Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 5, 1 May 2002 — He inoa āla [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

He inoa āla

'A fragrant name/ said of a chief whose reputation was good Mary Kawena Pūku'i, "'Ōlelo No'eau"

By Claire Hughesy Dr. P.H. , R.D. Department of Health Until the late 1800s, the plains at the base of the Nu'uanu pali were named for a beautiful woman. Hala trees covered the plains and the fragrance from the blossoms and ripe nuts scented the entire area. Songs and chants referred to it as the sweet land of fragrance and perfume. īt became known as Kekele, A mo'olelo is told of the beautiful Kekele, who lived there with her husband, Kaulu. The description of her beauty reveals the ancestors' sense of beauty: "Her breath and skin were as sweet as 'inamona." She was a very quiet woman. Her favorite flowers and vines were the hala, maile, 'ie'ie and other fragrant leaves. She was always adorned with these lei, and even slept with her hala lei when she retired at night. The hala were planted for her and they grew and flourished. Another mo'olelo tells of a woman who lived in Kekele and was named by the great warrior chief. The mo'olelo recalls how Kamehameha the Great conferred this great honor in return for the

hospitality, kindness and consideration he had received. After Kamehameha conquered O'ahu, he made an unannounced trip over the Nu'uanu pali, His purpose was to personally view and evaluate the conditions of the farms in the area. Kamehameha stopped at a house in Kekele to rest and refresh himself. The man of the house immediately prepared food for the ali'i. However, he was concerned that the dishes of his modest household were not appropriate to serve Kamehameha. He quickly gathered ti leaves and skillfully folded the leaves into a platter, on whieh he served the pig for the great chief, This special attention and consideration pleased Kamehameha. Noticing a pregnant woman nearby, he asked the man who served him whether the woman were his wife, When he learned that this was so, Kamehameha instructed the eouple to name their baby for the niee ti leaf platters. The King knew that his naming of the child would be considered a great honor by the man and his wife. When their daughter was born, the parents proudly called

her Ka-ipukai-lā'ī-a -Kamehameha. This second story stresses the importance Hawaiians placed on being a considerate host, always being prepared to serve, and the value of cleanliness and sanitation

surrounding food preparation and meals. īn ancient times, children were often given the names of their kupuna, inoa kupuna. īn special circumstances, they were named by chiefs (as in the tale of Ka-ipukai-lā'ī-a-Kamehameha). Nam.es were

given to commemorate an event and, on occasion, to remember a good deed. These names gave great honor to the child and family. Bestowing a name on a child within the family was a significant under-

takmg. Nammg of the first child was a genealogical process that required a family eouneil. Some names may strike us as curious today, such as the name Kamaka'eha (sore eye), whieh was given to Queen Liliu'okalani. The story goes that her aunt was being treated for a stubborn eye infection when the future queen was born.

On occasion, names were given to remind family and friends of a broken bond within the family or of an unkind remark made about a chief. These names were constant reminders of the problem and offense. Over time, a name could be altered to a more pleasant one. It is an interesting pastime to translate Hawaiian names and learn about family history. Unfortunately, many of the stories explaining and relating to nam.es have been lost. ■

Ol akino

He inoa pili iā Kamehameha — Many olel Kama'āina fcimilies were given ncimes that relcite to Kamehameha I becciuse of his aloha for the people, anel the people's profouncl respect anel ciclmircition for him.

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