Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-07-16

Dead is my lord and my friend
My friend In the storm,
My friend in the eight SEAS
Alas, alas, gone is my friend,
And no more will return.
This kanikau was what | heard
last night as I secretly fled into the
mountains TO hide myself from the
nj kanaka. Uni, our great chief Is
dead and someone must accompany
the soul to the spirit world, a moe
pun. Because I had served him for so
many years as kahili-bcarer, fed
for my life.
From my hiding-place see the vii
lage where yesterday everything was
quiet except for the mournful wall
ings Of the people. The kahunas,
sorcerers, and priests were at the
heiau performing lamentations and
offering sacrifices and prayers to APP
pease the gods, but all in vain. The
sorcerers of the enemies were too
powerful and SO caused his death.
The tabu period has now started.
which lasts for ten days. II is time
of riot and crime. l can see houses
burning to the ground, the people
moving about mutilating themselves
to show their grief. ! can still hear
the mournful wailings. I shall re-
main hidden until land is redivided.
The chiefs will perhaps fight. and the
strongest receive the most: can
watch from my safe retreat and then
attach myself to the most powerful
one.
My past life comes wildly before
me. have been with Uni for ten
years as a member of his court. His
home is large grass house in the
center of the village. The room
where he and his retinue lived was
plainly furnished. At one end was
raised platform spread with mat
upon which the chief reclined, my
self stationed ut his head and my
mate at his feet holding a kahili
brushing the insects away from our
Majesty. Besides us there were two
others who lomilomied the King and
another who had charge of his spit
toon, and many others also to wait
on him. Below us were seated on
the floor singers, dancers, and musi-
clans to amuse him. The singers
chantcd legends declaring the deeds
of his ancestors and of himself, the
musicians beat their calabashes while
the dancers danced the hula hula. In
the same room were the kahunas,
sorcerers, and soothsayers. Uni own
ed all the lands and everything that
grew upon them, the fish of the sea,
and also the labor of the people. He
divided his land into districts and APP
pointed chief for each district. Dis
putes were settled by the council of
chiefs. Each inferior chief or land
lord divided his district among the
common people. These were of diff
ferent rank according to their ability
in some useful art, such as canoe
building. They owed allegiance to
the chiefs. Whenever the chief wish
cd for n canoe or heiau or kings
house, the common people had to
build them. They were required to
pay tax of about two-thirds of what
they raised and there was a tax also
on the manufactured articles such as
calabashes and nets. Then, too, they
were compelled to work on the alii
kapu's private domain. They were
Obliged to go to war at any time.
A person, IL he chose, might have
his chief for the service of another
chief. The Hawaiians have unwrit-
ten laws and their proverb is effect
i've. Stealing among the neighbors
is considered very serious, and its
penalty is private murder. The
chief or sorcerer orders his execu-
toner to do his work while the Grim
inal Is asleep.
am contented with my lot, for |
have fewer tabus to preserve than
the common people. We retainers
eat in the presence of the King. The
chief is descended from the gods, and
therefore the people worship him.
Whenever the Kings food or cloth
ing is being brought the common
people PROSTATE themselves to the
ground; or IL they are within reach
of the Kings shadow or even walk
in the shadow of his house instant
death is the penalty. Special tabus
are made by the chief and announced
by the heralds. The penalty for vio-
lating the tabus is very severe. II
they are well enforced there will be
fewer tabus in the next world. Ia
bus teach people self-control.
Well do | remember battle be-
tween uni and his cousin. Two aged
chiefs complained to my master that
they were refused food. The great
chief Immediately gathered an army
and declared war. But before they