The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-06-29

Long, long ago, before the Hawaiian
people were visited by the white man
the islanders possessed a numerous va
riety of games and sports, which sad
to relate, have been allowed to become
almost forgotten by the present gen
Grafton.
In those days a very interesting and
well-established custom obtained among
the ancient Hawaiians This was the
practice of holding during the year a
festival called the Makahiki, devoted
to games, athletic sports and religious
ceremonies. The duration of this
event extended through four months,
beginning in Iluwa (October) and end
ing in Kaelo (January). All the chiefs
and common people attended the Maka-
hiki celebration and laying aside all
work, passed the time in sports and
| amusements. The most important
events of this festival occurred during
the latter part of the second month,
Welehu (November). At about this
time the natives began to flock into
the main towns and villages from the
outlying districts to take part in the
festivities.
| One of the most popular sports en-
gagged in then was boxing (mokomoko).
| The method under which these pugilis-
tic matches was carried out was some
what similar to that employed by mod
ern boxers. The object of the contest
ants was not only to strike each other
| in the face, but also to ward off blows
! by opposing fist to fist, and not with
the forearms, as in modern encounters.
! The boxers, with their fists covered
with tapa, took their stand within
ring surrounded by a great multitude
of eager spectators. Near by an image
of the god of sports (akua paane) was
| stationed Before the match began
each champion was introduced by his
supporters as being of unequaled
strength and skill in boxing The con-
test then began, but it consisted more
| in wild swinging hits than modern
'eboxing' The result of one of these
matches often was the loss of an eye
or broken arm, and quite frequently
! the death of one of the contending
parties.
Another favorite sport was kukini
(foot-raeing). The kukini (swift run
ners) were professional runners. Each
king or district had kukini, who held
office as messenger.
These men were constantly kept in
training and considerable care was
taken as to the food they ate Their
diet was only vegetables and soft
meats. The runners always took great
pains to run only upon their toes IF
their footprints could be detected on
the sea beach over which they had
previously travelled, they were looked
upon as being poor runners. In train
ing they ran increasing distances at
various speeds until at length they
were fully able to accomplish long jour
neys without fatigue. When the kings
and chiefs were DESTROYS of feasting on
special kind of fish which could only
be obtained from certain ponds situated
on the leeward side of their respective
islands, one of these swift-footed mes
sengers was at once despatched. The
pond to which he was sent would often
be sixty or seventy miles away, but
irrespective of these distances. the run
ner would return with the fish alive.
Three famous runners worthy of mem
ton were Kaohele. son of the king of
Molokai; Uluani. who lived on Oahu,
and Makoko of Kamehameha I. of Ha-
wall.
The hurting of the stone disc, al
game called Smaika,' or zulu mai
ka, was also very popular. The disc
or ulu was round, fiat stone, about
three or four inches in diameter. and
an inch thick at the center, but less
at the edges. Specimens of these stones
are still common in Hawaiian houses.
They are made of all kinds of stone,
coral and lava. and even wood was
sometimes employed. The discs were
rolled over smooth and well-heaten
track (kahua) especially made for the
purpose. The main point of the PLAYERS
was to see which one could send his
disc the farthest A good PLAYER would
sometimes send his ulu distance of
about 1900 feet. Another method of /
playing this game was to set M two |
sticks in the track few inches apart, |
through which the players would en-
deavor to send their discs. Specimens /
of ancient ulu courses are found in |
different parts of the islands. and
some show q curved track which must /
have required great skill TO negotiate. |
The hard. immature fruit of the bread !
fruit tulu) was sometimes used in mai |
ka, whence probably the name Zulu /
maika).
Kea-pua, a game which consisted in |
throwing small arrows at target, was