Sacred Texts Pacific Index Previous Next
He was the man and she the woman;
The man that was born in the dark age,
And the woman was born in the age of bubbles.
The sea spread, the land spread,
The waters spread, the mountains spread,
The Poniu grew tall with advancing time,
The Haha grew and had nine leaves,
And the Palai (fern) sprout that shot forth leaves of high chiefs
Brought forth Poeleele, a man (darkness),
Who lived with Pohaha, a woman (bubbles),
And brought forth generations of Haha (kalo tops).
The Haha was born.
Insects.
The Haha was born and became parent;
His offspring, a Hahalelelele, was born.
The Peelua (caterpillar) was born and became parent;
Its offspring was a flying Pulelehua (butterfly).
The Naonao (an ant) was born and became parent;
Its offspring was a Pinao (dragonfly).
The Unia was born and became parent;
Its offspring was an Uhini, and flew (grasshopper).
The Naio was born and became parent (waterworms);
Its offspring was a Nalo, and flew (flies).
Birds.
The Hualua was born and became parent;
Its offspring was a bird, and flew.
The Ulili was born and became parent (snipe);
Its offspring was a Kolea, and flew (plover).
The A-o was born and became parent;
Its offspring was an Au, and flew (a species of plover).
The Akekeke was born and became parent (sea-bird);
Its offspring was Elepaio, and flew (woodpecker). p. 13
The Alae was born and became parent (mud hen);
Its offspring was an Apapane, and flew (red woodpecker).
The Alala was born and became parent (crow);
Its offspring was an Alawi, and flew.
The Eea was born and became parent;
Its offspring was a Alaiaha, and flew.
The Mamo was born and became parent (the royal bird);
Its offspring was the Oo, and flew (black woodpecker).
The Moha was born and became parent (wingless bird);
Its offspring was a Moli, and flew.
Sea-birds.
The Kiki was born and became parent;
Its offspring was the Ukihi, and flew.
The Kioea was born and became parent (stork);
Its offspring was a Kukuluaeo, and flew (crane).
The Ka Iwa was born and became parent (sea-bird);
Its offspring was a Koae, and flew (man-of-war hawk).
The Kala was born and became parent (sea-bird);
Its offspring was a Kaula, and flew (sea-bird).
Then was born the Unauna (shell-fish, part crab);
Its offspring was an Aukuu, and flew.
These birds fly together in flocks
And usually light on the sea beach
And array themselves in line.
They covered the land of Kanehunamoku.
These were born birds of the land
And birds of the sea.
Man was born of Waiololi, woman Waiolola,
The Lupe was born and lived in the sea;
Guarded by the Lupe that grew in the forest.
A night of flight by noises
Through a channel; the Io is life to birds;
So the gods may enter, but not man.
Man by Waiololi, woman by Waiolola,
The Noio lived on the sea,
Guarded by the Io that lived in the forest.
A night of flight by noises.
Eggs and the Io are life to birds,
So the gods may enter, but not man.
Man by Waiololi, woman by Waiolola,
The Kolea of the island lived on the sea,
Guarded by the Kolea that flew on land.
A night of flight by noises.
Eggs and Io are life to birds,
So the gods may enter, but not man.
Man by Waiololi, woman by Waiolola,
The Hehe was born and lived on the sea,
Guarded by the Nene that lived in the forest.
A night of flight by noises.
Eggs and Io are life to birds,
So the gods may enter, but not man.
Man by Waiololi, woman by Waiolola,
The Aukuu was born and lived on the sea (Pewit),
Guarded by the Ekupuu that grew on land.
A night of flight by noises.
Eggs and Io are life to birds,
So the gods may enter, but not man.
Man by Waiololi, woman by Waiolola,
The Noeo was born and lived on the sea,
Guarded by the Pueo that lived in the forest. p. 15
A night of flight by noises.
Eggs and Io are food for birds,
So the gods may enter, but not man.
This is the leaping point of the bird Halulu
Of Kiwaa, the bird of many notes,
And of those birds that fly closely together as to shade the sun,
They cover the land with their young to the rock's edge,
Their gall burst easily with a smack
As the Ape sprout whose delicate shoots
Shoot forth their young sprouts and spread
And bring forth in their birth many branches.
It was so on that night,
It was so this night,
It was dark at the time with Poeleele,
And darkest age--of bubbly night.
’Tis night.