Keonaona Kapuni-Reynolds
Kipuka Puaulu, Hawai‘i
24/I/01

Wā ‘Akahi

‘Ala‘Ala Wai Nui
Ma Uka

‘O kāne iā Wai‘ololī, ‘o ka wahine iā Wai‘ololā
Hānau ka ‘A‘ala‘ula noho i kai
Kia‘i ‘ia e ka ‘Ala‘ala Wai Nui noho i uka
He pō uhe‘e i ka wawā
He nuku, he wai ka ‘ai a ka lā‘au
‘O ke Akua ke komo, ‘a‘oe komo kanaka

First Epic

‘Ala‘Ala Wai Nui
Mountainside

Wai‘ololī the product of males, Wai‘ololā of females
The ‘A‘ala‘ula gives birth, it is found in the sea
Guarded by the ‘Ala‘ala Wai Nui in the uplands
The night becomes tumultuous
Ranting, plants are sustained by water
The Gods enter, man does not have access

No Nā Koa Ikaika

Na Keonaona Kapuni-Reynolds

E noho ana i kahi kokoke o Keolonāhihi ‘ekolu keiki kāne. Ua wānana ‘ia e nā kūpuna o ia wā, he mau koa wiwo‘ole a ikaika lākou ‘ekolu. ‘O Hinahinakūpali ka hiapo. ‘o ‘Ala‘alawainui ka lua, a ‘o Ka‘akoko‘ula ka muli loa. Mai ka ho‘omaka ‘ana, ua kahu ‘ia kēia mau keiki kāne e ko lākou mau kahu hānai a a‘o pū ‘ia nō nā ‘ano o ke koa. He mau keiki kāne kūikawā loa kēia no ka mea ua kū lākou i ka mea kanu o ko lākou inoa. Pa‘a pono ka ‘ike koa iā lākou, ma laila i ‘ike ‘ia ai ko lākou ‘ano ikaika.

‘O Hinahinakūpali ka ikaika a me ka wiwo‘ole o lākou a pau. ‘O kona ‘ano lā‘au, he lā‘au ia i ulu ma nā pali ki‘eki‘e. ‘A‘ole e hiki ana i ka po‘e ke ‘ohi wale i ia mea kanu. Ua ‘ōlelo ‘ia, ‘o kēia ka lā‘au lapa‘au ikaika loa a me kēia i ulu ai ‘o Hinahinakūpali, he koa. ‘O ka ikaika launa ‘ole o kona kino, ‘o ka pa‘a a pu‘ipu‘i maika‘i o kona mau lālā a pau, ‘o ka wiwo‘ole a me ka hākeakea ‘ole o kona mau maka. ‘O ia nō ka hiapa‘i‘ole o ke kākālā‘au.

‘O ‘Ala‘alawainui ka lua o nā koa, a ‘o kēia ka wikiwiki o lākou a pau. Ma kona ‘ao‘ao mea kanu, he lā‘au lapa‘au ia i polapola aku i ka ma‘i‘a‘ai a me nā ma‘i i ‘ano like me ia mea. He kōkua pū ia i ka pepeiao ‘eha. Inā ‘eha ka pepeiao ho‘ohana ‘ia kēia lā‘au lapa‘au e ho‘ohemo aku i ka ‘ino e ‘eha ai ka pepeiao. Kū nō ‘o ‘Ala‘alawainui i kona ‘ano mea kanu, Ma kona ‘ano wikiwiki a mama a me kona hiki ke ho‘olohe i nā mea hāwanawana loa.

‘O Ka‘akoko‘ula ka muli loa o nā koa wiwo‘ole. ‘O kona ikaika e like ho‘i me ka ‘akoko, ua ‘ike ‘ia ma nā waiho‘olu‘u o ka lau. Ke ‘ōma‘oma‘o ka lau, he mālie a ‘olu‘olu kona ‘ano. Ke melemele mai nā lau, he mehana a nāukiuki kona ‘ano. Ke ‘ula‘ula mai ka lau, he keu kēia a ka pipi kāne i ‘ō ‘ia i ka ‘ō wela. Me kēia ‘o Ka‘akoko‘ula ke ‘ula ka ‘ili. Holo ‘o ia i ‘ō a i ‘ane‘i me ka pāluku pū i nā mea a pau ma kona ala. E like ho‘i me kona hoa lā‘au, ‘o nā lau ‘ula‘ula o ka ‘akoko ke ‘ano ikaika loa o ia mea kanu.

Ua hiki mai ka wā e paio ai lākou no ko lākou ali‘i. ‘O lākou nā koa ‘ekolu kū ho‘okahi i ke kaua me ka pū‘ali koa hoa paio. A pau ka paio ‘ana, ‘o lākou nō nā koa ‘ekolu ho‘okahi e kū ana ma ka ‘āina. Ua hala nā koa ‘ē a‘e i nā lima o nā koa ‘ekolu o Keolonāhihi.

The Strong Warriors

By Keonaona Kapuni-Reynolds

Near Keolonāhihi lived three brothers. It was predicted by the elders of that area, that they were going to be fearless and strong warriors. Hinahinakūpalu was the eldest. ‘Ala‘alawainui, was the second. And Ka‘akoko‘ula was the youngest. From the beginning, these boys were trained by their caretakers and they were also thought the different aspects of warriors. These were exceptionally talented boys for they represented the plant that they were named after. They all knew their warrior skills and that is where there strengths were found.

Hinahinakūpali was the bravest and strongest of them all. In its plant form, it grows on steep cliffs. Although you are able to see the Hinahinakūpali, the people will not be able to gather the plant. It is said, this is the strongest medicine and this is how the warrior Hinahinakūpali was. The incomparable strength of his body, the thickness of all his limbs, the braveness and fearless look carried in his eyes, and he was an expert in spear throwing.

‘Ala‘alawainui was the second warrior, he was the fastest of them all. His plant counterpart, healed cancer as well as another sicknesses that are similar to it, he also helps heal a sore ear. If the ear is hurt this medicine is used to clear out all the bad parts that are hurting the ear.

Ala‘alawainui was similar to his plant counterpart in that he was fast and lightfooted and he could also hear things that couldn’t be heard by other people.

Ka‘akoko‘ula was the youngest of the warriors. He was strong just like the ‘akoko, and his strength was seen in the colors of the leaves. When the leaves were green, Ka‘akoko‘ula was mild and nice. When the leaves were yellow he was warm and slighty irritated. When the leaves were red, he was just like a bull who has just been branded by the hot iron. This is how Ka‘akoko‘ula was like when his skin was red. He would run all over pulling out everything in his path. Just like his plant counterpart the red leaves of the ‘akoko is the most potent version of the plant.

There came a time when they were to fight for their chief. they were the only 3 warriors that challenged the war fleet. When the fighting was over, they were the only three warriors left standing. The enemies fell to the hands of the three warriors of Keolonāhihi.

Kekahi ‘Ike Hou A‘e

Inoa Hawai‘i: ‘Ala‘ala Wai Nui, ‘Ala‘alawainui

Inoa Pelekānia:

Inoa ‘Epekema: Peperomia spp.

Kona ‘ano: He mea kanu li‘ili‘i kēia me nā lau ‘ano mānoanoa a ‘ōma‘oma‘o. He ‘ano moana ke nānā aku ma ka ululā‘au a me ka nāhele. I kekahi manawa he lau melemele kona a i ‘ole he lau ‘ōma‘oma‘o a me ‘ula‘ula, aia i ke ‘ano o ka mea kanu. ‘Ike ‘ia kekahi ‘ano lālā e puka mai ana mai ka mea kanu mai a ‘o ia kahi i mālama ‘ia ka ‘ehu pua.

‘Ikepili Hoihoi: He lā‘au lapa‘au kēia. Ke ho‘omākaukau ‘ia, kōkua kēia mea kanu i ka ma‘i‘a‘ai, ka pepeiao ‘eha a me kekahi mau ma‘i ‘ē a‘e.

More Information

Hawaiian Name: ‘Ala‘ala Wai Nui, ‘Ala‘alawainui

English Name:

Scientific Name: Peperomia spp.

Description: This is a small plant with thick green leaves. It looks like an ocean in the forest and shrub land. Sometimes it has yellow leaves or red and green leaves, it depends on the species of the plant. A kind of stem is seen protruding from the plant and that is where the flower pollen is held.

Interesting Fact: This is a medicine. When it is prepared, this plant can help cure cancer, ear aches and other sicknesses.