THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE. 41 



Genealogy and History. 

 Their legends and traditions, many of them identical with those found in 

 other groups in Polynesia, as has been stated, were handed down, generation 

 after generation, by a highly honored elass of genealogists and bards. Each 

 family or clan had its respected historians and ])oets, and generally the position 

 of genealogist, at least, became hereditary, to he lianded down from father to 

 son. It was the especial oiifiee of the genealogist to keep and correctly transmit 

 the historical records of chiefly unions, births, deaths and the achievements of 

 the more important people of their connnnnity. 



In this way much of the history of the people, as well as many of their 

 legends and much of their historical beliefs, superstitions and practices, have 

 come down to us in fairly accurate form, often from very remote times. 

 ]\Ieles and Hulas. 

 Their meles and iudas were the .supreme literary- achievements of the ancient 

 historians and poets, and, as their sulijects were diverse, they vaiw much in 

 substance and character. .Many are folk songs ; some are of a religious order, 

 being prayers or prophecies; others are name songs, composed at the birth of a 

 chief, in his honor, recounting the exploits of his ancestors; the dirge was a 

 favorite form of composition; others again are mere love songs, and still others 

 are composed to or about things and places. 



Although they are without rhyme or regular meter, as it is generally inider- 

 stood, many of them are strikingly poetic in spirit. A single example taken 

 almost at random from the many excellent translations given by my fiienci. 

 Dr. N. B. Emer.son, in his book on tlie Hula, may serve to illustrate their 

 appreciation of the poetic side of nature as well as to demonstrate their natural 

 descrii)tive power and literary gift. 



By way of introduction, we should know that Koolau is a district on the 

 windward, or rainy, side of the Island of 0:,hii and that the stanza given is 

 one taken from one of the many songs for the hubi ala'a pai)a. It is but an 

 epi.sode from the story of Hiiaka on her journey to Kauai to bring the handsome 

 prince Lohiau to the goddess Pele. Hence, — 



' ' 'Twas in Koolau I met the rain ; 



It comes with lifting and tossing of dust. 



Advancing in columns, dashing along. 



The rain, it sighs in the forest; 



The rain, it beats and whelms like the surf; 



It smites, it smites now the land. 



Pasty the earth from the stamjiing rain; 



Full run the streams a rushiny flood; 



Tlie mountain walls leaji with tlie rain. 



See the water chafing its bounds like a dog, 



A raging dog, gnawing its wa^' to pass out. ' ' 



Description- of Plate. 

 1. The nose flute player and hula dancer. 2. Hawaiian house on a raised stone plat- 

 form. 3. Making fire by the ancient Hawaiian method: a hard stick of Olomea {Perruttetin 

 Sandwicensis) is rubbed in a groove on a soft piece of hau wood until the friction ignites the 

 tinder-like dust that accumulates in the end of the groove. 4. A temporary house made of 

 sugar-cane leaves. In the foreground, taro and tobacco are shown, to the loft a papaya, while 

 in the background lauhala, banana, breadfruit and coeoanuts may be seen. 



