32 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bdll. 88 



Kaumaha a'e la ia Laka. 

 O Laka ke akua pule ikaika. 

 5 Ua ku ka maile a Laka a imua ; , 



Ua lu ka hua <^ o ka luaile. 

 Noa, noa ia'u, ia Kabaula — 

 Papalua noa. 

 Noa, a ua noa. 

 10 Eli-eli kapu ! eli-eli noa ! 

 Kapu oukou, ke akua ! 

 Noa makou, ke kanaka'. 



[Translation] 

 Tnbu-Iifting Prayer 



Oh wildwoocl bouquet, oh Laka ! 

 Hers are the growths that stand here. 

 Suppliants we to Laka. 

 The prayer to Laka has power ; 

 5 The maile of Laka stands to the fore. 

 The maile vine casts now its seeds. 

 Freedom, there's freedom to me, Kahaula — 

 A freedom twofold. 

 10 Freedom, aye freedom I 



A tabu profound, a freedom complete. 

 Ye gods are still tabu ; 

 We mortals are free. 



At the much-needed repast to which the company now sit down 

 there may be present a gathering of friends and relatives and of 

 hula experts, called olohe. Soon the porkling chosen to be the 

 ai-16lo offering is brought in — a black suckling without spot or 

 blemish. The kumu holds it down while all the pupils gather and lay 

 their hands upon his hands; and he expounds to them the signifi- 

 cance of the ceremony. If they consecrate themselves to the work 

 in hand in sincerity and with true liearts, memory will be strong 

 and the training, the knowledge, and the songs that have been in- 

 trusted to the memory will stay. If they are heedless, regardless of 

 their vows, the songs they have learned will fly away. 



The ceremony is long and impressive ; many songs are used. Some- 

 times, it was claimed, the prayers of the kumu at this laying on of 

 hands availed to cause the death of the little animal. On the com- 

 pletion of the ceremony the offering is taken out and made ready 

 for the oven. 



One of the first duties of the day is the dismantling of the old 

 kuahu, the shrine, and the construction of another from new mate- 

 rials as a residence for the goddess. While night yet shadows the 

 earth the attendants and friends of the pupils have gone up into the 



" Lu ka hiin. Casts now its seeds Tlie maile vine (pi. iv). one of the goddess's emblems, 

 casts its seeds, meaning that the goddess gives the pupils skill and inspires them. 



