Table of Contents
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 poPo wale ho ‘i hanau ka po Hanau Kumulipo i ka po he Kane Hanau Po’ele i ka po he Wahine |
From depths of darkness, deep darkness Of night alone did night give birth |
(* 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.
