Category Archives: Traditional Plants

Kea tree, 1857.

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Strong Wood.

O Hae Hawaii:

Aloha oe; here is a new tree that I have seen; this tree grows in the uplands of Nuu, in Kaupo. The name of this tree is Kea; it is a fine tree. You readers will perhaps ask, “What makes this tree a fine tree?” This is why, because of its strength; it is very solid. This is the strongest tree that grows in this archipelago. Its body is black and very rigid, and its leaves are like those of the Uhiuhi This is good wood for building houses; if the wood is placed in earth, it does not rot. The kamaaina of Kaupo say that some houses are 25 years old yet have no rot; some are forty years old or more. This is a familiar tree in Kaupo; and as for the strength of this wood, it is stronger than iron. Should iron have been placed in earth many years ago, its form will change, not so with this wood. That is why I am getting this out, so that my friends may know that this wood is good for standing in…

(Hae Hawaii, 11/18/1857, p. 133)

Ka Hae Hawaii, Buke 2, Ano Hou.—Helu 34, Aoao 133. Novemaba 18, 1857.

[The last few lines above were not legible online. It will be a great day when the images digitized from the originals are uploaded on Papakilo.]

…dirt, like in Lahaina, Honolulu, Hilo, and other places.

The kamaaina say that this wood only grows in Kaupo, and not in other places here on Maui. There are other strong woods that are known: Kapua, Mamane, Aalii, but none are like this. Aloha kaua.

BENIAMINA.
Kipahulu, Maui, H., Nov. 5, 1857.

[Might the Kea referred to here be talking about Uhiuhi?]

(Hae Hawaii, 11/18/1857, p. 134)

Ka Hae Hawaii, Buke 2, Ano Hou.—Helu 34, Aoao 134. Novemaba 18, 1857.

Ohia forests, 1920.

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THE OHIA FOREST OF KOHALA

“Thousands of dollars worth of ohia trees in the district of Kohala, Hawaii, will be destroyed in five years if there is nothing done to save that forest,” reported Representative Uluihi on Monday, one of the members of the committee of the house of representatives who went with some of the members of his committee to Kohala to see the state of the forests of Kohala. Continue reading →

The famed wauke of Kuloli, Okoe, South Kona, 1923.

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THE SINGLE-STANDING WAUKE OF KULOLI THAT IS FAMOUS.

Solomon Hanohano [Editor of the Kuokoa]; Much aloha shared between us:—Perhaps people do not know, or the new generation of this time that moves on, of the nature of the title placed above. Perhaps they are mistaken thinking that it is just a tale [moolelo kaao], like the story of Kamehameha says “nip off the bud of the wauke while it is still young.”

That is why your writer was urged to write to inform the public of the location of this famous place in the olden days of our kupuna. Continue reading →

On ohelo papa, 1856.

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Ohelo papa: Some baskets of Ohelo papa were obtained by Armstrong [Limaikaika] from Makawao; L. L. Torburt [Torbert] sent them over; and they were marvelous. Some ohelo papa was sent earlier to the yearly exhibition of the Agricultural Society [Ahahui Mahiai], and the haole purchased them. This is something greatly desired by the haole; they buy ohelo papa in great amounts if it arrives. This is the problem, that it takes long, and most of it ripens at sea. But it doesn’t get too over ripe.

(Hae Hawaii, 8/13/1856, p. 96)

haehawaii_8_13_1856_96

Ka Hae Hawaii, Buke I, Helu 24, Aoao 96. Augate 13, 1856.

How the ohelo plant came to be, 1930.

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OHELO ORIGINATED AND SPREAD FROM HAWAII NEI.

The parents of Kaoheloula were from Kauai, the father was Manuakepa and the mother was Hooleia.

The two of them begat their daughter and she was called by their name, Kaoheloua; the name of the father is very famous to the present, and it is set down in poetic composition with the words below:

Ka limu kaha kanaka o Manuakepa,
Ka pekupeku iluna ka ua o Hanalei, and so forth. Continue reading →

Pele makes lei of lehua from the very beginning, 1862.

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[Found under: “HE MOOLELO NO HIIAKAIKAPOLIOPELE. HELU 9.”]

Holo mai Pele mai Kahikina,
A kau ka waa i Mookini,
Noho kaua i Kumalae,
Hooku Pele ma i ke kii,
Noho i ke kii a Pele ma, a ka pua o koi,
Kanaenae Pele ma ilaila,
Kai a huakai mai Pele,
A ka lae i Leleiwi,
Honi i ke ala o ka hala,
O ka lehua o Mokaulele,
Oia ka Pele a kui la,
He kunana hale Puuloa,
He hale moe o Papalauahi,
He halau no Kilauea,
Haule mai Pele mai Kahiki mai,
O ka hekili, o ke olai, o ka ua loku,
O ka ua paka, o Haihailaumeaiku,
O na wahine i ka wao o Maukele la,
Ho mai ana Pele liu la e,
Aumiki, auhuli, ka ale kua loloa,
Nuanua ka moana i ka lili o Pele,
O ke kua nui, ke kui la iluna o ka lani,
Wahia ka papaku, ka papaiaoa,
Ka papa a Kane ma i  hee ai i Maui,
Kahiliopua ke kua o ka la,
A Waiakahalaloa iakea,
O waa kai nana i ka auwaa lawaia,
Ku kapa kai e Kohala,
O ke akua lapu e Puuloa,
Ke uwalo la i ka mea hele,
Ke akua kui lehua o Kuaokala,
Kui mai ana i Makanoni,
Ka la puu la helu o Pualaa,
Ka la aku hoi e Kahuoi i ka uka anu,
E olohe koi ula e mauna mai ana,
Ka hikina o ka la o Kumukahi ma,
E haliko ae ana ka aama,
Lele hihee o Kohala, ke kau laina la,
E ka la pumehana ole o ka po
O ka la pe ai o ke ao kau aku iluna,
I ka malama la,
Elieli kau mai.

[From the time of her arrival to Hawaii, Pele fashions lei of lehua blossoms from Mokaulele in Hilo. May the majestic trees live forever. Until a solution is found to Rapid Ohia Death, wear your lehua in your heart, not in your lei!]

(Hoku o ka Pakipika, 3/6/1862, p. 4)

HokuoHawaii_3_6_1862_4.png

Ka Hoku o ka Pakipika, Buke I, Helu 24, Aoao 4. Maraki 6, 1862.

For all of you hula people down in Hilo this week, 1929.

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HE HOOHENO NO KEAUKAHA

Noho ana au i ka lai
I ka ulu hala o Keaukaha

Me he ala e i mai ana
Maanei mai kaua e ka hoa

Huli nana i ka lae kai
I ka holu mai a ka nalu kai

Pa mai ana ke ala
O ka limu lipoa me ka nahenahe

Hookahi no au hana nui
O ke kui pua leihala o Keaukaha

Ke au ae nei ka manao
E kii e ako pua lehua

E ula mai la i ke kumu
E lei kohu no ko kino

Ko kino nui nepunepu
Hewa e ka maka ke ike aku

O ke kuko o ka lia ke loaa ana
I na pua lehua me ka hala

Aole la he hala e ka hoa
E kipa ole aku ai i ka home

Ho mai ke aloha la e ka makamaka
I kuleana ai au ilaila

Haina ia mai ana ka puana
Ka olu ulu hala o Keaukaha

HAKU IA E E—A—E—E—A

[A SONG OF AFFECTION FOR KEAUKAHA

I repose in the calm
In the hala groves of Keaukaha

It is as if it says
Come here, let us be together, O friend

I turn to look at the ocean cape
As the waves ripple forth

The scent wafts by
Softly of the lipoa seaweed

I have bu one thing to do
String lei of the hala of Keaukaha

My thoughts turn to
Going to gather lehua blossoms

Reddening the trees
For a lei fitting for you body

Your voluptuous body
They eyes are content to look at

My desire, my yearning, is to have
The blossoms of the lehua and the hala

There is no offense my companion
That does not call at the home

Give to me your aloha, my dear
So I might have kuleana there

Let the story be told
Of the sweet hala groves of Keaukaha]

[Let the lehua live forever! Wear it in your heart and not in your lei!!]

(Hoku o Hawaii, 10/8/1929, p. 2)

HokuoHawaii_10_8_1929_2.png

Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Buke XXIII, Helu 17, Aoao 2. Okatoba 8, 1929.

Death of Capt. Alexander Adams, 1871.

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The death of Kapena A. Adamu.—On this past Friday, Oct. 27, here in the town of Honolulu, Captain Alexander Adams [Alekanadero Adamu] died at 91 years and 10 month of age on this earth. He was born in Scotland in 1780, and he died on the sands of Kakuhihewa [Oahu]. He first came to Hawaii nei in the year 1810. Not long after, he was soon under the employment of Kamehameha the great. He was the Captain who sailed the double-masted ship Kamehameha to China with a cargo of sandalwood [iliahi], and that wood from Hawaii was heavily taxed. That was the first haole and pilot who entered the port of Kou [Honolulu]. He lived in Hawaii for 61 years becoming a local.

(Kuokoa, 11/4/1871, p. 2)

Ka make ana o Kapena A. Adamu.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke X, Helu 44, Aoao 2. Novemaba 4, 1871.