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The
Building of Keawenuia'umi's Canoe
by Samuel M. Kamakau
[From Ruling Chiefs
of Hawai'i, 38, 41-42. This passage has been translated by
Kenneth Emory from terms identified by Mr. Kupihea.]
When Keawenuia'umi
learned that Paka'a [his kahu iwikuamo'o or chief personal
attendant] had run away, that he had left him and was gone, he was
filled with longing for him. The chief ordered strong paddlers to go
from Hawai'i to Kaua'i to seek him. They sought him on the leeward
and windward sides as far as Ni'ihau, and returned to the presence
of the chief to report that Paka'a could not be found. They had not
gone to the remaining island, Ka'ula. "It might be that a certain
man at Kaluako'i, Moloka'i, was he [they said]. He was accompanied
by a young boy on a canoe. The boy asked us questions, but the man
did not raise his head. We inquired for Paka'a, but the boy replied
that no stranger was seen there." They [the chief's paddlers]
returned, leaving t he two catching uhu fish at Kala'au Point.
Keawenuia'umi said, "I
dreamt that Paka'a's spirit told me that he is on Ka'ula and will
not come back until I, myself, go to fetch him. He will not return
with the messengers of the chief. Great is my longing for my
personal attendant. Let all of Hawai'i make double canoes and large
single canoes, and let us go to fetch Paka'a."
Keawenuia'umi sent a
proclamation to every high chief and every lesser chief for double
canoes, for canoes that were joined together, and for single canoes,
to be used in the search for the personal attendant of Keawenuia'umi.
The chiefs were all supplied with canoes, but there was one thing
lacking. There was no double canoe for the ruling chief. The cause
of the delay in the making of that canoe was two birds. When the
tree selected for the chief was about to be felled, these birds
called from the very top of it; "Say, the log is rotten." After the
tree was felled, it was found that the trunk was rotten. The chief
hired many canoe-making experts, but no canoe was finished for him.
The chief hired bird-catchers, those who gummed birds, but none
could cat ch the birds. The naughty birds which called about the
decayed log flew away and vanished into the sky. They returned only
when a koa tree was about to fall. The tree fell just after their
cry of "The log is rotten" (puha ka waha). The chief was weary of
them!
[The two birds were
killed by the famous archer Pikoi-a-ka'alala, son of 'Alala and his
wife Ko'uko'u, natives of Lihu'e, Kaua'i. In gratitude Keawenuia'umi
gave Pikoi his daughter, and "all the lands on Hawai'i where bows
and arrows were used".]
After the enemies of
Keawenuia'umi had flown away to the sky, a man was found who was an
expert in putting on canoe parts and in hollowing the log. His name
was Lulana, and he came from Kipahulu, Maui. This man's skill was
noticed when he went to the upland and saw two very large trees, one
on either side of the trail. These were hollow trees used as
dwellings by some of the canoe-makers. When the stranger went to the
upland he noticed them and said to Keawenuia'umi's canoe-making
experts, "These will make good canoes for the chief, as the centers
are hollowed already."
The chief's men
replied, "Who would convert these hollow trees into canoes? They are
used as shelters for canoe-makers, bird-catchers, and experts in
canoe-making."
Lulana said, "These
are easy to use, for the openings are already there. They will be
fine canoes, and there are no defects. If these were made into
canoes for the chief, they would be excellent."
The hewing began at
the spot pointed out by Lulana, until both trees fell. The large
side branches and tops were cut off, the bark stripped until none
remained on the outside, the prow and stern shaped, the sides
smoothed off, and the prow and stern polished smooth. The canoe was
then turned up, the edges leveled, and as the canoe was already
hollow, leaving only the two sides at the opening, the opening was
then shaped. The opening was already there, so there was little work
needed on it. The work was soon finished, and it was seen that there
were no canoes to equal the canoes of Lulana in the days of 'Umi or
of the ancient chiefs before him.
Word was carried to
Keawenuia'umi of the fine canoes made by Lulana, that they were
beautiful and free from defects. No canoes as beautiful had ever
been seen in olden times. They were twenty anana long [20 arm spans,
or 120 feet] and one anana and one iwi lei [1 and 1/2 fathoms, or
nine feet] in depth. When Keawenuia'umi heard of the doings of this
expert who was unequalled in his skill, he was filled with happiness
and joy. In no time the canoes were finished inside and ready to be
hauled to the shore. Keawenuia'umi, the chiefs, lesser chiefs, and
commoners hauled the canoes to the shore of Hilo. Lulana became a
favorite and was made chief over all canoe experts (po'e kahuna
kalai) on Hawai'i by Keawenuia'umi.
Lulana and all the
experts put together the canoes of Keawenuia'umi. When the pieces (la'au)
and all the things which belong to a canoe were fitted together, the
canoe which was to take the place of the outrigger float (that is,
the 'ekea canoe) was set alongside. Then the connecting booms ('iako)
of the canoe were put on. When the four large inner booms had been
fixed, then were added the two booms for holding together the
forward and rear ends of the double-canoe (na 'iako elua i na umi o
na umi'i o mua a me hope). Now the wash strakes (palepale) were set
over the booms, on the inside and outside. In front were placed the
weatherboard (kua po'i). After the clamping down of the rear pieces
(uma) of the canoe and the fastening with running sennit-cord (ho lo
'aha), the platform (pola) midway between the canoes was lashed on.
Just over the arch of
the main booms was set up the house for the chief, so that the
chiefs could sleep on the platform. It was lashed securely (helea)
with sennit just as for the lashing (lu'ukia ana) of the booms.
There at the big boom over the large lu gs (pepeiao), the sail (pe'a)
was set up (kukia). When the little imperfections of the canoe had
been remedied, then all that was left was to sail it on the ocean.
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