HEI OF TIMES PAST.

It’s description; a string 2 to 3 feet in length, with ends knotted together at one point; fingers are inserted and the fingers move and the figure is made; recited:

Po e kau mai ka Hoku,
Ao la helelei wale iho.

[O Night, the stars hang down,
At daylight, they all fall down.]

Done again, and that is how they forever more hang and fall across the districts of Hawaii; the kinds of hei are constantly changing; this is how it is recited.

Kueheapio ka La
Ka La komo i ke kula o Ahuena;
Komo i ka la’i o Kailua la—e—o Kona.
O Kona ia o ke kai malino, hele ana iwaho ka pulau, kani ka A’o i Waiulaula la—e—o Kau.
O Kau Kuamakani, lele iwaho ka lepo o Kaumaea la—e—o Puna.
O Puna ia o ke kai Koloa, e nui ana i ka ulu hala, ke kai o Puna i Keaau la—e—o Hilo.
O Hilo ia o ka ua kinai, kinai mao ole ka ua o Hilo—la—e o Hamakua.
O Hamakua ia o ke ala ulili, e nahu ana ka niho i ke kaula, i ka pali o Koholalele la—e—o Waipio.
O Waipio laua o Waimanu, o Kohala iki o Kohala nui, o Kohala ua Apaapaa; o Pili o Kalahikiola o na puu haele lua, o ke kanaka no ke hele ana.
Hele i ke alo o Haiku, aniani mai kahi makani, malalo mai o Awilipou, kai pii wale i ka pali, kai auau a ka mea Aloha, kona aloha ka lawalawa, oni ana i ka manawa me he ipo la.

With appreciation for the captain of the Kuokoa and aloha to the quartermaster boys.

Aloha i ka La ma Lehua e kau nei,
Ua puni o Lehua i ka hao a ka Naulu,
Kuu wahine mai ka ale huli lua la o ka moana,
Mai ke kapa ulu mai la i Kahiki,
Hiki mai ana ua makani kaili aloha nei,
E kaili no oe nau kau waiwai,
He ai pala maunu aku hoi au na ko aloha e noho nei,
I halawai pu ai kaua me ke keiki kuipua o Niolopa.

Auwe ke Aloha e!

GEORGE B. PANAEWA,

Nuuanu Valley, March 22, 1909.

[Did you check out today’s “Welo Hou” post from Bishop Museum? It talks about the mele above that accompanies the making of a traditional string figure illustrating the districts of Hawaii Island! Click here to go to the post.]

(Kuokoa, 3/26/1909, p. 6)

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke XLVI, Helu 13, Aoao 6. Maraki 26, 1909.