Hawaiian History—Some Things Which are of Importance Pertaining to the Dead

Care for the dead (kupapa‘u), respect of the graves (ilina), and traditions associated with the spirit after death are subjects of great significance to Hawaiians past and present. In his history of the Hawaiian people, Samuel M. Kamakau shared a collection of traditions and practices pertaining to the dead, and identified some of the places of importance in these practices. These narratives are of particular importance to lands and specific wahi pana of the Honouliuli-Moanalua region. Under the heading “O kekahi mau mea i manao nui ia o ke kupapau,” which means “Some things which are of importance pertaining to the dead,” Kamakau writes the following. The English translation follows.

… Hookahi anahuna kaulana ma Oahu. O Pohukaina ka inoa, aia ma ka pali o Kanehoalani mawaena of Kualoa a me Kaaawa, ai ka puka i manao ia ma ka pali o Kaoio e huli la i Kaaawa, a o ka lua o ka puka aia ma ka punawai o Kaahuula-punawai. He anahuna alii keia, a he nui ka waiwai huna iloko a me na‘lii kahiko. O Hailikulamanu, oia kekahi puka, aia a kokoke makai o ke ana Koluana i Moanalua, aia ma Kalihi, ma Puiwa, oia na puka ekolu o Pohukaina ma Kona, a o Waipahu ma Ewa, aia ma Kahuku i Koolauloa kekahi puka, a o kauhuhu o kaupaku o keia hale anahuna, oia no ka mauna o Konahuanui a iho i Kahuku. Ua olelo ia ma ka moolelo a kanaka, ua nui ka poe i komo ioloko me na ihoiho kukui, mai Kona aku nei a puka i Kahuku…

Na uhane mahope o ka make ana o ke kino.

O ke ao kuewa: a o ke ao auana kekahi inoa. I ka make ana o ke kanaka kuleana ole, ua auana kuewa hele kona uhane me ka lalau hele i ka nahelehele, a ua hele wale i Kamaomao, a i ka wiliwili o Kaupea, a hiki kona uhane i Leilono, aia malaila ka Uluolaiowalo; a i loaa ole kona uhane aumakua i maa mau ia ia, a aumakua kokua hoi, alaila, e lele kona uhane ma ka lala ulu popopo a haule ilalo liko i ka po pau ole i o Milu la…

O Leiolono, oia kekahi wahi e make ai na uhane i ka po pau ole. Aia o Leiolono kokoke i ka pohaku o Kapukaki a ma nae aku, e kupono ana i puu hoilina kupapau o Aliamanu, a huli i ka aoao akau o Hokupaa, aia ma ke kapaluna o ke alanui kahiko, aia he hapapa pahoehoe pohaku, a ia maluna he wahi ponaha, he alua paha kapuai ke anapuni, oia ka puka e iho ai ilalo, o ka nuu ia o Papa-ia-Laka he ao aumakua ia wahi, aia ma ka puka e iho ai o ka puka o Leiolono, he ulu o Leiwalo, elua lala ma ka hikna kekahi a ma ke komohana kekahi, he mau lala ulu hoopunipuni keia, a o kekahi lala niu, he lala e lele ai i ka po pauole, a o ka lua o ka lulu ulu, aia a kokua ia mai e ka uhane aumakua kokua, alaila, e ike auanie maia ao aumakua, i na kupuna i olelo ia o Wakea a me ka huina kupuna a pau, a me ko ke ao holookoa e hele nei, i ka lakou huakai; a o kekahi hapa, aia ma kela alala ulu hoopunipuni i ka po pauole. O ka palena o Leilono, o Kapapa-kolea ka palena hikina, he peelua nui launa ke kiai hikinina o Keleana; a o Napeha ka palena komohana, a he moo ke kiai malaila, a i makai i keia mau kia, alaila hoi hou i hope, a i kokua hou ia e na uhane aumakua, alaila, ua hou, a ua alakai ia i ke ao aumakua.

A i makau i ka peelua e alai ana i ke alanui mai kela aoao mai o Alia, kiei je poo ma ka pali o Kapakolea, aliala makau ke uhane a auwana, a pili aoao ma ke kahawai ma ka hale hana ili, aole he alanui aupuni mamua, aka, he alanui kamaaina no Kauhilaele, a ua olelo ia aia a komo ka auwana maloko o na palena, he make wale no kona uhane, a o ke lele i ka po pau ole; aka, ua oleloia ua ola mai no kekahi poe uhane auwana ke loaa i na uhane aumakua kokua, a o ka poe kokua, a o ka poe kokua ole, e make no i ka po pauole, a i o Milu la. Aia ma ke kula o Kaupea, ma ke kaha o Puuloa, e hele ai na uhane auwana e poipoi pulelehua, a e poipoi nanana, oiai aole e hele loa na uhane auwana i na wahi i olelo ia mamua, a i loaa paha i na uhane aumakua e poipoi nanana ana, a ua hoopakeleia, a o ka poe uhane kokua ole, he poe uhane haukae lakou, a mai ka wiliwili i Kaupea, i Kanehili, he nui no na wahi i oleloia ma keia inoa. O Kalea-a-kauhane [Ka-leina-a-ka-uhane], a me ka Ulu o Leiwalo, aia ma Hawaii, ma Maui, ma Molokai, ma Lanai, ma Kauai a me Niihau, hookahi no moolelo like no keia mau wahi…

The following summarizes the preceding. Make note of the locations in the Honouliuli-Moanalua region that are mentioned.

There is only one famous hiding cave, ana huna, on Oahu. It is Pohukaina. The opening on Kalaeoka‘o‘io that faces toward Ka‘a‘awa is believed to be in the pali of Kanehoalani, between Kualoa and Ka‘a‘awa, and the second opening is at the spring Ka‘ahu‘ula-punawai. This is a burial cave for chiefs, and much wealth was hidden away there with the chiefs of old. On the Kona side of the island the cave had three openings, one at Hailikulamanu—near the lower side of the cave of Koleana in Moanalua—another in Kalihi, and another in Pu‘iwa. There was an opening at Waipahu, in Ewa, and another at Kahuku in Ko‘olauloa. The mountain peak of Konahuanui was the highest point of the ridgepole of this burial cave “house,” which sloped down toward Kahuku. Many stories tell of people going into it with kukui-nut torches in Kona and coming out at Kahuku. Within this cave are pools of water, streams, creeks, and decorations by the hand of man (hana kinohinohi‘ia), and in some places there is level land. [16:38]

The leina a ka ‘uhane on Oahu was close to the cape of Ka‘ena, on its right (or north, ‘akau) side, as it turns toward Waialua, and near the cutoff (alanui ‘oki) that goes down to Keaoku‘uku‘u. The boundaries of this leina a ka ‘uhane, it is said, were Kaho‘iho‘ina-Wakea, a little below Kakahe‘e, and the leaping place (kawa-kai) of Kilauea at Keawa‘ula. At these places would be found helpful ‘aumakua souls who might bring back the spirit and restore life to the body, or if not, might welcome it to the realm of the ‘aumakua. Places within the boundaries mentioned were where souls went to death in the po pau ‘ole, endless night.

Leilono at Moanalua, Oahu, was close to the rock Kapukaki and easterly of it (a ma ka na‘e aku), directly in line with the burial mound of Aliamanu and facing toward the right side of the North Star (a huli i ka ‘ao‘ao ‘akau o ka Hokupa‘a). On the bank above the old trail there was a flat bed of pahoehoe lava, and on it there was a circular place about two feet in circumference. This was the entrance to go down; this was the topmost height (nu‘u) of Kapapaialaka, a place in the ‘aumakua realm. Here at the entrance, ka puka o Leilono, was a breadfruit tree of Leiwalo, he ‘ulu o Leiwalo. It had two branches, one on the east side and one on the west.

These branches were deceiving. From one of them, the soul leaped into the po pau ‘ole; if he climbed the other, it would bring aid from helpful ‘aumakua (‘aumakua kokua). From that branch the soul would see the ‘aumakua realm and the ancestors spoken of, Wakea and all the rest, and those of the entire world who had traveled on this same journey.

The boundaries of Leilono were, Kapapakolea on the east, [with] a huge caterpillar (pe‘elua nui) called Koleana as its eastern watchman, and the pool Napeha on the west, with a mo‘o the watchman there. If the soul was afraid of these watchmen and retreated, it was urged on by the ‘aumakua spirits, then it would go forward again and be guided to the ‘aumakua realm. If a soul coming from the Alia (Aliapa‘akai) side was afraid of the caterpillar, whose head peered over the hill Kapapakolea, and who blocked the way, it would wander about close to the stream by the harness shop. This was not the government road (alanui aupuni) of former times, but was a trail customarily used by “those of Kauhila‘ele” [figuratively, the common people; the la‘ele, old taro leaves, as contrasted with the liko, the new and choicer leaves—that is, the chiefs]. It was said that if a wandering soul entered within these boundaries it would die by leaping into the po pau ‘ole; but if they were found by helpful ‘aumakua souls, some wandering souls were saved. Those who had no such help perished in the po pau ‘ole of Milu.

On the plain of Kaupe‘a beside Pu‘uloa, wandering souls could go to catch moths (pulelehua) and spiders (nanana). However, wandering souls would not go far in the places mentioned earlier before they would be found catching spiders by ‘aumakua souls, and be helped to escape. Those souls who had no such help were indeed friendless (he po‘e ‘uhane hauka‘e lakou), and there were many who were called by this name, po‘e ‘uhane hauka‘e.

There were Leina-a-ka-‘uhane and ‘Ulu-o-Leiwalo on Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kauai, and Niihau as well as on Oahu. The traditions about these places were the same. They were where spirits were divided (mahele ana) to go into the realm of wandering spirits, the ao kuewa or ao ‘auwana; or to the ancestral spirit realm, the ao ‘aumakua; or to the realm of endless night, the po pau ‘ole.

The places said to be for wandering spirits were: Kama‘oma‘o for Maui; Uhana [Mahana] at Kahokunui for Lanai; Ma‘ohelaia for Molokai; Mana for Kauai; Halali‘i for Niihau; in addition to Kaupe‘a for Oahu. In these places the friendless souls (‘uhane makamaka ‘ole) wandered. [16:49]

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Nā Mo‘olelo Hawai‘i: Hawaiian Traditions

Moolelo contain expressions of native beliefs, customs, practices, and history. The Hawaiian landscape itself is storied, and each place name is associated with a tradition—ranging from the presence and interactions of the gods with people, to documenting an event, or the characteristics of a given place. Unfortunately, today, many of those moolelo have been lost. Through the moolelo that have survived the passing of time, we are able to glimpse the history of the land and people of Honouliuli Ahupuaa.

Included here are a collection of narratives written by native Hawaiian authors and historians, as well as non-Hawaiian visitors and residents of the land during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The narratives document traditional lore and knowledge, customary practices and beliefs, and the importance of place names which have survived the passing of time. A number of the accounts come from Hawaiian-language resources which have not been previously available in English. Other citations revisit some of the better known historical accounts, while attempting to shed new light on them, with efforts made to place them in a Hawaiian cultural context based on a wide range of resource materials.

Transcripts and/or translations of the Hawaiian-language accounts are given either verbatim, or in summary for longer narratives, with emphasis on the key events—their association with akua, aina, and kanaka of Honouliuli Ahupuaa. The citations span the period from antiquity to the 1920s. We have elected to include the Hawaiian-language transcripts in an effort to provide present and future generations with easy access to these important narratives as a means of fostering ongoing cultural attachment to place, and for educational and interpretive purposes. In this way the kupuna speak for themselves, and pass their voices on to inspire continued knowledge of place, practice, and use of the native place names.

It will be noted that in a number of instances, place names originated as the names of notable figures—either gods, demigods, chiefly personages or deified ancestors—while other names describe events or particular characteristics of named locations.

The Passing of Keali‘iahonui: Burial and Land Case, 1849

During the reign of Kamehameha III, High Chief Aarona Kealiiahonui¹ of the Maui and Kauai lineages held the entire ahupuaa of Honouliuli as a personal property with his wife, Mikahela Kekauonohi. The report of his death in 1849, and inheritance of Honouliuli by his widow Chiefess Kekauonohi, was announced in the Hawaiian Press:

1849: On the 23d of June died the high chief Keliiahonui, the last lineal descendant of the Kings of Kaui. He was the husband of the high chiefess Kekauonohi, who subsequently married Levi Haalelea, and died in 1851.²

While Chiefess Mikahela Kekauonohi, a granddaughter of Kamehameha I and niece of Kamehameha III, was granted title to Honouliuli through the Mahele Aina by 1847, she had already begun the process of cutting the ili of Puuloa out of Honouliuli and conveying it to foreign ownership interests.

The passing of Kealiiahonui in 1849, along with the handling of his physical remains, and disputes between the rightful heirs of his estate are also connected with the traditions of Puuloa. The articles below include details on the history of land title and the burial of Kealiiahonui.

Disputes Over Settlement of Keali‘iahonui’s Estate, 1904 The contest over the will of Kealiiahonui was drawn out over half a century because it involved a lot of valuable property, including Ewa Plantation lands.

An old case arising over the will of A. Kealiiahonui who died as long ago as 1849, received a new lease of life this morning by the action of C. W. Ashford who is appearing in the interests of Julius Kaae. The case has been before the courts in many phases and it will probably be gone over again now. The property involved is worth many millions, as Kealiiahonui, when he died owned practically everything on the other side of Nuuanu.

It was, as stated, in 1849 that Kealiiahonui died, but his will was not submitted for probate until 1855. The matter was then the cause of a legal fight and eleven years later, in 1866, a petition was made by Kapiolani who afterwards became queen, to set aside the order of probate. This petition was denied. There followed litigation of different sorts during the different years that followed and in 1890 Kaae, the present petitioner, petitioned in the right of Kamehaokalani (w) for the setting aside of the old probate. It was held on this petition, however, that her rights has been passed upon in the former proceedings when she had been represented by a guardian. About 1892 Kaae again petitioned to revoke the probate, this time in the right of another heir. The petition was resisted by Mrs. A. A. Haalelea. She was the widow of Levi Haalelea whose former wife was Kekauauohi [Kekauonohi], the widow of Keliiahonui, the man whose will is involved. A demurrer was taken but was overruled.

Thus the matter stood until the turbulent times of 1893–5 when it occurred to the government of the day that it would be a good thing for C. W. Ashford to take a trip away from Hawaii and stay away. The immediate proximity of a bayonet persuaded Ashford that this view of the matter was for the time correct. He was the attorney for Kaae, but even that fact did not weigh when the point of the bayonet was taken into consideration.

Seven years elapsed. T. McCants Stewart was substituted as attorney, but no further steps were taken in the matter. When Ashford returned in 1902 he again resurrected the case and sought to set it for hearing, but a motion to dismiss the petition on behalf of Mrs. A. A. Haalelea prevailed and a decree so ordering was signed by judge Gear in February of the present year. Only four days remain now in which to take action, and this has accordingly led to the filing today by Ashford of a writ of error to review Judge Gear’s Ruling whereby he dismissed the petition of Kaae which was filed in 1892 asking for the revocation of the probate of the will filed in 1855.

When it is remembered that the property involved includes the Ewa plantation, the Dowsett property, a large portion of the Ewa side of Nuuanu, a large number of smaller holdings in the same district as well as property of great value at Waikiki, the interest in the case will be apparent.³

“The Funeral Rites of Prince Kealiiahonui” The following is from an annual report of the Hawaiian Historical Society. It elaborates on the handling of Kealiiahonui’s remains, which is connected with the traditions of Puuloa.

The funeral rites of Kealiiahonui, in 1849, are a striking example of the survival of pagan superstitions long after the introduction of Christianity into these Islands.

This Kealiiahonui was the son of Kaumualii, the last King of Kauai, and of Kapuaamohu (w), a Kauai princess of the highest rank. He was, therefore, of the bluest blood in the realm. In addition to this he was considered to be the handsomest chief in the Islands, and was proficient in all athletic exercises. He was six feet six inches in height and finely proportioned; a model for a sculptor.

In 1821 he was married to the Queen Regent, Kaahumanu, whose mat- rimonial chains were said by Stewart “not to have been altogether silken.” After her death, in 1832, he married Kekauonohi, a granddaughter of Kamehameha I through his son Kahoanoku-Kinau. Her mother was Wahinepio, a sister of Kalanimoku.

It is only too evident that Kealiiahonui was kept in the background by the jealousy of the Hawaii chiefs. After Governor Kaikioewa’s death, however, in 1840, his wife, Kekauonohi, was for some years Governess of Kauai. The late Levi Haalelea was latterly employed as their private secretary and land agent.

Kealiiahonui died at Honolulu, June 23, 1849, in what is known as the “Haalelea House.” Haalelea soon afterwards married his widow, who died two years later. There was a famous lawsuit over the genuineness of an alleged will of Kealiiahonui (leaving all his lands to his widow), which has twice been renewed since. See Vol. VI Hawaiian Reports, page 1. From the “Polynesian” newspaper of the time we learn that he was born August 17, 1800, and that his public funeral took place in Honolulu, June 30, 1849. A niece of his, Kapule by name, who was still living at a very advanced age when this was written, faithfully attended him during his last sickness and death. She was cited as a witness in the lawsuit over his will. Her mother was the daughter of King Kaumualii by Naluahi, a woman of low rank, and her father was an American sailor, “Ako,” who is supposed to have been lost at sea. She and her husband were “Kahus” of Kealiiahonui, and had a recognized right to be consulted in the disposition of his remains.

It seems that by Kekauonohi’s orders the coffin containing her late husband’s remains was removed to Puuloa, Ewa, with the view of having it afterwards taken out to sea and there sunk. It was temporarily deposited in a cavern in the coral limestone back of Puuloa, which has long been used for a burial place, and has lately been closed up.

Kapule strongly, objected to the plan of sinking the coffin in the sea, and delayed its execution for a considerable time. At last certain chiefs from Honolulu paid her a visit and succeeded in overcoming her opposition. During the following night she and her husband, with one or two assistants, removed the outer coffin, which they afterwards buried somewhere near Puuloa.

In order to test the truth of her story, at the instance of her lawyer, about 1892, the spot was found by her direction, and part of the coffin was dug up, with the brass plate on it in good preservation. There is a peculiar superstition among the native Hawaiians in regard to the disposal of the outer coffin in such cases, of which we have had illustrations in recent times. In their opinion, if such a coffin is left unburied it bodes death to some near relative of the deceased. During the same night they took out the sacred bones, the “Unihipili,” which they “Hunakele’d,” or concealed, according to the ancient custom. I am informed that they were sunk in the sea.

Kapule took an ear ring and a finger ring from the body, which she preserved for a long time as relics of her master.

A day or two after this the coffin was taken on a canoe out to the deep sea outside of Pearl Harbor, to a spot five miles out, known to fishermen as “Kamole ia,” to be sunk, by six brothers from Kauai who were “Kahus,” or retainers, of the dead chief. A son of one of them, Simona, a well-known fisherman, who died a few years ago at Puuloa, gave this account to the late Jas. I. Dowsett.

Two men had been selected as victims, “Moe puu,” to be put to death on the occasion, that they might accompany their chief into the other world. But when the time came only one of them, Kanepio by name, could be found; the other, Opiopio, having absconded. He was taken out to sea in the canoe, but when the time came for despatching him, one of the brothers, Kauhini, made a strong plea for his life. He said that the order of their chief was that two should die, but not that either should die without the other. “Either both or neither,” he said. He pressed this argument so strongly that he carried his point, and the coffin, with the remains of the last Prince of Kauai, was committed to the deep without any attendant to bear him company.

My informant relates that the coffin floated at first, on which a superstitious boatman said it was because they had not made the human sacrifice commanded by the chief. Then Kauhini, raising his paddle, smashed the glass case over the face of the corpse, upon which the coffin filled and sank to the bottom of the sea.

The method of burial was closely connected with the belief in “Aumakuas,” or ancestral deities. In this case the “Aumakuas” of Kealiiahonui’s family may have been shark gods or other marine deities, and the object of sinking his body in the sea was probably to introduce him into the society of these powerful spirits, where he might exert his influence to befriend members of the family in times of danger upon the sea.

In the same way the bones of other chiefs have been thrown into the fiery lake of Halemaumau, that they might join the company of Pele and her numerous family of volcanic deities.

W. D. Alexander.⁴

The last two paragraphs of the preceding excerpt are especially important, likening the sinking of Prince Kealiiahonui’s remains in the sea to the throwing of remains into Halemaumau Crater to unite the deceased with the family spirits, or aumakua.

¹Variantly spelled Keliiahonui.

²Saturday Press, Honolulu, January 28, 1882.

³Reviving an old case. Contest over a will over half a century old and involving all of Honolulu Ewa of Nuuanu, Ewa plantation property, and much other valuable property—long litigation not over yet. The Hawaiian Star, August 23, 1904, p. 8.

⁴Fourteenth Annual Report of the Hawaiian Historical Society for the Year ending Dec. 31, 1906.