Unwritten Literature of Hawaii - The Sacred Songs of the Hula. Nathaniel Bright Emerson
he leo wale no, e!
[Translation]
Welcoming-Song
Call to the man to come in,
And eat till the mouth is estopt;
And this the reward, the voice,
Simply the voice.
The cantillation of the mele komo: in answer to the visitor's petition, meant not only the opening to him of the halau door, but also his welcome to the life of the halau as a heart-guest of honor, trebly welcome as the bringer of fresh tidings from the outside world.
56. Sophocles (Antigone, 705) had said the same thing:[Greek: me nun en ethos pounon en sautô phorei ôs phes su, kouden allo, tout' orphôs echein]--"Don't get this idea fixed in your head, that what you say, and nothing else, is right."
57. Hatoa. As previously explained, in this connection halau has a meaning similar to our word "school," or "academy," a place where some art was taught, as wrestling, boxing, or the hula.
58. Ka-popala. A verdant region on the southeastern flank of Mauua-Loa.
59. Wai-ale-ale (Leaping-water). The central mountain-mass of Kauai.
60. This utterance of passion is said to have been, the composition of the Princess-Kamamalu, as an address to Prince William Lunalilo, to whom she was at one time affianced and would have married, but that King Lihohho (Kamehameha IV) would not allow the marriage. Thereby hangs a tragedy.
61. La'a. The region in Hawaii now known as Ola'a was originally called La'a. The particle o has become fused with the word.
62. Hewa ka waha. This expression, here tortured, into "(till) the mouth awry," is difficult of translation. A skilled Hawaiian scholar suggests, it may mean to change one from, an enemy to a friend by stopping his mouth with food.
63. Wa'a. Literally a canoe. This is a euphemism for the human body, a gift often too freely granted. It will be noted that in the answering mele komo, the song of admission, the reward promised is more modestly measured--"Simply the voice."
VII. WORSHIP AT THE ALTAR OF THE HALAU
The first duty of a visitor on being admitted to the halau while the tabu was on--that is, during the conduct of a regular hula--was to do reverence at the kuahu. The obligations of religion took precedence of all social etiquette. He reverently approaches the altar, to which all eyes are turned, and with outstretched hands pours out a supplication that breathes the aroma of ancient prayer:
Pule Kuahu (no Laka)
O Laka oe,
O ke akua i ke a'a-lii 64 nui.
E Laka mai uka!
E Laka mai kai!
5
O hoo-ulu 65 o Lono,
O ka ilio nana e haehae ke aha,
O ka ie-le ku i ka wao,
O ka maile hihi i ka nahele,
O ka lau ki-ele 66 ula o ke akua,
10
O na ku'i 67 o Hauoli,
O Ha'i-ka-malama, 68
Wahine o Kina'u. 69
Kapo ula 70 o Kina'u.
O Laka oe,
15
O ke akua i ke kuahu nei la, e!
E ho'i, e ho'i a nolao i kou kuahu.
Hoo-ulu ia!
[Translation]
Altar-Prayer (to Laka)
Thou art Laka,
God of the deep-rooted a'a-lii.
O Laka from the mountains,
O Laka from the ocean!
5
Let Lono bless the service,
Shutting the mouth of the dog,
That breaks the charm with his barking.
Bring the i-e that grows in the wilds,
The maile that twines in the thicket,
10
Red-beaked kiele, leaf of the goddess,
The joyous pulse of the dance
In honor of Ha'i-ka-malama,
Friend of Kina'u,
Red-robed friend of Kina'u.
15
Thou art Laka,
God of this altar here.
Return, return and reside at your altar!
Bring it good luck!
A single prayer may not suffice as the offering at Laka's altar. His repertory is full; the visitor begins anew, this time on a different tack:
Pule Kuahu (no Laka)
Eia ke kuko, ka li'a;
I ka manawa he hiamoe ko'u,
Hoala ana oe,
O oe o Halau-lani,
5
O Hoa-lani,
O Puoho-lani,
Me he manu e hea ana i ka maha lehua
Ku moho kiekie la i-uka.
I-uka ho'i au me Laka
10
A Lea, 71 a Wahie-loa, 72, i ka nahelehele;
He hoa kaana ia no'u,
No kela kuahiwi, kualono hoi.
E Laka, e Laka, e!
B maliu mai!
15
A maliu mai