Playing Games in Naiwa – Part 2

Friday, November 20th, 2009

In our last episode, our hero has forgotten about home, and most likely his woman, after arriving in Kalae at the makahiki playing field. With all its ceremony, games and betting, there is indeed much excitement. 

In the evenings during makahiki time, the chiefs wait with their court for the master of ceremony to announce activities, name dancers, and give other details.  The emcee in this story, who is tall and thin with red hair, is named Kalaeloa.  It is said that Kalae is named after him. 

Kalaeloa walks among the crowd gathered looking to crown with a lei po`o the male and female athletes who will lead the games of the evening. He decides upon a beautiful woman with red hair and announces that four men will also be chosen, whether they are commoners or chief, to play in the night’s games.

Although the translation I am using was done by Mary Kewena Pukui, I was surprised when I read the original Hawaiian that some of the place names were changed.  In this chant, Haena is substituted for Ka`ana.  Haena is a place on Kauai which at one point was considered one of the origins of the hula.  Ka`ana is believed to be the birth place of hula by the people of Molokai.  The chant below as Kalaeloa uses it to praise the beauty of the girl he has chosen to wear the lei.

You have to keep the punctuation of the actual chant.  You can arrange the translation anyway you like but keep the original punctuation..
Hulili maopu ka la, wela Maunaloa - The glaring sun heats Maunaloa
Halialia na lehua o Kaana - The lehua blossoms of Haena dream of it,
Holoi mapu i ka wai mapu a ke kupa-e! - Their fragrance fills the streams for the native sons!
Aia la iluna o Luahinehaele, - There on the top of Luahinehaele
Ka elele pa makani a ka Ikioe mailalo - Comes the messenger, the Ikioe wind from below.
A popo, a uka o Kawaeku, - Coming in a gust to the upland of Kawaeku,
Kuehuehu I ka uka o Kalaeloa - And scattering dust up on Kalaeloa
Inoino aku la Kaolohia i ka makani - Kaiolohia suffers a wind storm.

Shouting and cheering, the crowd approves of the woman who is chosen.  She partners with a number of other girls and begins the game of puhenehene, or the game of hidden stones. 

The woman introduces herself as Koa`ekea and then chants:

Ola  Kaluakoi i ka ua naulu. - Kaluakoi is given life by the naulu rains.
Hehihehi keiki o Keonelele. - That pelt the natives sons of Keonelele.

Seal Send Off

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Concerned residents and cultural ambassadors from Molokai led the blessing of KP2 yesterday, Molokai’s favorite monk seal that lived most of his two years around the island and was discovered to have cataracts a few weeks ago. The blessing took place at Waikiki Aquarium and was led by Reverand David Kaupu. Aquarium staff and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials were also on hand.

also represents us as Hawaiian people and culture being as endangered as he.”

David Schofield, NOAA marine animal coordinator, said blessings like these have been done before when whales or dolphins have been found on beaches.
“We try to be as respectful as we can with Hawaiian culture. We invite practitioners so their protocols were followed as well as ours,” he said.

Celebration of Arts

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

 

This acrylic painting, done by Molokai artist Linda Johnston, captures the Molokai band Na Ohana Hoaloha during one of their weekly performances at Coffees of Hawaii. Johnston first decided to paint the musicians of Molokai ten years ago. This particular painting took three weeks to complete the actual painting. The original three foot by two foot painting is currently on display at Coffees and Na Ohana used the image as a cover for their recently released debut DVD titled “Pretty Old for Our First Time,” produced by Aka`ula School. Johnston’s work can be found for sale at the Molokai Artist’s and Crafter’s Guild in Kaunakakai and on her websites  www.molokai-art-hawaii.com and www.stdamienofmolokai.net.

Playing Games in Naiwa – Part 1

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

This story about Naiwa was originally written in 1921 in the Hawaiian language newspaper, Kuokua in three increments. In 1952 an English version of the story showed up in the newspaper Ka Leo O Molokai, written by Molly Reppun. Another version can be found in the private collections of Marsha Camera. It tells us a lot about the makahiki, the places and some of the customs from a time period right before Kamehameha’s wars.

The story begins in Waikolu. Our main character lives there with his extended family and his wahine. A grandfather begins to tell all the residents to get ready for the upcoming games to be played in Kalae. He says, he still has strength in his old bones and if friends and family bet on his skills, they will have many “goods” to carry home on their backs. Our hero decides to stay home with his “Niihau basket,” or woman, rather than to travel with the group. When the group returns, they are laden with wealth from the games.

The next time the grandfather gathers the men together, our hero decides to join them. But some of the women are sly in their comments about how dressed up some of the men are. This creates some anxiety in our hero who reassures everyone that he has only one woman in his heart. The men talk among themselves about creating a delay in their trip which they believe will stress out our hero. They agree to stay at a house an extra night in Kalaupapa to gather a bigger group before going up the pali to Kalae.

In the prelude to the games, the story’s details of the people, the place names and metaphors are amazing. The area of Kalae was ruled by two “good” chiefs. What made them good? They did not engage in war and burden the people with it. Instead, these two got along quite well and as a result hosted the games. The author tells us that story takes place during the time of “our grandfathers” and before foreign food, “Kahaolekaukau”.

This time the grandfather gives his walking stick to another and instructs the group to remember to carry the god with them when they travel. They gather from Waikolu, Wailau, Pelekunu and Halawa before climbing the cliffs. Others travel from as far away as Kaana with its lehua. The iwa birds soar above as they reach their destination. The famous and well known chant, “Aia Molokai Kuuiwa” first appears in this tale.

Before the games, there is ceremony and speeches. And the master of ceremonies invites the young men to enjoy the dancing of the young women. He highlights who is considered the best dancer for that season. And our hero forgets completely about home in all the excitement of the festivities. Which is exactly what the men in their mischief had planned when they tarried an extra night in Kalaupapa.

As a new day dawns, the crowds begin to compete with riches being exchanged while betting on different champions. Our hero's group, like others, wins and looses throughout the day. There is so much betting that items go from group to group occasionally returning to their original owners.


In our next episode we will learn more about the two weeks our hero remains away from home in Kalae.

Island to Island

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

With a flourish of feathers and face paint, a Pacific cultural group called Ariw Poenipan performed for the Molokai community last week. The group hails from the Torres Strait Islands between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Known for their authentic cultural performances, theirs is an oral culture preserved through passing on stories, traditions, music and dance. Molokai got to see a glimpse of this in front of the Public Library. Pictured above, dancers display the elaborate, hand-made headdresses and “dance machines” they are famous for. The props are not only cultural significant, but assist the dancer keep rhythm as they manipulate the moving parts, creating sound effects.

To illustrate that the challenges they face in the Torres Strait are similar to those encountered globally, leader Jeff Aniba-Waia explained that because of global warming, many of their low-lying islands are in danger from rising water levels. The group’s name, Ariw Poenipan, refers to the electrifying lightening that pierces the rain, and the echoing thunder of the monsoon season.

KP2 Heads to Temporary Home in California

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

NOAA News Release

NOAA Fisheries Service announced plans to move KP2, the monk seal abandoned at birth, to a temporary facility at the University of California at Santa Cruz some time next week.  During a recent medical examination, it was discovered that KP2 has cataracts that prevent him from being released back into the wild.  He will undergo bilateral cataract surgery while in California.  NOAA Fisheries Service plans to return KP2 back to Hawaii as soon as a permanent facility can be built for him and perhaps other unreleasable seals in Hawaii.

Since the day he was born, KP2 has been an ambassador for monk seals and has brought attention to the critically endangered monk seal population.  NOAA Fisheries and the Waikiki Aquarium are facilitating a private native Hawaiian blessing to send KP2 on his way.  KP2 has touched the hearts of many and we look forward to his return to Hawaii as soon as possible.

A native Hawaiian blessing will be conducted on Wednesday, November 18 at 12:15 p.m. on the front lawn of Waikiki Aquarium. David Schofield, NOAA official, Dr. Andrew Rossiter, Waikiki Aquarium, Walter Ritte, Molokai resident, and other cultural representatives from Molokai will be on hand for the blessing.

Due to quarantine concerns, the native Hawaiian blessing will be held in private.