I. Wai'anae
II. A Tradition of Maui, the Demigod
III. The Ahupua'a of Wai'anae

Wai'anae

(The following description of Wai'anae is from Native Planters in Old Hawai'i by E.S. Craighill Handy and Elizabeth Green Handy, with the collaboration of Mary Kawena Pukui [Honolulu: Bishop Museum, 1972]; pp. 467-469.)

The district named Wai'anae extends from Ka'ena southward along the leeward slopes of the Wai'anae range as far as the boundary of the rich district of ‘Ewa, which surrounds the spreading lochs of Pearl Harbor. In contrast to 'Ewa, Wai'anae is a dry coastal strip with poor soil and only four rather insignificant streams reaching the sea from rocky mountain gulches or valleys. Its compensatory feature was the exceptionally rich deep-sea fishing available off and beyond Ka'ena Point, where the great current pressed by the northeast trade winds flows in a westerly direction along these shores. It was here that the ancient chief Kawelo distinguished himself as a fisherman and there are also many stories of the cultural hero Maui as a great fisherman identified with this area. Much of the coast hereabouts is marked by steeply built-up, shifting sand dunes and treacherously rough seas, which probably accounts for the acclaim connected with particular fishing exploits of the past.

Makaha: The westernmost of the small valleys with a stream large enough for cultivation, now enjoys a world-wide reputation as the locale of international surfing meets, because of its reef where giant combers build up. But in the past it supported a small population of fishermen, with its taro lo'i (ponds) beginning halfway up toward the 4000-foot elevation of the range at this point. A series of rock-faced terraces still exist, once irrigated by water brought (lown in ditches from the valley’s small stream (McAllister, 1933, p. 121).

Wai'anae: The largest valley on this leeward side of the mountain range of the same name is Wai'anae-kai. opposite the area named Wai'anae-uka on the northeastern slopes. Although a relatively poor terrain, this valley nevertheless had once a considerable development of wet-taro culture along the main stream and its tributaries in the uplands now covered by forest and water reserve, and well down into the broad area now covered by sugar cane.…

Gourds of the ipu manalo variety, were found growing wild in the uplands in 1935. Lower down, in the dry area, there were sweet-potato plantations and coconut trees.

Vaucouver (1798, Vol. 3, pp. 355-356) coasted along this Wai'anae area, approaching it from the 'Ewa, or southeasterly direction. He described it as “one barren, rocky waste, nearly destitute of verdure, cultivation, or inhabitants ...”, the exception being the narrow valley midway of that section where “the bases of the mountains retire further from the seashore winding some distance through the hills.” The village, situated around the little bay with its high rock [Mauna Lahilahi]…projecting from a sandy beach,” he describes as “the only village we had seen westward of Opooroah [Pu'uloa, in the Pearl Harbor vicinity].” The inhabitants offered him “a number of hogs, and a great variety of vegetables.”

To the west of the Wai'anae Stream, near the sea, there was a large fresh-water fishpond called Pueha (McAllister, 1933, p. 113). As this was the type of seaward fresh-water pond in which young mullet were enclosed until they completed their growth, it is possible that the entire area acquired its name, Wai (freshwater)-'anae (full-grown mullet), or Water-of-the-mullet, from this pond.

Pøka'î Bay: “To preserve the folk-lore of their homeland, O'ahu, the exiled high class priests or kahunas founded a school at Pøka'î Bay for instructing the youth of both sexes in history, astronomy, navigation, and the genealogies of their ancient chiefs and kings.” The name “Pøka'î” means “night of the supreme one” (Elspeth P. Sterling and Catherine C. Summers, Sites of Oçahu [Honolulu: Bishop Museum, 1978], p. 68.)

Kü'îlioloa: Heiau at Pøka'î Bay. Perhaps a navigational heiau associated with the school described above. Kü'îlioloa, which means “Kü, long dog,” was a giant dog-man, who did battle with the pig-man Kamapua'a.

A Tradition of Maui, the Demigod

Måui-kupua (Måui the demi-god) and Hina his mother lived together at Kåneana in the district of Wai'anae. One day he asked her why the Hawaiian Islands were separated by water?

“What?” she exclaimed.
“Why are they separated instead of being one big land? I’m thinking that they should be joined together.”

Hina replied, “Say, where are you? If you desire this, you must go to Ka'alae-nui-a-hina (The big mudhen of Hina) and ask for help.

So Måui-kupua went to Ka'alaenuiahina and sat with him. Ka'alaenuiahina asked him the reason for his visit.

“I’ve come to ask for your help in joining the islands of Hawai'i together.”

Ka'alae replied, “You and I can’t do this. Only Unihokahi (One tooth) has that power.”

Måui: “Where is Unihokahi to be found?’

“At Ponahakeone [a fishing ground off of Ulehawa].”

Måui returned home and told Hina what Ka'alae said. The next day he came to his mother and said, “I’m going out fishing.” She told him to ask his brothers to go with him, so he did. His brothers agreed and got their fishing gear ready. Måui also made ready his famous hook named Manaiakalani (“Come from heaven”).

As soon as everything was ready they launched their canoe and paddled to the middle of the sea of Ulehawa. Måui was in command, holding the steersman’s paddle at the stern of the canoe. He said to his brothers, “When a kaliu (bailer) appears at the bow of the canoe, reach over and grab it.”

They paddled on. Måui looked back toward Hina’s place for drying kapa (bark cloth). He couldn’t see it at first; when it came into full view, it gave him his bearings. He then looked forward, and there floated the kaliu. He called to his oldest brother, Måui-mua (“Måui the first born”), to catch hold of it, but Måui-mua replied: “We don’t need a bailer; we already have one.”

Meanwhile, the bailer floated toward Måui-kupua at the stern of the canoe. He caught it and put it into the canoe. The name of this bailer was Hina-a-ke-kå (“Hina, the bailer”).
Måui-kupua called to his brothers, “Paddle until we reach the ko'a (fishing ground).” They turned around and saw a beautiful woman in the canoe. They paddled on until they reached the fishing ground of Ponahakeone and, anchoring the canoe, the brothers looked back again, but the beautiful woman was gone; the bailer had dropped into the sea. Måui-kupua called out to his elder brother, “Let down your hook,” and Måui-mua did so. When Måui-mua felt a bite, he boasted: “Say, I’ve caught an ulua (crevalle).

But Måui-kupua said, “No! it’s a manø (shark).”

“That despicable fish caught by my hook?”

Måui-kupua said, “Haul it in and see for yourself.” Måui-mua pulled in his line and saw he had indeed caught a shark, whereupon he cut the line and let the shark go. And the same thing occurred also with Måui-waena (Måui the middle born) and Måui-hope (Måui the last born).

Måui-kupua then said, “All of you keep quiet—it’s my turn.” He prepared and let down his famous hook Manaiakalani and called to his brothers, “Get your paddles ready.”

Manaiakalani went down until it reached the bottom of the sea, where it was caught by Hinaakekå, who went to Unihokahi. The fish said, “What brings you here?”

Hina replied: “I’ve come to settle a dispute I had with Måui-kupua. I said you had only one tooth, and he said no one has just one tooth, everyone has many teeth; and so I came to determine who was right. Will you open your mouth?”

Unihokahi opened his mouth, and Hinaakekå put the hook Manaiakalani in; at the same time she jerked the line, signaling to Måui that the hook was set. Securing his end of the line to the outrigger of the canoe, Måui told his brothers, “Paddle, the fish is caught. But keep looking forward; don’t look back.”

They started to paddle; their strength was so great that the canoe flew forward as swiftly as ashes blown from a fireplace. They paddled vigorously until they began to get tired. Måui-kupua urged them on: “Keep paddling, and we’ll soon reach shore.” They kept paddling, but were soon exhausted. Måui said, “We’re almost ashore; don’t look back.”

They continued to paddle for a while and then said: “This is no fish—if it was, we would have reached shore long ago.”

Måui said, “Be patient. Keep paddling.”
“We can’t, we’re exhausted,” they replied.

Måui-kupua grabbed his paddle to help his brothers. While he was paddling, his three brothers looked back and saw the islands of Hawai'i moving behind them, whereupon they exclaimed: “No wonder we’re exhausted, we’ve been pulling islands!”

When Måui-kupua heard this he was very angry with them. His hook fell from the mouth of Unihokahi and the islands floated back to their original positions; thus Måui-kupua failed in his attempt to join the islands together.

(This story of “Måui” was published in Thomas Thrum’s More Hawaiian Folk Tales (248-260). This trickster is known throughout Polynesia. In Hawai'i, one tradition says he was born at Ulehawa and Kaolae on the south side of Wai'anae. Here he was said to have learned the secret of making fire by rubbing two sticks of wood together.)

The Ahupua'a of Wai'anae (See Map)

Keawa'ula: “The Red Harbor,” said to be named for the red color of squid that once swarmed here in a great school. The O'ahu Railways stopped here; Japanese immigrants used to get off to fish, and the beach became known as Yokohama Bay.

Kahanahåiki: “narrow Kahana”

Måkua: “Parents”; this was a traditional haunt of lua fighters. [Lua was the art of hand-to-hand fighting and breaking bones.]

'Øhikilolo: “Prying out brains”; or according to Summers and Sterlings, “Crazy Crab,” named for a species of sand crab that dance wildly .

Kea'au: Salt was collected here from shallow basins along the shore.

Måkaha: “Fierce”; “to plunder.” A group of robbers were said to prey on travelers at the narrow coast between Måkaha and Kea'au.

Wai'anae: “Waters of the Mullet” (See above.)

Nånåkuli: “Look at Knee”

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