EMEK.soN] UNWRITTEN LITERATURE OF HAWAII 187 



which up to that time she had repelled. Pele, in a frenzy of passion, 

 overwhelmed her errantr lover, Lohiaii, with fire, turned his body 

 into a pillar of rock, and convulsed earth and sea. Only through the 

 intervention of the benevolent peacemaking god Kane was the order 

 of the world saved from utter ruin. 



The ancient Hawaiians naturally regarded the Pele hula with 

 special reverence by reason of its mythological importance, and they 

 selected it for performance on occasions of gravity as a means of hon- 

 oring the kings and alii of the land. They would have considered its 

 presentation on common occasions, or in a spirit of levity, as a great 

 impropriety. 



In ancient times the performance of the hula Pele, like that of all 

 other plays, was prefaced with prayer and sacrifice. The offering 

 customarily used in the service of this hula consisted of salt crystals 

 and of luau made from the delicate unrolled taro leaf. This was the 

 gift demanded of every pupil seeking admission to the school of the 

 hula, being looked upon as an offering specially acceptable to Pele, 

 the patron of this hula. In the performance of the sacrifice teacher 

 and pupil approached and stood reverently before the kuahu while 

 the former recited a mele, which was a prayer to the goddess. The 

 pupil ate the luau, the teacher placed the package of salt on the altar, 

 and the service was complete. 



Both olapa and hoopaa took part in the performance of this hula. 

 There was little or no moving about, but the olapa did at times sink 

 down to a kneeling position. The performance was without instru- 

 mental accompaniment, but with abundant appropriate gestures. 

 The subjects treated of were of such dignity and interest as to require 

 no extraneous embellishment. 



Perusal of the mele which follows will show that the story of Pele 

 dated back of her arrival in this group : 



He Oli — O Tea mele mua keia o ka hula Pele , 



Mai Kaliiki ka wahine, o Pele, 

 Mai ka aina i Pola-pola, 

 Mai ka pimohu ula a Kane, 

 Mai ke ao lalapa i ka lani, 

 5 Mai ka opua lapa i Kahiki. 



Lapa-ku i Hawaii ka wahine, o Pele; 

 Kalai i ka wa'a Houna-i-a-kea, 

 Kou wa'a, e Ka-molio-alii. 

 I apo'a ka moku i pa'a ; 

 10 Ua lioa ka wa'a o ke Akua, 



Ka wa'a o Kane-kalai-honua. 

 Holo inai ke au, a'ea'e Pele-honna-niea ; 

 A'ea'e ka Lani, ai-puni'a i ka uioku ; 

 A'ea'e Kini o ke Akua, 



