupied a prominent place. The following is a description of the 
part played by the fishermen in the dedication of a new temple: * 
On the fourth night another great aha (hoowilimoo) was performed by the king 
and the priest of Lono, while another priest, with a large company of fishermen, put 
to sea to fish for ulua. 
Offering of the ulua.—The idols were now invested with white kapa and received 
their several names, the principal one being called Moi; and a great sacrifice was 
made of hogs, bananas, cocoanuts, red-fish, and white kapa, besides several more 
human victims, which were placed on the /ele. If the fishermen failed to catch any 
ulua that night they killed a man in the village and dragged his body to the heiau 
with a hook in his mouth as a substitute for the fish. 
As the ulua priest approached, chanting an incantation and carrying his hook and 
line, everybody fled, and even the priests retired within the drum house. When 
he had finished chanting his aha behind the lananuu, he reported to the king the 
omens which he had observed, and the fish was offered up to the god. If he had 
broken his rod or line, or if the bait had all been eaten, it was a bad omen. 
The chief god of the fishermen was Kuula, whose worship extended 
throughout all the islands, and to whom they looked for abundant 
supplies of fish and other products of the sea. His son Aiai was the 
first to locate the deep-sea fishing grounds for the fishermen. 
On Lanai two large stone images, personifying Laeapua and 
Kaneapua, deities who were supposed to preside over the sea, were 
much honored by the fishermen. 
On Molokai a shark named Moaalii was famous as the marine god. 
Many temples were built on promontories for his homage, and to 
them the first fruits of the fishermen’s labors were dedicated. When 
victims were required in honor of this god, or it was supposed to be 
hungry, the priests would sally out and ensnare with a rope anyone 
whom they could catch, who was immediately strangled, cut in pieces, 


*A Brief History ef the Hawaiian People. By W. D. Alexander, pp. 57, 58; 12 mo., New York, n. d. 
