Ka Ulu Hoi

ʻAuhea wale ana ʻoukou e nā maka heluhelu o Ka Ulu Hoi, nā pua nani aʻo Hawaiʻi, nā liko o ka lehua e wehi haʻaheo ai ka moku o Keawe, nā lihilihi lahilahi o ka lokelani e luana nei i ka laʻi o Maui a Kama, ka hinahina hiehie e hoʻowehi ana i nā kahaone o Kahoʻolawe, ke kaunaʻoa kāpaʻipaʻi e kīpuni ana i ke kapakai o Lānaʻikaula, ke kukui kū kilakila e kāhiko nei i nā kuahiwi o Molokaʻi nui a Hina, ka ʻilima ʻihiʻihi e hōʻike ana i ka ʻihilani o ke one ʻai aliʻi o Kākuhihewa, nā muʻo o ka mokihana e moani ai ke ʻala a puni ʻo Manokalanipō, a me nā pūpū pōlani e papapū ana i ka papa kea o Kahelelani. Eia kou wahi mea kākau ke waiho nei i wailau i mua o ʻoukou i mea e nui puʻipuʻi ai ko ʻoukou wahi ʻōpū. ʻO ke ʻano o nēia wailau, he haʻi hou ia i kekahi kaʻao mai ka ʻāina ʻē i kamaʻāina paha iā ʻoukou. E hahai kākou i ka huakaʻi a kekahi kaikamahine nona ka inoa ʻo Leilani a me kāna ʻīlio, me Mele, e ʻimi i ala e hoʻi hou ai i ko lāua kūlanakauhale aloha nui ʻia, ʻoiai ʻaʻohe wahi i kū like ai me ka home aloha.

ʻO ka ʻāina pālahalaha ʻo Kahului kahi i noho ai ʻo Leilani, kāna ʻīlio, a me kona ʻanakala. I kona wā e kamaliʻi ana ua hele ko Leilani mau luauʻi makua i ke ala hoʻi ʻole mai. ʻO ia ke kumu e noho ana ʻo ia me kona ʻanakala. I kekahi lā, ua ʻike ke kāne i ka lālauahi o ka lani. Manaʻo ihola ʻo ia e pā mai ana kekahi makani kaʻawiliwili. He kahu pipi kēia kāne, no laila kau koke kona manaʻo i nā holoholona āna. I mea e hoʻomākaukau ai no ka hiki ʻana mai o ka makani kaʻawiliwili, ua hele aku ʻo ia i ka hale holoholona e hōʻā ai i nā pipi a me nā lio. Eia naʻe, ma mua o kona hoʻi ʻana mai i ka hale ua pūlale ka makani kaʻawiliwili. Ua wehe ʻia aʻela ua hale nei mai ke kahua hale aku me Leilani lāua ʻo Mele i loko. Ma ka lewa lani nō i niniu ai ua hale nei i nā manawa he ʻehā ma mua o ka waiho wale ʻia ʻana o ua hale nei i ka ʻāina kupanaha ʻo Kānehūnāʻailana. E ka mea heluhelu ē, lana ka manaʻo o kou wahi mea kākau e hoʻohihi ʻia ana nō kou manaʻo i ka hana hoʻopīhoihoi a Leilani lāua ʻo kāna ʻīlio ʻo Mele.

Aia nō a pau ka puahiohio ʻana o ke kīkīao makani ʻāhiu o waho o ka hale a hoʻi maila ka mālie, ua kū aʻela ua kaikamahine nei me ka pōniuniu. Alaʻume ʻia kona mau maka e ka pā ʻana mai o ka lā i ka ʻīpuka, a nānā akula nō. Ua holo aku kāna ʻīlio ʻo Mele i ia ʻīpuka. Hahai akula ʻo ia nei a i ko ia nei nānā pono ʻana i waho o ka hale ua ʻike leʻa ʻo ia ʻaʻole lāua ma Kahului. Ulu aʻela ka haʻalulu i loko ona. Iā ia e makaau ana ua ʻike lihi ʻia nā kāne ʻeʻepa he ʻehā e naue mai ana i ko ia nei hale, aia he ʻekolu kāne a hoʻokahi wahine. ʻO ke kū honua ihola nō ia o nā kāne ʻeʻepa. Ua kūkā lākou no kekahi mau kekona ma mua o kā ka wahine hoʻokokoke a kūlou ʻana i mua o Leilani.

Me ka leo nahenahe i ʻōlelo mai ai ia wahine liʻiliʻi, “Aloha ʻoe e ka mea hanohano. E komo mai, mai, he mai i ka ʻāina o nā menehune. Mahalo aku mākou iā ʻoe i kou pepehi ʻana i Ke Kupua ʻIno o Ka Hikina. Ola kūʻokoʻa mākou iā ʻoe.”

Ua huikau maoli ʻo ia nei i ka ʻōlelo a ia wahine liʻiliʻi. Nalu ihola ʻo Leilani i loko ona, “Pupule paha kēia mau kānaka i ke kuhi ʻana iaʻu ʻo au kai pepehi i Ke Kupua ʻIno o Ka Hikina.” ʻO Leilani, he kaikamahine hewa ʻole ʻo ia. Na ka makani kaʻawiliwili i halihali iā ia a me kāna ʻīlio he mau mile mai kona kūlanakauhale mai. ʻAʻole loa ʻo ia i pepehi i hoʻokahi mea mai ka lā i hānau ʻia ai ʻo ia a hiki i kēia lā!

I nānā aku ka hana, mau nō ia wahine liʻiliʻi i mua ona e kakali ana i kāna pane. ʻĪ akula ke kaikamahine hewa ʻole me ke kānalua, “He keu nō ʻoe a ka ʻoluʻolu, akā naʻe maliʻa paha ua ʻolalau ʻoe. ʻAʻole au i pepehi i hoʻokahi mea.”

Hū aʻela ka ʻakaʻaka o nā kāne ʻeʻepa a pau. ʻŌlelo maila kekahi o nā kāne, “ʻO ka mea ʻāpiki, i kou hale nō i pē ai kona kino. E nānā! Aia nā wāwae o Ke Kupua ʻIno ke puka nei mai lalo mai o ka pou kihi o ka hale!”

ʻO ka pūʻalalā ihola nō ia o ke kaikamahine hewa ʻole! Aia nō nā wāwae o kekahi wahine ma kahi a ia kāne i haʻi mai ai. Olo pihe ʻo ia nei, “Auē, auē, ua hāʻule koʻu wahi hale ma luna pono ona! He aha kā kākou e hana ai?!”

Pane mai ka wahine, “ʻAʻohe mea e hana ai.”

“ʻO wai kēlā wahine a i hea lā hoʻi au?” i nīnau akula ke kaikamahine.

“ʻO kēia ka ʻāina o Kānehūnāʻailana. A e like me kaʻu i ʻōlelo ai ma mua ʻo Ke Kupua ʻIno o Ka Hikina ʻo ia” i pane ai ka wahine. “He mau menehune kauā lākou na ua kupua ʻino nei no nā makahiki he nui. Ua hoʻokuapaʻa ʻia lākou e ia i ka pō a me ke ao. Ma muli o kāu hana i hoʻopakele ʻia ai lākou.”

“ʻO wai ʻo nā menehune?” i nīnau akula ua kaikamahine nei.

Me ke kuhikuhi ʻana i nā kāne ʻeʻepa i ʻōlelo mai ai ʻo ia ala, “ʻO nā menehune, ʻo ia nā kānaka peke e noho ma ka hulina hikina o kēia ʻailana kahi a Ke Kupua ʻIno i kū ai.”

Nīnau akula ʻo Leilani, “He menehune anei ʻoe?”

“ʻAʻole,” i pane mai ai ka wahine, “ʻO au Ke Kupua o Ka ʻĀkau. Aloha ʻia au e nā mea like ʻole. Aia ʻehā mau kupua ma kēia ʻāina ʻo Kānehūnāʻailana – Ke Kupua o Ka Hikina, Ke Kupua o Ka Hema, Ke Kupua o Ke Komohana, a ʻo au.”

Haʻi akula ʻo ia nei i ua kupua waipahē nei, “Wahi a koʻu ʻanakala ua make nā kupua a pau.”

“No hea mai ʻoe?” i nīnau maila Ke Kupua o Ka ʻĀkau.

“No Kahului” i pane akula ʻo Leilani.

“ʻO ia nō. Ma nā ʻāina hoʻonaʻauao ʻia ʻaʻohe kupua, ʻaʻohe kahuna hoʻokalakupua, ʻaʻohe kāula i koe. Eia naʻe ma kēia ʻāina ʻo Kānehūnāʻailana, ua hoʻokaʻawale ʻia mākou. ʻO ia ke kumu e ola mau ai kēia mau lāhui.”

“ʻO wai ʻo nā kāhuna hoʻokalakupua?” i nīnau akula ke kaikamahine o Kahului.

Me ka leo hāwanawana i pane mai ai Ke Kupua o Ka ʻĀkau, “ʻO Kānehūnāʻailana ke kahuna hoʻokalakupua kiʻekiʻe loa a noho ʻo ia ma ke kūlanakauhale ʻo Momi.”

Ma mua o kā ia nei hāpai ʻana i nīnau hou ua alawī nā kāne ʻeʻepa. ʻŌlelo maila kekahi, “E nānā! Ua nalowale Ke Kupua ʻIno o Ka Hikina, a koe wale nō nā kāmaʻa hila ʻauliʻi ona. E ka mea hanohano, nou kēia mau kāmaʻa.”

Me ka haʻahaʻa i kiʻi ai ʻo Leilani i nā kāmaʻa mai ke kāne ʻeʻepa mai. Kau ʻia ia kāmaʻa ma loko o ka ʻīpuka o kona hale. I kona hoʻi ʻana mai, nonoi ʻo ia i Ke Kupua o Ka ʻĀkau, “E ke kupua waipahē ē, ʻo ka mea wale nō aʻu e makemake ai ʻo ia nō ka hoʻi ʻana i koʻu home aloha. E ʻoluʻolu e kōkua mai iaʻu i koʻu hoʻi ʻana i koʻu ʻanakala e hopohopo nei i koʻu nalohia.”

Mea mai Ke Kupua o Ka ʻĀkau, “ʻAʻohe oʻu mana e hoʻihoʻi hou ai iā ʻoe i kou home. ʻO ke kahuna hoʻokalakupua ke kōkua iā ʻoe.”

Nīnau hou ua kaikamahine nei, “E hele ana ʻoukou me aʻu e ʻike aku iā ia?”

“ʻAʻole” i pane mai ai Ke Kupua o Ka ʻĀkau, “Aia koʻu kuleana ma ka ʻākau. Eia naʻe inā hahai ʻoe i ke alahele one ʻōmaʻo e hui pū auaneʻi ʻoe me ia.”

E ka maka heluhelu ē, e waiho kāua iā Leilani mā i ʻaneʻi, a huli aku i ka lā ʻelua o kā lāua ʻo Mele huakaʻi ʻana ma ia alahele one ʻōmaʻo. Kala loa kona ʻai ʻana no laila i ka wā i ʻike ʻia ai kekahi kumu ʻōhiʻa ʻai, huli akula lāua nei a me kāna ʻīlio i ke kapa alahele one ʻōmaʻo. ʻOiai ʻo ia e ʻako ana i kekahi mau hua ua ʻike aku ua kaikamahine nei he kiʻi hoʻoweliweli e ʻimo ana iā ia. Holo akula ka ʻīlio i ke kiʻi a ʻaoa akula. ʻŌlelo maila ke kiʻi hoʻoweliweli, “Aloha nō kahi ʻīlio weuweu, pehea mai nei ʻoe?”

ʻAʻole i ʻike o Leilani i ka mea nāna i aloha aku i kāna ʻīlio. ʻAʻole ʻo ia nei i ʻike i hoʻokahi kupua a i ʻole he menehune ma mua ona. Maliʻa paha ʻo ke kiʻi hoʻoweliweli e kiaʻi ana i nā ʻōhiʻa ʻai kai ʻōlelo. No laila nīnau akula ʻo ia nei iā ia, “ʻO ʻoe ia e mika kiʻi hoʻoweliweli, hiki iā ʻoe ke ʻōlelo?”

Me ka minoʻaka nunui i pane mai ai ke kiʻi, “ʻO ia nō, pehea ʻoe?”

“Maikaʻi, a ʻo ʻoe?” i ʻōlelo aku ai ʻo Leilani.

Pane maila ke kiʻi, “ʻO ia mau nō eia naʻe he hana nui kaʻu. Kū au ma kēia wahi hoʻokahi i kēlā lā kēia lā i ka pō a me ke ao no ka hoʻomakaʻu ʻana i nā ʻalalā. ʻAʻole hiki iaʻu ke ʻoni ma muli o kēia wahi pou i nākiʻi ʻia ma koʻu kino a paʻa. E kala mai ʻo wai kou inoa?”

“ʻO au iho nō ʻo Leilani a ʻo Mele kēia,” i ʻōlelo akula ua kaikamahine nei me ke kuhikuhi ʻana i ka ʻīlio.

“E Leilani, hiki paha iā ʻoe ke wehe i kēia wahi pou?” i nīnau maila ua kiʻi nei.

Kīkoʻo aʻela ke kaikamahine i kona mau lima a wehe ʻia nō ka pou. Haʻi ʻo ia i ke kiʻi, “Ke ʻimi aku nei māua i ke Kahuna Hoʻokalakupua ʻo Kānehūnāʻailana i hiki iā ia ke hoʻihoʻi mai iā māua i koʻu home aloha ma Kahului. ʻO ʻoe paha kekahi e hele ana me māua?”

Nīnau maila ke kiʻi, “ʻO wai ia Kahuna Hoʻokalakupua?”

“ʻAʻole ʻoe i lohe mua no Ke Kahuna Hoʻokalakupua?” i nīnau akula ke kaikamahine.

“Maliʻa paha ua lohe mua au i kona inoa akā ʻaʻohe oʻu lolo no laila ʻaʻole hiki iaʻu ke hoʻomanaʻo i hoʻokahi mea,” i ʻōlelo maila ke kiʻi.

Me ka leo mihi i ʻōlelo aku ai ʻo ia nei, “Inā pēlā, maliʻa paha ua hiki i Ke Kahuna Hoʻokalakupua ke kōkua iā ʻoe.”

“Inā kākou,” i pane maila ke kiʻi a hoʻi lākou ʻekolu i ka hele pū ʻana i ke alahele one ʻōmaʻo.

ʻAʻole i pau.

© Kiana Davis 2020