Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 3, 1 March 2015 — The moʻolelo of Makaihuwaʻa (the canoe's prow) [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The moʻolelo of Makaihuwaʻa (the canoe's prow)

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr. PH„ R.D. The Hanalei Menehune chief went to meet his fishermen as they returned from another night of fishing. Four torch bearers, two preceding and two following, accompanied him. The chief was young, wise and concerned for the safety of his fishermen. Frustration was apparent, as the fishermen cleaned the meager catch. The catch was part of the daily feast for all Menehune, just before daybreak. It was a stormy, cloudy night and they were shiver-

ing. The chief was proud of their skill and cunning. "Considering the night, it's a good catch," the chief said, as waves crashed on the reef. The lead fishermen, a man who feared no shark or man, refused the kindly words. "No, the catch isn't good. There's not enough fish for everyone. We'll have to eat dried fish tonight. We can't catch fish on a night as this," he said boldly. Eaeh night, Menehune fishermen carried their outrigger canoes across the heaeh at Hanalei and paddled their canoes swiftly across the bay, over the reef and into the oeean beyond. īheMenehuneknew where fish lived and ate. Some canoes went to secret fishing grounds at Hā'ena or Kīlauea. Other canoes lowered weighted fishing lines, with many baited hooks, into the oeean, and tied them firmly to a float. These fishermen moved from

plaee to plaee, dropping other lines baited with cooked sweet potato, a favorite food of the 'ōpelu fish. They dangled shiny cowry shells in the dark oeean to attract and catch squid. Squid could not resist the cowry shell lure. Later, the skilled fishermen gathered in all fishing lines and always found fish on all the hooks. The deep-sea fishermen paddled far out to sea, searching for schools of fish to trap them in baskettraps. Basketfuls of glittering fish were dumped into their canoes until they floated dangerously low in the water. To get back to shore, the Menehune navigated by the stars. They knew stars, like Nāholoholo and the seven stars of Nāhiku, in the night skies. Nāholoholo appeared in the east, just before dawn, warning of the coming sun. After a few hours the Menehune, canoes laden with fish, rode the waves into Hanalei

Bay. However, on cloudy or stormy nights, Menehune launched their canoes but could not venture far. Heavy clouds and rain hid the island and stars from them. Stormy nights brought huge waves and strong winds. The canoes experienced wild, dangerous rides, in huge mountains of water. The fishermen fought to avoid swamping the canoes and evade breaking waves that could send the canoes to the ocean's bottom. The wind roared and waves crashed. Often, the Menehune frantically paddled back out to avoid the reef. The Menehune went further out, even for a meager catch on stormy nights. There was never enough to satisfy the great appetites of the Menehune people. Kahaleleua, the rain goddess, dropped a sudden torrent of rain, extinguishing one of the chief's torches. In attempts to relight his

torch, the torchbearer's clumsiness extinguished another torch. Trying not to laugh, the chief joked, "The night grows dim, indeed." The lead fisherman continued: "The darker the night, the farther from shore we go. We cannot go out to the fish grounds, when the sky is covered with rain-filled clouds, there's nothing to guide us back." He knew waiting for daylight would be fatal, as a ray of sunshine could turn Menehune to stone instantly. There were many stones scattered over Kaua'i that onee had been living people. The chief agreed. "We must find a way to fish on cloudy nights, or you must not go out at all." "I will think about this," the chief promised. "Perhaps the gods will help me find an answer. "You have done well," he said, "on such a stormy night. Eaeh mouthful will be more delicious because we know how hard you worked." ■ This is thefirst oftwo parts, whieh will eoneluāe in the next issue.

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