THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE. 41 



Genealogv and TTistory. 



Their legends and traditions, many of Ihetn ideiilical witli lliose found in 

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

 after generation, by a highly hon()r(>d class of genealogists and bards. Each 

 family or elan hatl its respected historians and j>oets, and generally the i)osition 

 of genealogist, at least, became hereditary, to be handed down from father to 

 son. It was the especial office of the genealotiist to keej) and correctly transmit 

 the historical records of chietiy unions, births, deaths and the achieveiiuMits of 

 the mor(^ important people of their community. 



In this way nnu-li of the history of the people, as well as many of their 

 legends and nuieh of their historical beliefs, superstitions and ])ractices, have 

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



Meles and Hulas. 



Their meles and hulas were the supreme literary achievements of the ancient 

 historians and poets, and, as their subjects were diverse, they vary much in 

 substance and character. j\Iany 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 souths, and still others 

 are composed to or al)out things and places. 



Although they are without rhyme or regular meter, as it is generail\- under- 

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

 almost at random from the many excellent translations given liy my fiiend. 

 Dr. X. B. Emerson, in his l)ook on the Hula, may serve to illustrate their 

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

 descriptive 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 Ocdni and that the stanza given is 

 one taken from one of the many songs for the hula ala'a i)apa. It is but an 

 episode from the story of Hiiaka on her journey to Kauai to bring the handsome 

 prince T.ohiau to the goddess Pele. Hence, — 



" 'Twas in Koolau I met the rain; 

 It comes with liftino' and tossing of dust, 

 Advancing in columns, dashing along. 

 The I'ain, 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 stainiiinj: rain; 

 Full run the streauis a lushing' flooii; 

 The mountain walls leap with the rain. 

 See the water chafing its bounds like a dog, 

 A raging dog, gnawing its way to pass out." 



nKSORIPTICV OF PL.\TE. 



1. The nose flute player and iiula dancer. 2. Hawaii.iii Imuse on a raised stone |ilat- 

 form. 3. Making fire by the ancient Hawaiian method: a hard stick of t)lomea (Pcrrottetia 

 Sa7idu-ice)K'iis) is rubbed in a groov(> on a soft jiieee of hau wood until the friction ignites the 

 tinderdike dust that aeeunnilates in tlu' end n\' the groovr. I. A icni|i(iiarv house made of 

 sugar-cane leaves. In the foreground taro and t(d)acco are shown, to the left a ]iapaya. while 

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



