Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-25
Hawaiian Tradition of the Origin OF
Fire,

The Hawaiians formerly produced fire by rub
bling piece Of hard wood upon a softer one,
until the heat engendered by the friction pro-
duced combustion among the fine tinder-like
particles or ibres of the softer piece, which had
been disodged by the action the harder piece
The soft piece was usually placed on the
ground, or on some suitable support, while the
harder piece was held firmly with both hands
in a slanting direction, and the necessary fric-
ton produced by rubbing the end of it smartlv
upon the softer piece in a longitudinal direc-
ton. The piece held in the hands was called an
ultima, aud that on which the fire was pro-
duced, was called Aundki.
Hawaiian tradition states that there was
time when fire was unknown to this people, and
refers their first knowledge of it to the common
mudhen, or coot so abundant in most of the
ponds and marshes of these islands. Whoever
has observed these birds has noticed ieshy or
callous spot on the front part of the head at the
root of the beak. In some it is of a clear white
in others, of a bright crimson color The latter
are the birds who were originally the posseSsors
of fire, and from whom it passed into the pos
session of the people.
This acquisition is connected, in the tradition,
with the name of Maui, celebrated parsonage
of ancient story. This Maui was the son of
Hina and Akalana, and dwelt with his parents
at Kipahulu, on East Maui. Akaana, how
ever, was only his foster father. There were
also three other sons, the offspring of Hina and
Akalana, named respectively, Maui-mua, Maui
hope, and Maui-kiiki Maui first, Maui next
and Maui big-bellied.) But this one was called
Maui Akalana. Maui Akaana grew to man
hood, being fed only on uncooked food for they
had no fire in those days, and what they ate
was prepared by burying it in The ground
There were kalo, and yams, and ii root, but
there was no way of cooking them. Maui
therefore, asked Hina, his mother, one day
GLOW shall we cook these things"
She answered Fire will cook them"
"Who has the fire2"
"The Alac (mud-hens) have it,"
'Then will 20 and get it."
"When thy strength and swiftness are great,
| thou mayest get ii"
81 am able" answered Maui
Now he and his brothers often went out ish.
| ing together in their canoes. And as they were
fishing, they often saw the fires which the Alas
had kindled on the land to cook their food. AND
Maui often landed and pursued the birds TO OBJ
tain the fire; but when he came near them, lol
| i'll twinkling, they gathered up the fire, the
ashes, the wood, and the bananas, and flew
| away, reyiling him and saying, "Ahl now in
deed thy food will be cooked, thou mean looking
coward. Swift indeed is the son OF Hina." Thus
| he and his brothers pursued their way, fishing
| as they went, until they arrived at Waianae, on
| Oahu. There again they saw the fires lighted
| on the shore. Thus ii continued for FIVE success
am going after the fire."
"You will not get il, for those to whom the
FIRE belongs are bird"
II will get it. Stay here and fish while 90. ,
"But the birds will discover your absence from
| your canoe"
81 will set up my fish-linc calabash in the enc
Of the canoe, and they viii think it is a man."
| So they consented, and while they went fish
| ing, Maui proceeded inland toward the place
where the birds were. When he was near th,
| spot he hid himself behind a rock. And thu
birds counted the men in the canoes at the sea
and saw, as they supposed, five men as before