Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 30, Number 4, 1 April 2013 — Giving thanks for moʻolelo [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Giving thanks for moʻolelo

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr. PH„ R.D. Mo'olelo, or traditional stories, often tell of the times when the great gods walked among kanaka maoli, frequently leaving gifts for the lāhui (people). Kūpuna (grandparents) andmākua (parents) were alert to teaching their keiki the importance of maintaining a constant personal dialogue of appreciation with the gods. A mo'olelo told by Kawena Pukui relates a great blessing given by Kū about the origins of the tall-growing breadfruit

tree of Puna. Kū onee married a woman of the Puna area and they had children. Then great famine occurred and Kū saw his children starving. One day, he asked his wife to accompany him to their garden. After bidding farewell to his wife, Kū stood on his head and slowly sank into the earth, until he completely disappeared. His devoted wife returned to that plaee in the garden every day ... crying, and watering with her tears, at the spot where

Kū had disappeared. One day a sprout appeared. It quickly grew into a tree, and bore great fruit ... the 'ulu (breadfruit). Kū's wife cooked the 'ulu so she and her ehildren could appease their great hunger. Later, other sprouts appeared, and the

woman gave them to other fanūlies for planting. This was the gift Kū gave to all kanaka maoli. A kino lau (body form, personiheaūon) of Kū is the erect trunks of the great forest trees. Among these trees, are those preferred for build-

ing the best canoes. Kū was known by many names in the uplands of the islands. The book The PoIynesian

Famiīy System in Ka'ū, Hawai'i, co-authored by Kawena Pukui, says planters invoked Kū as Kū ka'ō'ō (Kū of the digging stick), Kū kūlia (Kū of dry planting) and Kū ke olowalu (Kū of wet planting). Kū 'ula (Red Kū), the traditional paūon of deep-sea fishing, was represented by a stone wrapped in red cloth. Kū ka'aimoku (Kū eater of islands) was the war god of the land-hungry chiefs. In other instances, fathers and mothers turned to Kū and his wife Hina (Grey,

Silvery, the Moon) for help in all work and sickness. The tl plant, another kino lau of Kū, is protective and purifying and is useful in countless domestic ways when planted near the home. Many mo'olelo of the great gods

Kāne and Kanaloa tell how they opened freshwater springs in many dry areas throughout the islands. Ka puka Wai o Kalihi is one of those springs. Kāne and Kanaloa were journeying along the Kona coast of O'ahu. They happened upon a hillside in Kalihi where some fine 'awa roots were growing. They looked around for a source of fresh water that was needed to prepare the 'awa for drinking, but could find none. "Our 'awa is good, but there is no water here," Kanaloa said. Kāne responded, "Indeed, there is water here." Taking his strong walking staff, Kāne stepped out onto a bed of lava and began striking the earth with his staff. The point of his staff drove deep into the rock, smashing and splintering it, breaking open a hole. Water flowed forth and they were able to prepare their 'awa. The resulting pool of fresh water has been known since ancient times as Ka puka Wai o Kalihi. We are fortunate, indeed, that the great gods eontinue to bless our islands. ■

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One mo'olelo tells of the story of Kū and his family. The 'ulu (breadfruit) was his gift to all kanaka maoli. - Phoīo: Arna Johnson