Hawaiian History

Tales From the Night Rainbow (Page 7)

By Pali Jae Lee and Koko Willis

Huliau: Time of Change

I might not have known which people were my blood parents, or cared, had circumstances not willed that all should be known. I was not raised by my blood mother, and children belonged to all of the family, not just one set of parents.

Grandfather, Kai-akea, was a man noted for many things. Ku-nui-a-kea Kamehameha had asked his advice and had him read signs several times. Grandfather respected this ali'i who had united all the islands and became king. Shortly after Kamehameha had received a promise from the Chief of Kaua'i that he would pay tribute and accept him as king over alI the islands, Kamehameha sailed to the burial shrine of my ancestor, Kiha Wahine of Hana. Maui. There he made offerings and prayers of thanksgiving. He sent word to grandfather Kai-akea that he would stop on Moloka'i next as he wished to visit grandfather and would like to procure some of my father's fishnets.

My father (Pe'elua) was known throughout the islands for his strong enduring fishnets. All of the chiefs tried to barter for them. When he heard that the king himself wished some, he worked hard and long to make nets of the finest quality.

When the time approached for the king's visit. Pe'elua gathered his nets, gifts of sweet potatoes, wild turkey and yellow kapa for the king. The load of gifts was heavy and many family members went to assist him.

They arrived at Kaunakakai long before either the king or Kai-akea. As he was a younger member of the Kai-akea family it was his duty to see that all was put in readiness. Houses were built and a great feast prepared. By the time Kai-akea arrived, a large community stood waiting. Houses had been made of the finest pili grass with lauhala interiors for the king, his wives and retainers. Houses had also been built for all of Kai-akea's household, and for those of my father's house and other guests.

Kamehameha brought with him only two of his wives, the beautiful sisters Moku Aloha (Ka'a humanu) and the younger Kalakua (Ka-hei-hei-malie). Kalaimoku and his brother Boki were also in attendance. Both father and my grandfather were surprised that he had only chiefs and attendants of Maui with him. The Maui chiefs knew grandfather well, and our family was given great respect by them.

The young girl who was chosen to become my mother was in attendance as a retainer to the queen. She had been raised in Moloka'i and knew all the members of my father's household. During the stay in Kaunakakai my father fell in love with her and she accepted him. He took her to be his new and youngest wife.

After several days of feasting and visiting, Pe'elua accompanied Kai-akea and the king to visit the maika fields. My mother, who was called Luahine stayed behind and acted as an attendant to her cousins. Luahine was young in years and had no high status among this group, so she spent her hours carrying and helping wherever she was needed.

When the men returned, all the king's gifts were stored on his ship, goodbyes were said and he sailed on to his home in Kona. Kai-akea and his household returned to his home in Kala'e, and my father, his new wife and family returned to Kamalo'o. Pe'elua was at that time 49 years old, for he was 50 at the time of my birth.

Pe'elua had two wives before my mother. One, Mai, (also called Ka'a kau'ele) was his sister-wife and the other, Ho'o pi'i was his cousin. She had recently taken a new husband, leaving his household without a wife.

Kiha Wahine, my father's ancestor, had taught that wars win nothing. She felt that only when men sit together as brothers can differences be resolved. When she died they made her a deity (a Mo'o goddess) and where she had lived they built a burial house (puaniu). This was at Hane o'o, Hana, Maui. Kamehameha I had an image made to represent her and had it carried with him wherever he went. He took her color of yellow as his own and pledged to her that if he united all the islands that the glory would be hers and peace would reign in the land. He made Ulu-ma-hei-hei-Hoapili of Maui her guardian and it was Hoapili who cared for the image that was carried with the king.

When Kamehameha came to see my grandfather, the image of Kiha Wahine and her guardian Ulu-ma-hei-hei-Hoapili stayed in the house in front of the house of my father. It was in this house of my father, at that time, that I was conceived.

I was born February 28th, the following year. On the morning of my birth the sky turned yellow and became very still. When I was born I did not cry but my hand flew out and grabbed onto the kapa of the woman attending my mother. Her kapa was yellow. So many signs said to our family that perhaps the ancient one - Kiha Wahine - had returned. Only time would tell. I would not be told the name for many years. If I did not live in a way that would bring respect and good, the sacred name would be changed without my ever knowing what it had been.

My known name was Kaili'ohe (the snatcher). I was given at birth to my father's elder sister, the great seer Maka weliweli, to be trained in the ways of Ho'opio'pio sorcery.

Maka weliweli was also a famous prophetess. Kai-akea, who was her father, believed there was something special about her from the time she was a small child. She had a wing of white hair on the right side of her head (many in the family have since carried this mark). He taught her all he knew about weather signs, the ocean currents, the stars, omens and the meaning of omens, the clouds, the history chants of the ancient people, the chants of the family line of which he was so proud. This woman who had been taught far more than most, was now to be my teacher.

Small things are necessary before big things can be achieved. My early years were spent in learning perfect obedience. I had to learn to do what I was told and not be told a second time. I had to learn to listen and not talk back. I must learn patience, cooperation, understanding and service. These do not come easy to a headstrong young girl. Until I learned these things I could advance no farther. Slowly, very slowly, I began to learn my lessons. It didn't matter how small the task, I must do it without grumbling. During that time - not only in our school but in all of our family, children did not question or argue with the elders of the family. When they were told to do something, they did it. To question or argue was unthinkable. That was our way. It was from observing that we learned. We did as we were told and kept our mouths to ourselves.

Since all the girls and women at Maka weliweli's school were intent on learning and doing their best, I had many patient helpers along the way. The small girls copied the older ones. We learned that our purpose and ideals were the same, and we worked together as one body.

So often after I became old, and the halau (school) was no more, I was asked what magic I was taught; what potion did we use for this or that. The main lesson I learned at my school was not of potions, it was to see with the "inner eye", to see things with the heart. To understand the other person, we tried to be in tune - to the people, and to the environment. It was learning kindness and concern, not only for ourselves but for all people and all matter.

We were taught a value system that laid aside all material things. They had no value and were irrelevant. People, their feelings, the family, soul growth - these were the things that were important. Possessions were often stumbling stones in our pathway. We would tend to focus on them instead of what we were about. When this happened things got out of focus and confused.

This happened in my own family with my own children. Some of them learned the wrong things from the missionaries. They did not listen with their hearts. One daughter made a god of cleanliness. What about teaching them how to love one another? Her children learned to sit at a table with one hand in their lap and not spill a drop. When they were excused from the table they fought and screamed at each other. The children were not happy and their mother was miserable. She couldn't understand her children's actions.

Several of my children became involved with "things". One wanted the fancy things (possessions) she saw the foreigners have. She did many foolish things so that she could have these possessions. I was very relieved to see her decide for herself that she had been wrong and that these things, and wanting these things, took her mana from her and brought her nothing but heartache. A person cannot be involved with "things" and retain control of her heart and mind.

Changes on Molokai and the loss of light from people's "bowl of light" did not come about because of the missionaries. Foreigners had been in the islands many years when the missionaries finally came to Molokai.

Father and mother Hitchcock came to Molokai in 1832. Everyone called them the "long-necks" because their heads seemed to be so high above their shoulders. At Kalua'aha the king's mother had given them land to build a Mission Station. We were told to clear the land and build for them, whatever they wanted built. The land was cleared and a sleeping house was built for them as well as a large meeting house. This would be used as a school for sewing and reading and writing during the week, and as a place for teaching the Bible on the Sabbath day.

I saw nothing wrong in believing in the old ways and believing in Jesus at the same time. Nothing they read or taught us from the Bible book or the man Jesus was in conflict with what I believed. Jesus taught that God is love. He taught that you should not hide your light under a bushel. He taught that seeds thrown on rocky soil do not grow. These stories taught the same thing we tried to teach the children.

One of my favorite stories was the one about the tax collector. Since the ali'i came to our shores, we had been taxed. That was a fact of life. Kaui-ke-a o-uli (Kamehameha III) had raised our taxes again and again. He sent tax collectors onto every island to see how much we owned. It was making life very difficult. It was hard to understand a man being a tax collector and harder still to love him. That Jesus used this for a lesson made me realize that no matter where people lived, or when, they had the same problems. We had the same needs, desires, the same light and the same rocks. It enforced all I believed and made me want to help these people from far away who came to teach us about Jesus.

Jesus was kaula. He had reached the top of the mountain. He saw all things and understood all the things He saw. He was where we all wished to go.

We all made many trips to Kalua'aha, but the missionaries made many trips throughout the island also. I was a part of all that went on. I helped when help was needed for I was unmarried and most of my sisters and brothers had families already. I studied to read and write. I learned to sew and make clothes from the cloth they sold us at the Mission Station. I liked the black gingham best. I could not bring myself to wear the white for many years. To me it still was a symbol of the 'ana'ana who had put so many people to death. They alone had worn white.

New people came to Kalua'aha from other islands, and some of the early ones left. I became aware that some of the new people who came taught love, but they brought fear. They lived in fear for themselves and for us. Many of the Hawaiian people began to fear also and their fear made them run from all of the old ways and beliefs. Family turned against family. I saw fingers point and accusations made when I went to the heiau, or the halau. When I went to sit on the platform and meditate at my school there were those in the family who sucked in air in mock astonishment that I would do such a thing, then run to Kalua'aha to tell them at the Mission Station what I had done. I was suspended as a member of the church after one of these visits. Thereafter I went at night, spent the night and returned at dawn. Had I spent the night with a man they would have only chuckled and wagged a finger. How strange things had become.

The joy of yesterday was slipping away. There was no song in the land. My people were trying to do and be everything the foreigners were. They dressed like the foreigners, they wore bonnets and hats like the foreigners, they even started to shake hands like the foreigners. Priorities were no longer the same. The elderly in the family were being passed by and not given their portion of food and other needs. The things that should have gone to the elders were now being sold by many or bartered so they could own things like the foreigners.

There was no work done on the Sabbath day. One day of the week we tilled and toiled for the king, so our work week dwindled. The land suffered when so many of the family members followed around after the missionaries to listen to them speak regardless of how many times they had heard the stories. The missionaries said "store up your treasurers in heaven", and many felt that they need no longer do their share of the family work. Jesus was going to take care of everything. I never felt Jesus said that. When he asked fishermen to come follow him and he would make them fishers of men, he didn't say, "you won't ever have to fish again".

Many of the remaining family had to work at night which we had never done - the night being holy. Some did not mind as they felt the night was no holier than the day, but working 15 to 20 hours a day can make a person weak and open to sickness. Some who had put down their work load, began to fish and till the soil once more. Things were not the same in the family.

The 1840's brought many changes. We heard in news from other islands that people called Catholics had come to Hawai'i. Sickness ravaged our land and my beloved kumu Maka weliweli died, Hoapili, the guardian for the image of Kiha Wahine, as well as Kalakua (Ka'ahumanu's beautiful younger sister) also passed on. The people had terrible fevers, and while lying in the surf, trying to be cool, drowned.

Ships with high masts sailed past our island constantly, going to and from Maui. When they wanted provisions from us they would anchor off shore and put down a boat for a few men to bring in the order. Many times they refused to pay for the provisions we took to them. Some of the Hawaiian men would swim out and fights would take place. Some of the women swam out also to stay with the sailors. The sailors were called Ke ali'i o ke kai (the chiefs of the sea). These men who rode the sea in ships had many things that the people now saw as good to own. Men sent out their wives to get mirrors, pots and pans, sweets, and yard goods. It being a much easier way to get these things than to pay for them with food or other things at the Mission Station. Unmarried women went to the ships just because they enjoyed the fuss made over them and the presents the sailors gave to them. Hawaiian men did not give presents or talk sweet talk, for they saw sex as a natural thing. Many Hawaiian women throughout the islands would rather be with a ha'ole man.

In spite of all the problems, our island was prosperous. We were sending kukui oil, potatoes (both sweet and russet) and many vegetables to California. It was easier for the people in California to get their food and provisions from Hawai'i than wait for them to come around the horn from the East Coast of America. Hawai'i provided California with its beef, pork, potatoes and many other things during that time. We began to lose men when they heard of the Gold Rush in California. Many left on ships for that far away place to get rich. Others went to Honolulu, Hilo and Lahaina to fill jobs of those who had sailed away to America. No family circle was left without empty spots.

About the same time we were losing so many men from the islands, the government decreed that all the chiefs should now own their land and be given title. Nobody understood this. At the same time the Hawaiian government decreed that the name of the father of each child must be published. It had to be put on paper at the district court. People could take any name they wished if they were over 18 years of age. If they were under 18 they must carry the name of the man who was their father. Some people paid no attention to either owning the land or to the matter of names. Others called themselves different names in different places, and some took ha'ole names. These laws did not seem to pertain to us. These were foreign laws made for and by the foreigners. We saw no reason to comply with them. Because of this many who should have been given land never got it, and some who got it didn't register it and lost it.

My father did not die until 1866. Pe'elua became his family name, his son Kimo took the name Opio as his last name. When Kimo was old he used both Pe'elua and Opio. Some thought it was two different people. It was just one. My father had 17 children, yet only Ka'aola, his son by Ka'akau'ele was to carry Pe'elua as a family name.

The schools created problems with names also. Many teachers would not call children by their Hawaiian names and made them use Christian names. So in school they were known by one thing, at home they were known by another and by the law a third name. it was confusing.

In 1855 I married. My husband was not interested in the new religion nor in the things I had learned from my years at the halau. He did not think ha'ole laws pertained to him. He drank too much and stayed home too little, but oh, how l loved that man. He gave me a family of children of whom I was very proud. After his death, I married Lukuna Ka kiko pua ua ua of Maui. He was a very religious man, quick to criticize the children and myself for the smallest infraction of church rules. The children found him impossible. He left us for a woman who appreciated his "good qualities", and we were happy to see him go. I needed no man to bring up my children. I had sisters and brothers. We were still family.

I tried to teach my children in the ways I had been taught. I tried to show them that Jesus was no different from what we believed. I tried to teach them to keep all things in balance.

They listened to my lessons as their eyes followed the ruffled dresses, the finery and the petticoats that everyone else wore. My words were often unheard. I kept explaining that things detract from soul growth and seeing with the "inner eye". Everyone seemed to be living by different value systems. It was safer to keep what I thought and believed to myself. Grandchildren were coming along and we welcomed them. I wanted to teach them; however, I found my grandchildren would not listen. They wanted to learn all the wrong things. They wanted to be clean (at least they saw it as good), to listen to their ha'ole teachers (and to disregard their elders and parents at home), they dressed and acted like the foreigners. They fought with each other and sassed the elders of the family.

I called my children together and explained that I could no longer stand by and see things continue to deteriorate. I wanted the children to know something of their past. I would not try to teach the chants but I would tell them the stories, the history that I had learned. I wanted them to know love, not just speak love. There is no God, where there is no love.

My daughter Luahine gave me her children to raise as my own, to teach in any way I saw fit. She had faith in me. My daughter Kaui said she would tend to the teaching herself. My daughter Mele offered to help me in teaching the children, and so it was. When the children came home from the government school, their school clothes came off and work clothes went on. As they weeded the garden, made mats, fished or picked limu (seaweed) they learned about the family. They thought I was a mean old woman for I would not stand for sassing or playing around. Each time they were taught something in the government school, I made them tell me what had been said. If it was true from what I knew, I told them so; if it was not so, I told them that also. If it was something I did not know I looked for someone in the community who had been to Lahaina or Honolulu and asked what they thought about the facts. Then I taught the children. As the children learned, I learned also,

In time, other children of our family came to my feet to learn. I did not share things I had learned in my years at the halau with any but those I knew would keep them "in family ",for we now lived in a Christian society. Things such as reincarnation could not he spoken and saying we talked to our ancestors was heresy. I tried to make all of them understand the Hawaiian way, the Hawaiian point of view. I taught them to be proud of who they were and of their heritage. I spent a great deal of time trying to correct the history of Hawai'i being taught in the government school. I continually stressed 'Ohana to them, and how the family used to rule itself.

I was able to teach a few of my grandchildren before I gave up teaching. I saw some of my children's families follow the Catholic religion, while some were pillars of the Kalua'aha Protestant Church. Some became Mormon, and some stood beside me in believing there was truth in all of them and in the light. We all went to church. To me it mattered not where. God is Love and He can be found anywhere.