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146
HAWAIKI
Hema voyaged to Tahiti to fetch the red coco nut—[1]
Hema secured it, but it was caught by the 'A'aia,[2]
He fell in Tahiti, in Tapatapa-taua,
His body was deposited at Uru-paupau.
"Hema's descendants reigned over Hawaii and Maui; Puna's over Oahu and Maui.
"Kaha'i (Maori Tawhaki), the son of Hema, was born at Ka-halulu-kahi (Te-haruru-tahi in Maori), Wailuku, Maui, and died at Kaili-ki'i, in Ka'u. His bones were deposited at Iao, Maui. He voyaged in search of his father's bones, to which the following chant has reference:—
O ke anuenue ke ala o Kaha'i,
Pi'i Kaha'i, koi Kaha'i,
He Kaha'i i ke koi-ula a Kane,
Hihia i na mata o 'Alihi.
A'e Kaha'i i ke anaha,
He anaha ke kanaka, ka wa'a.
I luna o Hanaia-ka-malama—
O ke ala ia i imi ai i ka makua o Kaha'i—
O hele a i ka moana wehiwehi,
A ka'alulu i Hale-kumu-ka-lani.
Ui mai kini o ke akua.
Ninau o Kane, o Kanaloa,
He aha kau huakai nui, E Kaha'i!
I pi'i mai ai?
I 'imi mai au i ka Hema,
Aia i Kahiki, aia i Ulu-pau-pau,
Ala i ka 'A'aia, haha mau ia, E Kane,
Loa'a aku i Kukulu-o-Kahiki[3]
Pi'i Kaha'i, koi Kaha'i,
He Kaha'i i ke koi-ula a Kane,
Hihia i na mata o 'Alihi.
A'e Kaha'i i ke anaha,
He anaha ke kanaka, ka wa'a.
I luna o Hanaia-ka-malama—
O ke ala ia i imi ai i ka makua o Kaha'i—
O hele a i ka moana wehiwehi,
A ka'alulu i Hale-kumu-ka-lani.
Ui mai kini o ke akua.
Ninau o Kane, o Kanaloa,
He aha kau huakai nui, E Kaha'i!
I pi'i mai ai?
I 'imi mai au i ka Hema,
Aia i Kahiki, aia i Ulu-pau-pau,
Ala i ka 'A'aia, haha mau ia, E Kane,
Loa'a aku i Kukulu-o-Kahiki[3]
- ↑ It is perhaps presumption to differ from so good a Hawaiian scholar as Dr. Emerson, but I would suggest that apo-ula is better translated "the red girdle," such as was in use in the Central Pacific.
- ↑ Cf. Rarotongan kakaia, the white tern.
- ↑ Tuturu-o-Whiti is the common rendering of this name, and it refers to the "true, original, determined" Fiji.
