Synopsis: A story told to the author by a lady from Moloka’i about what a grandchild sees when she forgets what her tūtū tells her not to do.

Okipau nā mea nani ma ka ‘āina nani ā Hina! He ‘āina piha kamaha’o mai ‘ō a ‘ō! He kanakolukumamāhiku a keu paha makahiki aku nei i ‘ōlelo ‘ia mai ai ia’u kēia mo’olelo e kekahi wahine no Moloka’i nui ā Hina. Eia kāna i mo’olelo mai ai:

Ua noho kona kupuna wahine i kona hale i ka ‘aekai. ‘Olu’olu ka nohona ma kēlā hale noho i ka malu niu. Li’ili’i ka hale akā na’e, nui ke aloha. Kauoha aku ke kupuna wahine i kāna mo’opuna, “I ke kakahiaka nui, mai hele i waho o ka hale! Mai nānā kou mau maka i waho ma ka puka aniani!” Ua ho’olono pono ka mo’opuna i kona tūtū i aloha nui ‘ia.

I kekahi kakahiaka ua ‘o’ō ka moa kāne i ka wana’ao. Ua ala ka mo’opuna i ke kani ā ka moa. Ua huli kēia kaikamahine li’ili’i i kona kupuna wahine a puni ka hale. ‘A’ole ‘o Tūtū i loko o ka hale. Ua komo ka maka’u i loko ona a ua ho’i ke kaikamahine i loko o ka lumi moe. Ua noho ‘o ia ma luna o kona kapu moe. Ua poina ke kaikamahine i nā ‘ōlelo ā kona tūtū i ‘ōlelo mai ai. Ua ki’ei kona mau maka i ka pākū o ka puka aniani. Kāhāhā kona mau maka i ‘ike ai! Ua ‘ike ‘ia ‘o Tūtū e noho nei i ke kapa punawai i ka lihi kai me kekahi wahine hi’u i’a! He mea nani lua ‘ole! He ehu kona lauoho ehu, hinuhinu i ka ehu kakahiaka! Noho miha ka wahine hi’u i’a ma kekahi pōhaku nui e kāhi ana i kona lauoho lō’ihi. He kino kanaka kona ma luna o ka pūhaka, a he kino i’a mai kona pūhaka a lalo. Hulali ke kino i’a o lalo me kona nani! Hānai ‘o Tūtū i ka wahine i’a me ka mea ‘ai a me ka mea inu. Ua mele ‘o Tūtū iā ia me ka leo honehone. A pau kēia launa ‘ana, ua lu’u ka wahine i’a i loko o ka punawai. I nā kakahiaka a pau, ua hana ‘o Tūtū pēlā.

Nui nā lā o ka noho ‘ana o Tūtū i ke ao nei. I ka hiki ‘ana o ka hala ‘ana o Tūtū, ua lele pū ka punawai. Ua ka’e’e ia wai ā ka wahine hi’u i’a. ‘A’ole i ‘ike hou ‘ia lāua ā mau loa aku.

Kupaianaha ka nohona ā ka Hawai’i i ka wā ma mua loa. Pono nō kākou e mālama i nā mea o ka honua a me nā mea o ke kai. Wahi ā nā kūpuna, “Mālama kekahi i kekahi.” He pono nēia mau hua’ōlelo. Pono ka nohona o nā kūpuna. Ua pau, ua hala lākou, a koe nō mākou, kā lākou mau pua.

———

[Mahalo a nui loa iā ‘oe e ‘Anakala Kimo i kēia mau mo’olelo āu i ho’ouna mai nei no ke pa’i ‘ana ma Kauakūkalahale nei. Piha hau’oli ku’u na’au. ‘O kekahi, ‘a’ole au i lohe a i heluhelu paha i ia mau mo’olelo ma mua. He mau mo’olelo waiwai nō, a he mau ha’awina nō no ka pono o kākou i kēia mau lā a me kēia hope aku. E like me kāu i hō’ike mai nei, ‘o ia ho’i, e mālama kākou i ko ka honua a me ko ke kai. A e mālama ho’i kekahi i kekahi.

E ‘Anakala, inā he mau mo’olelo hou paha kāu, e ‘olu’olu, e kākau a e ho’ouna mai, a e pa’i ‘ia nō ma Kauakūkalahale no ka pono o nā pua e mōhala nei a e mōhala ana ma kēia hope aku.]

———

E ho‘ouna ‘ia mai na ā leka iā māua, ‘o ia ho‘i ‘o Laiana Wong a me Kekeha Solis ma ka pahu leka uila ma lalo nei:

>> kwong@hawaii.edu

>> rsolis@hawaii.edu

a i ‘ole ia, ma ke kelepona:

>> 956-2627 (Laiana)

>> 956-2627 (Kekeha)

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.