The Philipsburg mail., 1899-05-05
HAWAu'S OLDEST WOMAN.

HAWAu's OLDEST WOMAN.
EcpooieIe Apun Recently Died at the
Ase of 127.
There died here few days ago
woman of the age of 127 years. The
figures have been verified by Prof.
Alexander the historian; a. I. Atkln-
son, suNerint cndent of census, and Mrs.
e. M. Nakuina, a Hawaiian lady or
high cultivation both in English and
her own language, says Honolulu
correspondent of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat The following account or
a visit to the old woman three years
ago was prepared by Mrs Nakuina ana
is vised by Prof Alexander:
"On entering the house we found her
sitting on the hoor. She was attended
by two women, one of whom was the
wife of a grandson. She was very
deaf and could not see clearly, though
when | presented a dollar to her she
held out her hand for it and placed it
in her pocket This was at the close
of the interview, but | mention it now
to show what the old lady's faculties
were:
prof. Alexander. after some prelim-
mary remarks, in order not to alarm
the old lady, suggested a number or
historical questions which were put by
myself From these we learned that
she well remembered the abolition or
| idolatry and the war in that conneo-
! ton. She stated that she was mar
ried woman and an attendant OF kapl-
o]an |. when that queen descended in
to the crater of the Kilauea volcano,
and broke the tabu against women
being in that locality. The old lady
said that in consequence of this mo-
mentous event her own name was
changed by her people from Kepoolele
to Aqua.
"The old lady said that she remen-
bered Keoua being killed at Hawai-
hae. This occurred in 1871, and is de-
scribed in Alexander's History of the
Hawaiian People.
Becoming interested in the subject
of old events the aged woman volun-
teered the information that she remeM-
bered the digging of the we'll in Kau
by Kamehameha l., and that she was
child at that time, running about
like a child of or 7. This event oc-
Cured in 1881 and is described in For
nander's history.
'I followed up another method of in
vestigation. irquiring how many chill
dren she had, tracing their descendants.
This | was enabled to do to the fifth
generation Allowing the ordinary
thirty years for generation would
give 120 years, and we can easily allow
for the fifth enough to bring her out
of the age she claims by an entirely
different method. We were satisfied
that the old lady had spoken the truth
What a curious link with the past
she is. She must have been a little
toddling child when Capt. Cook came
to the islands. She saw the mon
archy of Hawaii consolidated and she
ment to the past
The following may be accepted al
the history of Kepoolele Aqua:
She was born at Keahiaaka, Puma
Hawaii and was about 6 years old ir
1881 The name Kepoolele was that o.
a high chief of the time. The chic
(aliD was accused of causing deaths
by sorcery and petition was made tt
the king to have his head cut off, al
he was considered an extremely dan
gerous person. Hence the name Ke
poolele (the discovered head). Thu
name Aqua means "YOu will be eatel
up" which was the almost universe
threat OF prophecy when Kapiolan
placed the women of Hawaii on a leve
with men by visiting the sacred pre-
cincts of Pele, the fire goddess. At tn
time this ola woman received this sec
ond name she was full grown.