Rice — Hazvaiian Legends 113 



MANUVVAHI 



A LEGEND OF OAHU 



At Laie lived Manuvvahi, Free Gift, with his son, Ka-haku-loa, The- 

 Lord-of-a-Long-Land ; his grandson, Kaiawa, Bitter Sea, and his great- 

 grandson, Kauhale-kua, The-Village-on-the-Ridge. These men were the 

 keepers of the akua at Laie. Manuwahi and his children were hairless 

 and were possessed of supernatural powers. 



Manuwahi planted black and white azva far up in the mountains for the 

 use of the akua. Every awa root planted was given one of these names, 

 Kaluaka, The-Hole-That-Gives-a-Shadow ; Kumumu, Blunt-Edged ; Ka- 

 hiwa, Best-Awa, or Kumilipo, The Root-of-Unconsciousness. This was 

 done so than Manuwahi, when sending one of his sons for a piece of azca 

 could designate the exact one he wished. 



When the aiva was given to him, Manuwahi would prepare it, and then 

 summon the akua from the North, South, East, and West, as well as from 

 above and below, to drink of it. They prayed in this wise, before they 

 drank : 



Gods of the Morning, 



Gods of the Night, 



Look at your progeny : 



Grant them health, 



Grant them long life ; 



Ainaina iia noa — it is free! 



It happened that during this time, Kamehameha I. had come to conquer 

 Oahu. He had succeeded in subduing all the island except Malae-kahana, 

 between Laie and Kahuku. Determined to add this place to his conquests, 

 the king sent one of his body guard, Ka-hala-iu, In-the-Shadow-of-tlie- 

 Hala-Tree, with many of his bravest soldiers to subdue Malae-kahana. 



Ka-hala-iu marched as far as Hanapepe the first day, where he spent 

 the night. Early the next morning he set out and meeting Manuwahi, 

 whom he did not recognize, asked him where the powerful kahuna of 

 Malae-kahana lived. 



Manuwahi answered. "Pass over the river and you will see a spring 

 and nearby a hut with trees about it. This is his home." 



Ka-hala-iu did as he was told and had soon surrounded the hut with 

 his soldiers. When Manuwahi's son came out Ka-hala-iu asked him. 

 "Where is your father?" 



"Did you meet a bald-headed man?" asked the boy in turn. 



"Yes," replied Ka-hala-iu. 



"Well, that was my father. Why did you come here?" 



