CHAPTER XXVI

ANCIENT TRADITIONS

LIKE the North American Indian's, the Hawaiian's origin is not positively known. Prof. W. D. Alexander, the best authority on the subject, in his "Brief History of the Hawaiian People," says:

"The question of the origin of the Hawaiian race is one which can not be said to be fully solved. As we have seen, the Hawaiian Islands are more than two thousand miles distant from the nearest inhabited land; and the prevailing winds and currents are from the east and northeast to the south and southwest."

After stating that the affinities of the people, plants, and animals are decidedly Polynesian, Professor Alexander adds:

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'Again, it has been proved that the Polynesian language is but one member of a widespread family of languages, including those spoken in Micronesia, the Philippine Islands, the Malay archipelago, and Madagascar.

That eminent scholar and student of Hawaiian history and mythology, Dr. Emerson, in a paper read before the Hawaiian Historical Society, May 18th, 1893, entitled "Long Voyages of Ancient Hawaiians," gives the following interesting tradition:

"It is perhaps impossible to decide what name should be placed first in the list of those who played the rôle of navigator during the period of intercourse between Hawaii and the archipelago of the South. No doubt, many names have failed to reach us by having dropped out of tradition, or having been so overlaid with mythical extravagances as to effectually conceal the truth that lies at the bottom of their story. Of those that have survived, none seems more worthy to head the list, both as to importance and priority in time, than Paao.

"The story of Paao so well illustrates the disturbed condition of the times, and some peculiarities of Polynesian life, that it seems worth while to give it at length.

"Paao and his older brother, Lono Pele, were priests of Samoa, Paao being the kahu (keeper) of the god Kukailimoku. They were both men of authority and weight, highly accomplished in the arts of heathen life. Paao was also skilled in navigation, astronomy, and divination. Both of the brothers were successful farmers, and each of them had a son to whom he was greatly attached.

"The relations between the brothers were by no means pleasant, and seem to have become so strained as to result in open violence.

"On one occasion Lono Pele, having suffered from thievish depredations on his farm, came to Paao and complained that Paao's son had been stealing his fruit.

"Did you see him take the fruit?' said Paao.

"No; but I saw him walking on the land, and I firmly believe it was he that took it,' said Lono Pele.

"If so, my son is in the wrong,' said Paao. "'Yes, he is,' said Lono Pele.

"That being the case I will cut him open,' said Paao; 'but if your stolen fruit is not found within him, what shall be done to you?'

"That is none of my affair,' said Lono Pele. 'Who

ever heard of cutting open a man's stomach to decide such a question?' Paao then cuts open his son's body, and bade Lono Pele come and witness the fact that the stolen fruit was not there.

"Paao, beside himself with grief and regret for the loss of his son, immediately began to plan vengeance and to seek the death of the son of his brother, Lono Pele.

"True to the instincts and impulses of his Polynesian blood, he determined in disgust to abandon the scene of his strife and seek a home in other lands.

"With this purpose in view, he at once set his kahunas at the task of constructing a large double canoe. The work neared completion, the top-rails had been fitted and put in place, the cross-pieces (inko) hewn into shape, the hulls of the canoes smeared with black paint, and there remained only the sacred task of binding firmly together the different parts with sinnet (aha). Paao now ordered a taboo; for a month no fire was to be lighted, no person to walk abroad, no one was to work on his farm or go a-fishing. At the opening of the second month Paao heard the noise of some one drumming on the canoes. On inquiry, it proved that it was his nephew, a fine youth, the son of his brother, Lono Pele, who was guilty of this impertinent breach of ceremony. Seeing his opportunity, Paao commanded his people to catch the boy and slay him. This was done, and the body of the hapless youth, after serving as a consecrating sacrifice, was buried under the canoe. The work of binding the lashings was now accomplished, and the taboo declared at an end.

"As soon as the days of the taboo were passed, Lono Pele started out in search of his missing son, and turning his steps toward the house of Paao, he came to the shed (halau), where the canoes were resting on their blocks (lona), and stopped to admire the elegance of their proportions. As he stood at the stern and passed his eye

along to the bow in critical appreciation of their lines, his attention was drawn to a swarming of flies that had gathered. He removed a block from beneath the canoe, and, to his horror, there lay the body of the dead boy. His indignation and wrath vented themselves in bitter imprecations against the authors of the atrocious murder, and in irony he called the canoe Ka-nalo-a-mu-ia (the swarming of the flies).

"As the preparations for his departure neared completion, Paao launched his canoe into the sea, and began to lay in supplies of food and water, and all kinds of stores for a long voyage. The canoe was rigged with a mast and a triangular sail of braided pandanus leaf called a la, which was placed with its apex downward. When the wind was contrary, or the weather so rough that the sail could not be used to advantage, the mast and sail would probably be unshipped, folded up, and lashed to the iakos, or cross-pieces that held the two canoes together, and progress would then depend upon the use of the paddle. There were seats for forty paddlemen sitting two on a bench. 'Midships of the canoe was a raised platform (pola) screened off by mats, and protected against the weather by a roof, or awning, which was for the accommodation of Paao and his family party, including an older sister Namauu-o-Malea,

"Paao himself was the priest of the company, a most important office; Makaalawa, the navigator and astronomer (kilo-hoku), upon whom depended the course to be taken; Halau, the sailing-master (hookele-moana); Puoleole, the trumpeter (puhi-pu); besides these are mentioned awa-chewers and stewards.

"The most important freight that Paao took with him was the feather idol Kukailimoku, which generations afterward played such a distinguished rôle as the war-god of the invincible Kamehameha I., who conquered the islands.