Unwritten Literature of Hawaii - The Sacred Songs of the Hula. Nathaniel Bright Emerson
of the pa-ú respectively Ku-kápu-úla-ka-láni and Léle-a-mahu'i.
According to another method, which was simpler and more commonly employed, the piece was folded sidewise and, being gathered into pleats, a cord was inserted the length of the fold. The cord was passed about the waist, knotted at the hip, and thus held the garment secure.
While the girls are making their simple toilet and donning their unique, but scanty, costume, the kumu, aided by others, soothes the impatience of the audience and stimulates their imagination by cantillating a mele that sets forth in grandiloquent imagery the praise of the pa-ú.
Oli Pa-ú
Kakua pa-ú, ahu na kikepa! 92
I ka pa-ú noenoe i hooluu'a,
I hookakua ia a paa iluna o ka imu. 93
Ku ka nu'a 94 o ka pali o ka wai kapu,
5
He kuina 95 pa-ú pali 96 no Kupe-hau,
I holo a paa ia, paa e Hono-kane. 97
Malama o lilo i ka pa-ú.
Holo ilio la ke ala ka Manú 98 i na pali;
Pali ku kahakó liaka a-i,
10
I ke keiki pa-ú pali a Kau-kini, 99
I hoonu'anu'a iluna o ka Auwana. 100
Akahi ke ana, ka luhi i ka pa-ú:
Ka ho-oio i ke kapa-wai,
I na kikepa wai o Apua, 101
15
I hopu 'a i ka ua noe holo poo-poo,
Me he pa-ú elehiwa wale i na pali.
Ohiohi ka pali, ki ka liko o ka lama,
Mama ula 102 ia ka malua ula,
I hopu a omau ia e ka maino.
20
I 103 ka malo o Umi ku huná mai.
Ike'a ai na maawe wai oloná, 104
E makili ia nei i Wahilau. 105
Holo ke oloná, paa ke kapa.
Hu'a lepo ole ka pa-ú;
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Nani ka o-iwi ma ka maka kilo-hana. 106
Makalii ka ohe, 107 paa ke kapa.
Opua ke ahi i na pali,
I hookau kalena ia e ka makani,
I kaomi pohaku ia i Wai-manu,
30
I na alá 108 ki-óla-óla;
I na alá, i alá lele
Ia Kane-poha-ka'a. 109
Paa ia Wai-manu, 110 o-oki Wai-pi'o;
Lalau o Ha'i i ka ohe,
35
Ia Koa'e-kea, 111
I kauhihi ia ia ohe laulii, ia ohe.
Oki'a a moku, mo' ke kini, 112
Mo ke kihl, ka maiáma ka Hoaka, 113
I apahu ia a poe,
40
O awili 114 o Malu-ô.
He pola ia no ka pa-ú;
E hii ana e Ka-holo-kua-iwa,
Ke amo la e Pa-wili-wlli
I ka pa-ú poo kau-poku-- 115
45
Kau poku a hana ke ao,
Kau iluna o Hala'a-wili,
I owili hana haawe.
Ku-ka'a, olo-ka'a wahie;
Ka'a ka opeope, ula ka pali; 116
50
Uwá, kamalii, hookani ka pihe,
Hookani ka a'o, 117 a hana pilo ka leo,
I ka mahalo i ka pa-ú,
I ka pa-ú wai-lehua a Hi'i-lawe 118 iluna,
Pi'o anuenue a ka ua e ua nei.
This is a typical Hawaiian poem of the better sort, keyed in a highly imaginative strain. The multitude of specific allusions to topographical names make it difficult to translate it intelligently to a foreign mind. The poetical units are often so devised that each new division takes its clue from the last word of the previous verse, on the principle of "follow your leader," a capital feature in Hawaiian poetry.
[Translation]
Pa-ú Song
Gird on the pa-ú, garment tucked in one side,
Skirt lacelike and beauteous in staining,
That is wrapped and made fast about the oven.
Bubbly as foam of falling water it stands,
5
Quintuple skirt, sheer as the cliff Kupe-hau.
One journeyed to work on it at Honokane.
Have a care the pa-ú is not filched.
Scent from the robe Manú climbs the valley walls--