Puawaina, May 6, 1839.
Hear me, O K. H. [Kumu Hawaii Newspaper]
I am telling you of something that I witnessed.
Mr. Sila* of the United States was married to a woman here in Honolulu; Mikala Kamalimali is the name of his wife, the daughter of Mamala; the 24th of April was when they were married, at the house of Bingham [Binamu], the pastor here in Honolulu. Continue reading
And here is something else: When Kamehameha I went to the Kohala districts from Kawaihae to hear the thoughts of the makaainana like those shown earlier, as he turned back with haste so that he would reach the seaside of Kawaihae before it was light, he came upon an old woman and asked her: “Where are you going in the darkness?” “I am going to Kawaihae,” replied the woman. “Aren’t you afraid of being ambushed at night while you walk this desolate field. Just by yourself?” Kamehameha then asked of the woman. “I have no fear, for this plain is protected because of our alii, Paiea.”
“The old men go, the old women go, and the children go and sleep on these pathways, and there is no one at all who will bother them, for that is a strict law that our alii has placed. And the person who disobeys the law of our alii is a dead man; he will not live,” answered the woman, not knowing that it was Paiea who was talking with her.
When Kamehameha heard these fine words of the woman, he further asked the woman. “So how is the way of life of the alii with his makaainana? Is it good sometimes and bad sometimes?”
The woman answered with no fear before her late night travelling companion, “There has been no time in which our alii has been bad to us, but he has always been good. And it is because of this goodness of our alii that wrongdoers are fearful, and it is thus that I can dare to walk alone across the desolate field,” the woman replied.
When Kamehameha heard once again the woman expounding on why he was good, he said [to himself], “I am indeed beneficent to my people, and the proof of this good is that this woman dares to travel this lonely field alone.” Therefore,…
[To be continued.]
(Hoku o Hawaii, 7/1/1909, p 1)
Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Buke IV, Helu 9, Aoao 1. Iulai 1, 1909.
This above are the initial words of the very first law promulgated in the communities of Hawaii, and those words spoken by one in authority still remain. Here below is the the law in its entirety:
“MAMALAHOE KANAWAI—Let the old men go forth and lie upon the roads; let the old women go forth and lie upon the roads; let the children go forth and lie upon the roads.”
This first law was proclaimed by Paiea (Kamehameha I) after his head was struck by some fishermen at the seashore in Puna, Hawaii, because they mistakenly thought he was someone else. When his head was struck with the blow from a canoe paddle, the men fled, there being five of them; that was when Paiea rose, picked up a rock, and made to chase after them, however, his foot was caught in a rock crevice, and his chase was cut short. The rock in his hand fell, and there was no getting it back. And it was this disappointment which caused him to proclaim these famous and powerful words in our history. The place where Paiea’s foot was caught can be seen to this day.
Here, we take what is shown on pages 94 and 95 of “Ka Buke Lapaau me na Mea Pili Kaulana” which was published by Kamaki [Thomas P. Spencer]:¹
“Soon after this battle (Kepuwahaulaula), the fishermen who years earlier struck the head of Kamehameha with a paddle near the sea were brought before him by his officers. This shameful act of theirs was made known to Kamehameha face to face, for which his officers demanded that they be killed by stoning them to death.
“The aloha Kamehameha had for his fellow man was expressed for the first time in his famous pardon by announcing:
“‘Mamalahoe Kanawai: you are prisoners of war, but you are forgiven for unwittingly striking my head–I escaped, but nearly was in trouble.’
“Here, O Reader, do recognize–love for his fellow man was the cure² for which allowed for the release of these rebels of Puna by Kamehameha, and him not giving regard to the calls by his officers to put them to death. This is a fine comparison to President Dole of the Republic; he with his Executive Powers does not come close to a hundredth of the Kanawai Mamalahoe, in his treatment of the Hawaiian prisoners of the revolution of January 17, 1895 who continue to be imprisoned albeit the lahui are united in wanting them released. That was an uncivilized time when [the men] were triumphantly released by Kamehameha, and this is a knowledge and civilization, and yet Dole has not given clemency to the Hawaiian prisoners for the fame of his name and that of his Nation.”
Our elucidation of this famous story is not like that of Spencer’s, but the basis of his explanation of Kamehameha’s forgiving those who injured him, that is what we want to make clear at this time, so that true love of one’s fellow man is seen by them.
¹This book was republished in 2003 by Bishop Museum Press as: Buke ‘Oihana Lapa’au me na ‘Apu la’au Hawai’i (Book of Medical Practices and Hawaiian Prescriptions). See here for further description.
²”Laau lapaau” [medicinal cure] is the word chosen here because this story appears in a book of traditional medicinal practices.
(Makaainana, 11/25/1895, p. 4)
Ka Makaainana, Buke IV—-Ano Hou. Helu 22, Aoao 4. Novemaba 25, 1895.
No Kukaniloko ko’u aloha,
Ke kupa noho kula a o Kalakoa,
Kahi hanau hoi o na alii,
Wohi hoi a o Hawaii nei;
Walea i ke kui lei Ahihi,
Lei hookipa no ka malihini;
Paa mai uka i ka uhiwai,
O ke kehau anu ko ke kuahiwi;
Halihali mai ana i ke ala,
Ke ala o maile Nohoanu;
Auau aku i ka wai o Kuaikua,
Wai hooheno a na’lii;
Na mamo hoi a Kakuhihewa,
A na pua a ka Na’i Aupuni;
Nana i rula mai a pololei,
Me ka ihe laumeki i ka lima;
A he puuwai koa me ka wiwoole;
Imi maluhia no ka lahui;
Hui pau ia mai na ailana,
Mai Hawaii a Niihau,
Noho hoomalu ia me ke kaulike,
Mamalahoa kanawai;
Hainaia mai ana ka puana,
No Kukaniloko ko’u aloha.
Hakuia e JOHN HOLANI HAO,
Waialua, Oahu.
For Kukaniloko is my aloha,
Native dwelling on the plains of Kalakoa,
Birthplace of the alii,
Wohi chiefs of Hawaii nei;
Taking pleasure in stringing lei of Ahihi,
A lei of welcome for the visitor;
The uplands are covered by fog,
The cold mist of the mountains;
Carrying along the scent,
The fragrance of maile in the cold;
Bathing in the waters of Kuaikua,
Cherished waters of the alii;
The descendants of Kakuhihewa,
And progeny of the Conqueror of the Nation;
Who ruled with righteousness,
With barbed spear in hand;
And a brave and fearless heart;
In pursuit of peace for the people;
Completely joining the islands,
From Hawaii to Niihau,
Living in peace with equality,
The law of Mamalahoa;
Let the refrain be told,
For Kukaniloko is my aloha.
Composed by JOHN HOLANI HAO,
Waialua, Oahu.
(Kuokoa, 5/28/1925, p. 7.)
Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke LXIV, Helu 22, Aoao 7. Mei 28, 1925.
nupepa 