Kuulei Higashi
Laehala, Keaukaha, Hawai'i
14/IX/00

Wā ‘Akahi

Hā‘uke‘uke
Ka Makua

Hānau ka Hā‘uke‘uke,
‘o ka Uhalula kāna keiki, puka

First Epic

Hā‘uke‘uke
The Parent

The Hā‘uke‘uke gives birth,
the Uhalula emerges

Kamapua‘a a me Nā Kupua

Na Keonaona Kapuni-Reynolds

‘O Kamapua‘a kekahi akua kaulana o Hawai‘i. Ua huaka‘i ‘o ia i nā ‘ano wahi like ‘ole. Iā ia e huaka‘i ana i nā Kūkuluokahiki e hui pū me kāna wahine mua ‘o Kaiha‘akūlou, ua ‘ike ‘o ia i ke kupua ‘o Unauna. Ua pa‘a loa ‘o Unauna i kekahi pōhaku ma kai a ma muli o kona nui, ‘a‘ole i hiki ‘o Kamapua‘a ke kā‘alo aku iā ia. Nonoi ‘o Kamapua‘a iā Unauna e ne‘e, akā ‘a‘ole ‘o Unauna i ne‘e iki. Ho‘ā‘o ‘o Kamapua‘a e ho‘one‘e i ke kupua, akā, ‘a‘ole i hiki ke hele a kokoke ma muli o nā niho o ia Unauna.

No laila, ho‘omaka‘u ‘o ia i ke kupua i komo loa ‘o ia i loko o kona pūpū. Ho‘omaka ‘o ia e ho‘opuka i ka pūpū pa‘akikī o Unauna i piha kupono ka pūpū me ke kai a piholo i lalo loa o ke kai hohonu. Ua ho‘omau ‘o Kamapua‘a i kona huaka‘i i Kahiki akā ua hele a pō‘ele‘ele, ua pale ‘ia ka lā e kekahi mea nunui.
Huli ‘o ia i kahi o ka lā a ‘ike ‘o ia i kekahi kupua Hā‘uke‘uke nunui e pale ana i nā kukuna o ka lā. Koi aku ‘o ia i ka Hā‘uke‘uke e ne‘e akā, ‘a‘ole ‘o ia i ne‘e iki. No laila i ho‘opuka ai ‘o Kamapua‘a i ka pūpū o ia Hā‘uke‘uke a hiki aku ‘o ia i ka i‘o momona o ke kupua. Ho‘omaka ‘o ia e ‘ānai i ka pūpū o ka Hā‘uke‘uke me kona niho pua‘a a wela loa ka pūpū i paila ke kai o ka Hā‘uke‘uke a make.

Maopopo ‘o Kamapua‘a he ‘ono nō kēia kai Hā‘uke‘uke ke ku‘i ‘ia me ka i‘a, no laila, ‘ai ‘o ia i kekahi a mālama i kekahi o ka i‘o no kāna wahine. Ho‘omau ‘o ia i kona huaka‘i a hiki aku ‘o ia i ka hikina, kahi o kāna aloha ‘o Kaiha‘akūlou. Ma laila ‘o ia i noho ai a i ka ho‘omaka hou ‘ana o kekahi mo‘olelo kaulana no Kamapua‘a.

Kamapua‘a and the Demi-gods

By Keonaona Kapuni-Reynolds

Kamapua‘a, one of the most recognized gods of Hawai‘i, had traveled many places. While traveling to Kahiki to meet his first wife, Kaiha‘akūlou, he met the demi-god Unauna. Unauna was firmly gripped upon a rock and because of the overwhelming size of his body, Kamapua‘a could not pass. Kamapua‘a continuously inquired for him to move but still Unauna did not budge. Kamapua‘a tried to move the demi-god but could not go near him because of Unauna’s claws. So he frightened the demi-god and it retreated back into his shell.

He began to dig holes into the hard shell until it filled p with water and had sunk deep into the ocean. Kamapua‘a continued his long journey to Kahiki but something enormous had blocked the sun.

He turned to face the sun and saw a gigantic sea urchin blocking out the rays of the sun. He urged him to move but he did not budge. So he drove holes through the hard shell of the sea urchin until reaching the succulent meat of the Hā‘uke‘uke. He began to quickly rub the shell of the Hā‘uke‘uke with his boar tusk until it became so hot that the insides began to boil until it perished. Kamapua‘a knew that the sauce of the Hā‘uke‘uke mixed with fish was a choice dish, so he ate some and took the rest to his wife. Continuing on he reached the place of his love and there he resided until another of his adventures.

Kekahi ‘Ike Hou A‘e

Inoa Hawai‘i: Hā‘ue‘ue, Hā‘uka‘uka, Hā‘uke, Hā‘uke‘uke

Inoa Pelekānia: Armored Urchin, Helmet Urchin, Shingle Urchin

Inoa ‘Epekema: Colobocentrotus atratus

Kona ‘ano: Hiki i kēia i‘a ke ulu a 3 ‘īniha kona lō‘ihi. Inā ua uhi piha ‘ia kēia mea i ka wai he poni ikaika kona waiho‘olu‘u. Inā ke noho wale nei kēia mea ma ka pōhaku, e ‘ele‘ele ana kona waiho‘olu‘u. Pilipa‘a kēia mau mea i ka pōhaku a noho lākou i kahi po‘i o ka nalu.

‘Ikepili Hoihoi: “Pala ka hala, momona ka hā‘uke‘uke.” Penei ‘oe e ‘ike ai i nā momona ka hā‘uke‘uke.

More Information

Hawaiian Name: Hā‘ue‘ue, Hā‘uka‘uka, Hā‘uke, Hā‘uke‘uke

English Name: Armored Urchin, Helmet Urchin, Shingle Urchin

Scientific Name: Colobocentrotus atratus

Description: This fish can grow up to 3 inches long. If it is completely covered in water its color is a dark purple, but if it is exposed and sitting on a rock, its color will be black. These things attach themselves to rock and they live where the waves break.

Interesting Fact: “When the hala is ripe, the hā‘uke‘uke is fat.” This is how you can tell if the hā‘uke‘uke is fat.