Pule Hoʻīnana Kanaka
The prayer below to increase the people and bring abundance to the land comes from the story of Haʻinakolo. The helu (issue) in which this pule appears was published in Ka Nai Aupuni on April 29, 1908. This pule was given in part on the moʻolelo tag for the Haumea III. - Pūpū design, but is given in full below with an English translation (interpretation) below that.
The scene is set in the earliest traces of dawn, as the stars are setting and the rays of the sun are beginning to push forth, forming a lei for Papa (Haumea) whose heavenly forms are on full display. The imagery suggests that a ritual is in progress.
Wahine aliʻi bring malo into a heiau for the kiʻi akua, a cleansing happens, and the images are dressed in fresh garments. These tasks were unique to wahine aliʻi and an inherent part of progressing certain rituals, demonstrating the dynamic balance of kāne and wahine that our ancestors maintained in their practices, mirroring Haumea and Wākea in the dance of creation.
Haumea's role as kapa maker is also clearly outlined. She makes ceremonial kapa, while Hina, another manifestation of this same creative feminine principle, presides over the kapa of daily life. Here, with Lalohana, Haumea creates a kapa called Leikauaakāne, a fine covering for the upper body that is finished with a Makaliʻi pattern. We are then told that "the world turns on the kapa made by the woman", showing us that kapa truly is the fabric of life. Thus, it is offered to ask for an increase in all life forms, for an abundance of people and the productivity of the ʻāina.
Ola nui kākou!
Pule Hoʻīnana Kanaka
1. E Kāne-i-ka-wai-ola,
2. E Kū-i-kiki-lani,
3. E Lono-noho-i-ka-wai,
4. E maliu mai i ka leo,
5. Hōkūkū i mua ke oho o ka hoi o Maliʻo,
6. O Mālana-iku, o ka wahine, o Kapolei,
7. He lei ia no Papa i ke ʻālina,
8. I ka maliʻo o ke kakahiaka,
9. I ke kaʻi ʻoloa, i ka ʻula iā Kū,
10. He ʻula, he mōhai ʻālana, e kala, e ola,
11. E ola, e ka haku lei o ʻĀwihilono,
12. ʻO ka wahine piʻo mua, ʻaʻe wahi kapu,
13. Kapu kai e lono i ke kiu lā a—Hiu,
14. Hiua ka malo lawakua o Kanaloa,
15. ʻO Haumea ka ʻena a kino lani,
16. ʻO Kūnakapolei i ka honua,
17. Hoʻoili lei haele, hoʻoili ʻula—ē,
18. Hoʻoili malo—ē, lei ē, lei kū,
19. Leikauaakāne kō kapa,
20. He kapa ia no Kāne me Nuʻakea,
21. I kuku ʻia e Papa i ka Honua,
22. I kukuku, hana ʻia e Lalohana,
23. Kani kekeʻu ke kua, kuʻikē ka loa,
24. Hoʻōki i nao Makaliʻi,
25. Ke kapa a ka wahine ʻoʻopu holo lalo,
26. I kuku a oki, kaulaʻi i lalo o ka honua,
27. Kaʻa ka honua i ke kapa a ka wahine,
28. Ō ola, ola ka lani,
29. Ola ka honua, ola ka mauna,
30. Ola ka moana, ola ke aliʻi,
31. Ola ke kahuna, ola ke kilo,
32. Ola nā makaʻāinana,
33. Ola ka ʻai, ola ka iʻa,
34. Hoʻōla i nā mea ulu o ka ʻāina,
35. Laupaʻi ka ʻāina i kini a i ka mano o ke kanaka
36. Ke kanaka nui, ke kanaka iki,
37. I kukupu ke kanaka koa, ke kanaka ikaika,
38. I kanaka hele i luna o ke ānuenue,
39. I kaulana ʻāina i puni nā moku,
40. Hoʻoulu ʻia ke kanaka,
41. E Kāne, E Kū a me Lono,
42. ʻĀmama, ua noa, lele wale.
A prayer to Increase the People and Bring Abundance
1. Kāneikawaiola,
2. Kūikikilani,
3. Lononohoikawai,
4. Heed my call,
5. The rays of dawn push forth,
like the tendrils of the hoi vine of Maliʻo,
6. Of Mālanaiku, of the woman, Kapolei,
7. Forming a lei for Papa in the swath of stars,
8. In the earliest light of dawn,
9. As the fine white kapa is brought in with the red kapa to Kū,
10. A red kapa, a ceremonial offering, to clean out the old, to bring new life,
11. Life to you, the beloved guardian of ʻĀwihilono
12. The first woman to piʻo, to tread in that sacred space,
13. Be cleansed by salt water so as to feel the kiu breeze and—Activate!
14. Put on the tightly girded malo of Kanaloa,
15. Haumea is the red glow, the heavenly form,
16. Kūnakapolei is on the earth,
17. Give over the moving lei,
transfer the red kapa,
18. Put on the loincloth, the garland,
the enduring garland,
19. Leikauaakāne is your covering,
20. A garment from Kāne and Nuʻakea,
21. Pounded by Papa on earth,
22. Beaten out, worked on by Lalohana,
23. The anvil sounds sharply as the length is beaten out,
24. Finished with the fine Makaliʻi pattern,
25. The cloth of the ʻoʻopu fish woman who swims below,
26. Beaten out to the final phase,
dried below on earth,
27. The world turns on the cloth
made by the woman,
28. Let there be life, let the heavens be full of life,
29. The earth and mountains full of life,
30. The ocean full of life, life to the chief,
31. Life to the priest, to the seer,
32. Life to the people,
33. Let all forms of sustenance thrive,
34. Bring life to the growth forms on the land,
35. That the land be full of people, multitudes, and thousands of people,
36. Prominent people, humble people,
37. Let warriors increase, people of strength,
38. People who travel on rainbows,
39. As rulers of the land and over the islands,
40. Let the people be increased,
41. O Kāne, Kū, and Lono,
42. ʻĀmama, the prayer is freed, it flies.
We hope you enjoyed this pule and we welcome any feedback on translation and interpretation at: kauamelemele@gmail.com
Mahalo!
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