Kalakaua version by Kamuela Kuali’i Lindsey

Online Huna & Ho’oponopono Hawaiian Shamanism

The Kumulipo appears central to Hawaiian spirituality. It originated as a creation and genealogical chant of the Hawaiian royal family. This chant was probably recited to Lono (Captain Cook) while a pig was sacrificed and offered to him at the Hikiau heiau , at Kealakekua Bay on Big Island.

I first heard the Kumulipo chant – or at least parts of it – during a seminar by Rubellite Kawena Johnson and Uncle George Naope in Kailua-Kona around 1990. (Rubellite Johnson was born on Kaua’i and became professor emeritus of Hawaiian language and literature. Both Rubellite Johnson and George Naope were named as Golden Living Treasures of Hawaii.)

The Kumulipo chant records the sequence of creation of the primary akua and aumakua (ancestral-family spirits) – and some Kumulipo symbols appear to show the sequence of the creation of the universe, preceding what physicists now call the “Big Bang”.

Together they provide structure for the rich map we use in huna kalani – Hawaiian healing and Hawaiian family therapy (ho’oponopono) – much of which I integrated into Soulwork Systemic Coaching.

Martha Beckwith wrote in 1951 … Kumulipo was the husband, Po’ele the wife. To them was born Pouliuli. This was the beginning of the earth.

Kumulipo (kumu uli po) can be translated as beginning in darkness or source of life. The ancient Hawaiian chant called Kumulipo describes the creation of duality … of the world, and the relationship between humans and other life. The chant describes the birth of the islands, life and the first humans. It begins …

O ka lipolipo, o ka lipolipo
O ka lipo o ka la, o ka lipo o ka po
Po wale ho ‘i hanau ka po
Hanau Kumulipo i ka po he Kane
Hanau Po’ele i ka po he Wahine

LISTEN*

From depths of darkness, deep darkness
Darkness of day, darkness of night

Of night alone did night give birth
Born Kumulipo in the darkness a Man
Born Po’ele in the darkness a Woman

(* 20 second, 330 kB excerpt from Ho`oluana (1991) by Makaha Sons of Ni’iau)Martyn Carruthers

Kumulipo (Kalakaua translation)

Chant 1

1. When space turned around, the earth heated
When space turned over, the sky reversed
When the sun appeared standing in shadows
To cause light to make bright the moon

5. When the Pleiades are small eyes in the night,
From the source in the slime was the earth formed
From the source in the dark was darkness formed
From the source in the night was night formed
From the depths of the darkness, darkness so deep

10. Darkness of day, darkness of night
Of night alone
Did night give birth
Born Kumulipo in the night, a male
Born Po’ele in the night, a female

15. Born the coral polyp, Born of him a coral colony emerged
Born the burrowing worm hilling the soil
Born of him a worm emerged
Born the starfish, The small starfish his child emerged
Born the sea cucumber, A small sea cucumber his child emerged

20. Born the coral-dwelling sea urchin,
Born of him a short-spiked sea urchin emerged
Born the smooth-spined sea urchin, The sharp-spiked sea urchin his child emerged
Born the unspined sea urchin, The thin-spiked sea urchin his child emerged
Born the barnacle, The reef oyster his child emerged

25. Born the large clam, The hinged mollusk his child emerged
Born the mussel, The hermit crab his child emerged
Born the dark-fleshed limpet, The limpet his child emerged
Born the cowry, The small cowry his child emerged
Born the naka shell, The chama shell his child emerged

30. Born the drupa, The bitter drupa his child emerged
Born the triton, The small triton his child emerged
Born the nerita snail, The large nerita his child emerged
Born the fresh-water snail, The brackish-water snail his child emerged
Born male for the narrow waters Female for the broad waters

35. Born the coralline seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the bird’s nest fern living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

40. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the ‘aki’aki seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the manienie shore grass living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

46. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the fragrant red seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the succulent mint living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

52. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the manauea seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the manauea taro living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

58. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the ko’ele’ele seaweed, living in the sea
Kept by the jointed sugar-cane, living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water, is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

64. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the puaki seaweed, living in the sea
Kept by the lauaki sugar-cane, living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water, is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

70. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the kakalamoa seaweed, living in the sea
Kept by the moamoa plant, living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

76. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the kele seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the ekele taro living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

82. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the kala seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the ‘akala berry living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

88. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the Lipu’upu’u seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the Lipu’upu’u moss living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

94. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the long seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the tall ebony living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

100. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the ne seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the sumac tree living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

106. Male for the narrow waters, Female for the broad waters
Born the hairy seaweed living in the sea
Kept by the hairy pandanus vine living on land
It is a night gliding through the passage
Of an opening, a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter

112. The male gourd of water, that is the god
From whose flow the vines are made vigorous;
The plant top sprouts from the earth made flourishing
To frame the forest bower in the flow of time,
The flow of time gliding through the long night
Fruitful, very fruitful
Spreading here, spreading there
Spreading this way, spreading that way

120. Until the earth is a brace holding firm the sky
When space lifts through time in the night of Kumulipo
It is yet night.

 

Chant II

Born a child to Po wehiwehi
Cradled in the arms of Po uliuli

125. A wrestler, a pusher,
Dweller in the land of Poho-mi-luamea
The sacred scent from the gourd stem proclaims [itself]
The stench breaks forth in the time of infancy
He is doubtful and stands swelling

130. He crooks himself and straddles
The seven waters just float
Born the child of the hilu fish and swims
The hilu fish rests with spreading tail-fin
A child of renown for Po-uliuli

135. A little one for Po-wehiwehi
Po-uliuli the male
Po-wehiwehi the female
Born the I’a [fish], born the Nai’a [porpoise] in the sea there swimming
Born the Mano [shark], born the Moano [goatfish] in the sea there swimming

140. Born the Mau, born the Maumau in the sea there swimming
Born the Nana, born the Mana fish in the sea there swimming
Born the Nake, born the Make in the sea there swimming
Born the Napa, born the Nala in the sea there swimming
Born the Pala, born the Kala [sturgeon?] in the sea there swimming

145. Born the Paka eel, Born the Papa [crab] in the sea there swimming
Born the Kalakala, born the Huluhulu [sea slug] in the sea there swimming
Born the Halahala, born the Palapala in the sea there swimming
Born the Pe’a [octopus], Born the Lupe [sting ray] in the sea there swimming
Born the Ao, Born the ‘Awa [milkfish] in the sea there swimming

150. Born the Aku [bonito], born the Ahi [albacore] in the sea there swimming
Born the Opelu [mackerel], born the Akule fish in the sea there swimming
Born the ‘Ama’ama [mullet], born the ‘Anae [adult mullet] in the sea there swimming
Born the Ehu, born the Nehu fish in the sea there swimming
Born the ‘Ino, born the ‘Ao’ao in the sea there swimming

155. Born the ‘Ono fish, born the Omo in the sea there swimming
Born the Pahau, Born the Lauhau in the sea there swimming
Born the Moi [threadfin], born the Lo’ilo’i in the sea there swimming
Born the Mao, Born the Maomao in the sea there swimming
Born the Kaku, born the A’ua’u in the sea there swimming

160. Born the Kupou, born the Kupoupou in the sea there swimming
Born the Weke [mackerel ], born the Lele in the sea there swimming
Born the Palani [sturgeon], born the Nukumoni [cavalla] in the sea there swimming
Born the Ulua fish, born the Hahalua [devilfish] in the sea there swimming
Born the ‘Ao’aonui, born the Paku’iku’i fish in the sea there swimming

165. Born the Ma’i’i’i fish, born the Ala’ihi fish in the sea there swimming
Born the ‘O’o, born the ‘Akilolo fish in the sea there swimming
Born man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Nenue [pickerel] living in the sea
Guarded by the Lauhue [gourd plant] living on land

Refrain (Of an opening; a stream of water is the food of plants
It is the god who enters; not as a human does he enter)

172. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Pahaha [young mullet] living in the sea
Guarded by the Puhala [pandanus] living on land

Refrain

178. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Pahau living in the sea
Guarded by the Hau tree [hibiscus] living on land

Refrain

184. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the He’e [squid] living in the sea
Guarded by the Walahe’e [shrub] living on land

Refrain

190. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the ‘O’opu [goby] living in the sea
Guarded by the ‘O’opu [fish] living in fresh water

Refrain

196. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Kauila [eel] living in the sea
Guarded by the Kauila tree living on land

Refrain

202. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Umaumalei [eel] living in the sea
Guarded by the ‘Ulei tree living on land

Refrain

208. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Paku’iku’i [fish] living in the sea
Guarded by the Kukui tree [candlenut] living on land

Refrain

214. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Laumilo [eel] living in the sea
Guarded by the Milo [tree] living on land

Refrain

220. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Kupoupou [fish] living in the sea
Guarded by the Kou [tree] living on land

Refrain

226. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Hauliuli [snake mackerel] living in the sea
Guarded by the Uhi [yam] living on land

Refrain

232. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Weke [mackerel] living in the sea
Guarded by the Wauke [plant] living on land

Refrain

238. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the ‘A’awa [fish] living in the sea
Guarded by the ‘Awa [plant] living on land

Refrain

244. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream
Born the Ulae [lizard fish] living in the sea
Guarded by the Mokae [rush] living on land

Refrain

250. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Palaoa [walrus] living in the sea

Guarded by the Aoa [sandalwood] living on land

Refrain

256. The train of walruses passing by

Milling about in the depths of the sea

The long lines of opule [fish]

The sea is thick with them

260. Crabs and hard-shelled creatures go swallowing on the way

Rising and diving under swiftly and silently

Pimoe lurks behind the horizon

On the long waves, the crested waves

265. Innumerable the coral ridges Low, heaped-up, jagged

The little ones seek the dark places

Very dark is the ocean and obscure

A sea of coral like the green heights of Paliuli

270. The land disappears into them

Covered by the darkness of night

Still it is night

Nothing but darkness that,

Nothing but darkness this,

Darkness alone for Po’ele’ele,

A time of dawn indeed for Pohaha,

Still it is night

 

Chant III

A male this, the female that

A male born in the time of black darkness

275. The female born in the time of groping in the darkness

Overshadowed was the sea, overshadowed the land

Overshadowed the streams, overshadowed the mountains

Overshadowed the dimly brightening night

The rootstalk grew forming nine leaves

280. Upright it grew with dark leaves

The sprout that shot forth leaves of high chiefs

Born Po’ele’ele the male

Lived with Pohaha a female

The rootstalk sprouted

The taro stalk grew

285. Born the Wood borer, a parent

Out came its child a flying thing, and flew

Born the Caterpillar, the parent

Out came its child a Moth, and flew

Born the Ant, the parent

290. Out came its child a Dragonfly, and flew

Born the Grub, the parent

Out came its child the Grasshopper, and flew

Born the Pinworm, the parent

Out came its child a Fly, and flew

295. Born the egg, the parent

Out came its child a bird, and flew

Born the Snipe, the parent

Out came its child a Plover, and flew

Born the A’o bird, the parent

 

300. Out came its child an A’u bird, and flew

Born the Turnstone, the parent

Out came its child a Fly-catcher, and flew

Born the Mudhen, the parent

Out came its child an Apapane bird, and flew

 

305. Born the Crow, the parent

Out came its child an Alawi bird, and flew

Born the ‘E’ea bird, the parent

Out came its child an Alaaiaha bird, and flew

Born the Mamo honey-sucker, the parent

 

310. Out came its child an ‘O’o bird, and flew

Born the Rail, the parent

Out came its child a brown Albatross, and flew

Born the Akikiki creeper, the parent

Out came its child an Ukihi bird, and flew

 

315. Born the Curlew, the parent

Out came its child a Stilt, and flew

Born the Frigate bird, the parent

Out came its child a Tropic bird, and flew

Born the migrating gray-backed Tern, the parent

 

320. Out came its child a red-tailed Tropic-bird, and flew

Born the Unana bird, the parent

Its offspring the Heron came out and flew

Flew hither in flocks

On the seashore in ranks

 

325. Settled and covered the beach

Covered the land of Kane’s-hidden-island

Land birds were born

Sea birds were born

 

329. Man born for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Stingray, living in the sea

Guarded by the Stormy-petrel living on land

Refrain

 

335. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Sea-swallow, living at sea

Guarded by the Hawk living on land

Refrain

 

341. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Duck of the islands, living at sea

Guarded by the Wild-duck living on land

Refrain

 

347. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Hehe, living at sea

Guarded by the Nene [goose] living on land

Refrain

 

353. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Auku’u, living by the sea

Guarded by the Ekupu’u bird living on land

Refrain

 

359. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Noddy [noio], living at sea

Guarded by the Owl [pueo] living on land

Refrain

 

365. This is the flying place of the bird Halulu

Of Kiwa’a, the bird that cries over the canoe house

Birds that fly in a flock shutting out the sun

The earth is covered with fledglings of the night breaking into dawn

The time when the dawning light spreads abroad

 

370. The young weak ‘ape plant rises

A tender plant with spreading leaves

A branching out of the night-born

Nothing but darkness that

Nothing but darkness this

 

375. Darkness alone for Po’ele’ele

A time of dawn indeed for Pohaha

Still it is night

 

Chant IV Plant ‘abi’a and cause it to propagate

The dusky black ‘ape plant

 

380. The sea creeps up to the land

Creeps backward, creeps forward

Producing the family of crawlers

Crawling behind, crawling in front

Advancing the front, settling down at the back

 

385. The front of my cherished one

He is dark, splendid,

Popanopano is born as a male

Popanopano, the male

Po-lalo-wehi, the female

 

390. Gave birth to those who produce eggs

Produce and multiply in the passing night

Here they are laid

Here they roll about

The children roll about, play in the sand

 

395. Child of the night of black darkness is born

The night gives birth The night gives birth to prolific ones

The night is swollen with plump creatures

The night gives birth to rough-backed turtles

 

400. The night produces horn-billed turtles

The night gives birth to dark-red turtles

The night is pregnant with the small lobster

The night gives birth to sluggish-moving geckos

Slippery is the night with sleek-skinned geckos

 

405. The night gives birth to clinging creatures

The night proclaims rough ones

The night gives birth to deliberate creatures

The night shrinks from the ineffective

The night gives birth to sharp-nosed creatures

 

410. Hollowed is the night for great fat ones

The night gives birth to mud dwellers

The night lingers for track leavers

 

413. Born the male for the narrow stream, the female for the broad stream

Born the turtle [Honu] living in the sea

Guarded by the Maile seedling [Kuhonua] living on land

Refrain

 

419. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the sea-borer [Wili] living in the sea

Guarded by the Wiliwili tree living on land

Refrain

 

425. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the sea-worm living in the sea

Guarded by the bastard-sandalwood living on land

Refrain

 

431. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Okea living in the sea

Guarded by the Ahakea tree living on land

Refrain

 

437. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the sea urchin [Wana] living in the sea

Guarded by the thorny Wanawana plant living on land

Refrain

 

443. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Nene shellfish living in the sea

Guarded by the Manene grass living on land

Refrain

 

449. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Liko living in the sea

Guarded by the Piko tree living on land

Refrain

 

455. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Opeope jellyfish living in the sea

Guarded by the Oheohe [bamboo] living on land

Refrain

 

461. Man for the narrow stream, woman for the broad stream

Born the Nanana [sea spider] living in the sea

Guarded by the Nonanona living on land

Refrain

 

467. With a dancing motion they go creeping and crawling

The tail swinging its length

Sullenly, sullenly

 

470. They go poking about the dunghill

Filth is their food, they devour it

Eat and rest, eat and belch it up

Eating like common people

Distressful is their eating

 

475. They move about and become heated

Act as if exhausted

They stagger as they go

Go in the land of crawlers

The family of crawlers born in the night

480. Still it is night

 

CHANT V The time for Po-kanokano
To increase the progeny of Po-lalo-uli
Dark is the skin of the new generation
Black is the skin of the beloved Po-lalo-uli

485. Who sleeps as a wife to the Night-digger
The beaked nose that digs the earth is erected
Let it dig at the land, increase it, heap it up
Walling it up at the back
Walling it up in front

490. The pig child is born Lodges inland in the bush
Cultivates the water taro patches of Lo’iloa
Tenfold is the increase of the island
Tenfold the increase of the land

495. The land where the Night-digger dwelt
Long is the line of his ancestry
The ancient line of the pig of chief blood
The pig of highest rank born in the time
The time when the Night-digger lived

500. And slept with Po-lalo-uli
The night gave birth
Born were the peaked-heads, they were clumsy ones
Born were the flat-heads, they were braggarts
Born were the angular-heads, they were esteemed

505. Born were the fair-haired, they were strangers
Born were the blondes, their skin was white
Born were those with retreating foreheads, they were bushy haired
Born were the blunt-heads, their heads were round
Born were the dark-heads, they were dark

510. Born were the common class, they were unsettled
Born were the working class, they were workers
Born were the favorites, they were courted
Born were the slave class, and wild was their nature
Born were the cropped-haired, they were the picked men

515. Born were the song chanters, they were indolent [?]
Born were the big bellies, big eaters were they
Born were the timid ones, bashful were they
Born were the messengers, they were sent here and there
Born were the slothful, they were lazy

520. Born were the stingy, they were sour
Born were the puny, they were feeble ones
Born were the thickset, they were stalwart
Born were the broad-chested, broad was their badge in battle
Born were the family men, they were home lovers

525. Born were the mixed breeds, they had no fixed lineage
Born were the lousy-headed, they were lice infested
Born were the war leaders, men followed after them
Born were the high chiefs, they were ruddy
Born were the stragglers, they were dispersed

530. Scattered here and there
The children of Lo’iloa multiplied
The virgin land sprang into bloom
The gourd of desire was loosened
With desire to extend the family line

535. To carry on the fruit of Oma’s descendants,
The generations from the Night-digger
In that period of the past
Still it is night

Chant VI New lines of chiefs arise

540. Cultivation arises, full of taboos
They go about scratching at the wet lands
It sprouts, the first blades appear, the food is ready
Food grown by the water courses
Food grown by the sea

545. Plentiful and heaped up
The parent rats dwell in holes
The little rats huddle together
Those who mark the seasons
Little tolls from the land

550. Little tolls from the water courses
Trace of the nibbling of these brown-coated ones
With whiskers standing
They hide here and there
A rat in the upland, a rat by the sea

555. A rat running beside the wave
Born to the two, child of the Night-falling-away
Born to the two, child of the Night-creeping-away
The little child creeps as it moves
The little child moves with a spring

560. Pilfering at the rind
Rind of the ‘ohi’a fruit, not a fruit of the upland
A tiny child born as the darkness falls away
A springing child born as the darkness creeps away
Child of the dark and child in the night now here

565. Still it is night

 

Chant VII

Fear falls upon me on the mountain top
Fear of the passing night
Fear of the night approaching
Fear of the pregnant night

570. Fear of the breach of the law
Dread of the place of offering and the narrow trail
Dread of the food and the waste part remaining
Dread of the receding night
Awe of the night approaching

575. Awe of the dog child of the Night-creeping-away
A dog child of the Night-creeping-hither
A dark red dog, a brindled dog
A hairless dog of the hairless ones
A dog as an offering for the imu (oven)

580. Palatable is the sacrifice for supplication
Pitiful in the cold without covering
Pitiful in the heat without a garment
He goes naked on the way to Malama
[Where] the night ends for the children [of night]

585. From the growth and the parching
From the cutting off and the quiet
The driving Hula wind his companion
Younger brother of the naked ones, the ‘Olohe
Out from the slime come rootlets

590. Out from the slime comes young growth
Out from the slime come branching leaves
Out from the slime comes outgrowth
Born in the time when men came from afar

Still it is night

 

Chant VIII (Myths and Gods)

595. Well-formed is the child, well-formed now
Child in the time when men multiplied
Child in the time when men came from afar
Born were men by the hundreds
Born man for the narrow stream

600. Born woman for the broad stream
Born the night of the gods
Men stood together Men slept together
They two slept together in the time long ago

605. Wave after wave of men moving in company
Ruddy the forehead of the god
Dark that of man
White [bearded] the chin
Tranquil was the time when men multiplied

610. Calm like the time when men came from afar
It was called Calmness [La’ila’i] then
Born La’ila’i a woman
Born Ki’i a man
Born Kane a god

615. Born Kanaloa the hot-striking octopus
It was day
The wombs gave birth Ocean-edge
The-damp-forest, latter of the two
The first chief of the dim past dwelling in cold uplands, their younger

620. The man of long life and hundreds upon hundreds of chiefs
Scoop out, scoop out,
Hollow out, hollow out, keep hollowing
Hollow out, hollow out, “the woman sat sideways”
La’ila’i, a woman in the time when men came from afar

625. La’ila’i, a woman in the time when men multiplied
Lived as a woman of the time when men multiplied
Born Groping-one [Hahapo’ele], a girl
Born Dim-sighted [Ha-popo], a girl
Born Beautiful [Maila] called Clothed-in-leaves [Lopala pala]

630. Naked [‘Olohe] was another name
[She] lived in the land of Lua [pit]
[At] that place called “pit of the ‘Olohe”
Naked was man born in the day
Naked the woman born in the upland

635. [She] lived here with man
Born Creeping-ti-plant [La’i’olo] to man
Born Expected-day [Kapopo], a female
Born Midnight [Po’ele i], born First light
Opening-wide [Wehi loa] was their youngest

640. These were those who gave birth
The little ones, the older ones
Ever increasing in number
Man spread abroad, man was here now
It was Day

 

Chant IX Still, trembling stands earth

645. Hot, rumbling, split is the heaven
This woman ascends to heaven, ascends right up to heaven
Ascends up toward the forest
Tries to touch the earth and the earth splits up
Children of Ki’i sprung from the brain

650. Came out, flew, flew also to the heavens
Showed the sign, the ruddy tint by which they were known
Showed the fine reddish hair at puberty
Showed on the chin a reddish beard
The offspring of that mysterious woman

655. The woman of ‘Iliponi, of within ‘I’ipakalani
“From the female fire-stick comes the fire that makes men”
That woman dwelt in Nu’umealani
Land where the gods dwelt
“She stripped the dark leaves of the koa tree”

660. A woman of mysterious body was this
She lived with Ki’i, she lived with Kane
She lived with Kane of the time when men multiplied
Forgotten is the time of this multitude
A multitude the posterity of the time of child-bearing

665. She returned again upward
Dwelt in the sacred forest of the gods in Nu’umealani
Was pregnant there, the earth broke open
Born the woman Groping-one [Haha-po’ele]
Born Dim-sighted [Hapopo], a woman

670. Last Born Naked-one, ‘Olohelohe
Part of the posterity of that woman
It was Day

Chant X (Po’e Kanaka (Humans)
Come hither, La’ila’i [to] the wall
Kane of Kapokinikini [to] the post; Ki’i be quiet

675. Born La’i’olo’olo and lived at Kapapa
Born Kamaha’ina the first-born, a male
Born Kamamule, a male
Kamakalua the second child was a girl
Came the child Po’ele-i [Midnight]

680. Came the child Po’ele-a [First-light]
Wehi-wela-wehi-loa [Opening-to-the heat, opening wide]
La’ila’i retumed and lived with Kane
Born Ha’i, a girl
Born Hali’a, a girl

685. Born Hakea, Fair-haired, a male
There was whispering, lip-smacking and clucking
Smacking, tut-tutting, head-shaking
Sulking, sullenness, silence
Kane kept silence, refused to speak

690. Sullen, angry, resentful
With the woman for her progeny
Hidden was the man by whom she had children
[The man] to whom her children were born
The chiefess refused him the youngest

695. Gave the sacred ‘ape to Ki’i
She slept with Ki’i
Kane suspected the first-born, became jealous
Suspected Ki’i and La’ila’i of a secret union
They pelted Kane with stones

700. Hurled a spear; he shouted aloud
“This is fallen to my lot, for the younger [line]”
Kane was angry and jealous because he slept last with her
His descendants would hence belong to the younger line
The children of the elder would be lord

705. First through La’ila’i, first through Ki’i
Child of the two born in the heavens there Came forth

Chant XI

She was a woman living among chiefs and married to her brother
She was a restless woman living among chiefs

710. She lived above and came bending down over Ki’i
The earth swarmed with her offspring
Born Kamaha’ina [firstborn], a male
Born Kamamule, her younger born
Born Kamamainau, her middle one

715. Born Kamakulua her little one, a girl Kamaha’ina lived as husband to Hali’a

This translation is accredited to Kamuela Kuali’i Lindsey, 1997

Hawaiian Spirituality . Awaiku

Ho’oponopono . Huna, Healing and Ohana . Kumulipo . Soulwork

E komo mai. Welcome.
We teach in many countries – usually on secluded beaches, forests or parks.
We can meet and work online – or in beautiful places.

We bring this wisdom to the world under the name of Huna Kalani.
Do you want to heal your life? We seek people who wish to bring back this ancient magic.

 

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