The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-09-23
ANCIENT HAWAHANS.
1he Story of PaaO as Read Be
fore the Hawaiian BIS
torical Society.

point of time in the list of those who
played the role of navigators during
the period of intercourse between
Hawaii and the archipelagoes of the
south. No doubt many names have
failed to reach us by having dropped
out OF tradition, or having been so
Overlaid with mythical extravagan-
cies a. to eHectualIy conceal the truth
that lies at the bottom of their story
OF those that have survived, none
seem more worthy to head the list,
Doth as to importance and priority in
time, than PaaO.
The story of Paao so well illustrates
the disturbed conditions Of the times,
and some peculiarities of Polynesian
life, that IL seems worth while to give
it at length.
Paao and his older brother, Lono-
pele, were priests OF Samoa, Paao
being the kahu tkeeper) OF the god
hukailimoku. They were both men
OF authority and weight, highly ac-
complished in the arts of heather life.
PaaO was also skilled in navigation,
astronomy and divination. Both of
the brothers were successful farmers,
and each OF them had a son to whom
he was greatly attached.
The relations between the brothers
were by no means pleasant, and seem
in open violence.
On one occasion LonOpele, having
suffered from thievish depredations
on his farm, came to Paao and COM
planned that Paao's son had been steal
ing his fruit.
Did you see him take the fruit >"
said PaaO.
"No; but 1 saw him walking on
the land, and / firmly believe that it
hex ~ chi 4
If so, my son is in the wrong"
said Paao.
:" Yes, he is" said LonOpele.
"That being the case, / will cut him
open," said Paao; "but if your stolen
fruit is not found within him, what
shall lie done with you?
THAT is none of my affair."" said
LOnOpele; "who ever heard of cut
ting open a mans stomach to decide
such question ;"
Paao then cut open his sons body,
and babe Lonopele come and witness
to the fact that the stolen fruit was
not there
Paao, beside himself with grief and
regret for the loss of his son, imme-
iii ttely began to plan vengeance. and
TO seek the death of the son of his
brother, Lonopele.
True to the instincts and impulses
of his Polynesian blood, he deter
mined In disgust to abandon the scene
of his strife and seek a home in other
lands.
With this purpose in view, he at
once set his kahunas at the task of
constructing u large double canoe.
The work neared completion, the top
rails had been fitted and put in place,
the three cross-pieces Gako), hewn
into shape, the bulls of the canoes
smeared with black paint, and there
remained only the sacred task of bind
ing firmly together the different parts
with sinnet (aha). PaaO ordered a
tabu: for a month no fire was to be
lighted, no person was to walk abroad,
no one was to work on his farm or go
a-fishing At the opening Of the
second month PaaO heard the noise of
some one drumming on the canoes.
On inquiry, il proved that it was his
nephew, a fine youth, the son of his
brother, Lonopele, who was guilty OF
this impertinent breach OF ceremony.
Seeing his opportunity, Paao COM
manded his people to catch the BOY
and slay him. This was done, and
the body of the hapless youth, after
serving as n cOnsecrating sacrifice,
was buried under the canoe. The
work of binding the lashings was now
accomplished, and the tabu was de-
clared at an end.
AS soon as the days of the tabu
were passed, LonOpele started out
in search of his missing son,
and turning his steps towards the
house of Paao, he came to the shed
(halau), where the canoes were rest
ing on their blocks uona), and stop
ped to admire the elegance of their
proportions. As he stood at the stern
and passed his eye along to the bow
in critibaI appreciation of their lines,
his attention was drawn to a swarm
ing of flies that had gathered. He
removed a block from beneath the
canoe, and, to his horror, their lay
the dead body of his boy. His in
dignation and wrath vented them
selves in bitter imprecations against
the author of the atrocious murder,
and in irony and derision he called
the canoe Ka-nalo- -mu-ia (the
swarming of the dies).
AS the preparations for his depar-
ture neared completion, Paao launch
ed his canoe into the sea, and began
TO lay in supplies of food and water,
all kinds of stores for a long voyage.
The canoe was rugged with mast
and triangular sail of braided pam
danus leaf called a Ia, which was
placed with its apex downwards.
When the wind was contrary, or the
weather was so rough, that the sail
could not be used to advantage, the
mast and sail would probably be un-
shipped, folded up, and dashed to the
iakos, or cross pieces that held the
two canoes together, and progress
would then depend upon the use OF
the paddle. There were seats Tor
forty paddlemen sitting two on a
bench. Midships of the canoe was n
raised platform (pola) screened OIL by
mats, and protected against the
weather by roof, or awning, which
for the accommodation of Paao and
his family party, including an Older
sister, Namauu-o-Malaea.
Paao himself was the priest OF the
company, a most important Office
Nakaalawa, the navigator and astro-
homer (kilo- hoku)-upon him de-
nended the course to be taken; Halau
the sailing master (hookele-moanali
PuoleoIe, the trumpeter (puhl-pu)
besides these are mentioned ava
chewers and stewards.
The most important piece OF frelgh'
that Paao took with him was the
feather idol Kukailimoku, which gen
erations afterwards played such as
tinguished role as the war god OF the
invincible Kamehameha l., who con
uuered the islands.
There is apparent reason To suppose
that Paao took with him the two
lao p,aii-a stones. which popular