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A story for ʻAukelenuiaikū
ʻAukelenuiaikū.png

The brothers determine to leave the land of Kuaihelani. He accompanies them, and on the voyage the food-providing leaf keeps them from starving.  Arrived at Namakaokaha‘i's country the brothers declare war and are all reduced to ashes, ʻAukelenuiaikū is saved by swimming ashore. He is able to befriend the rat and mo‘o servants whom he first encounters and to persuade the four bird brothers to promise him their sister in marriage.  At Namakaokahaʻiʻs house he burns the mean dog to ashes, and avoids the poisoned food set before him.  The goddess teaches him her magic powers except the art of flying, and she makes him ruler over all her land.  He needs to use his power to overcome other dangerous relatives. The bird Halulu carries him to his nest on the cliff and keeps him there to be devoured, but he cuts off one wing after the other with his magic knife and finally the head, and the bird's mate lets him down on a rainbow to earth. 

 

The son of ʻAukelenuiaikūʻs oldest brother was a playmate of his. It was through him that ʻAukelenuiaikū was allowed to join the sailing party. ʻAukelenuiaikū mourns his death and his wife sends him after the water of life to restore his dead relatives to life. It is kept in a deep pit reached by flying eastward to the place where the sun comes up.  He eventually retrieves the water of life contained in a gourd.  His wife brings them all to life.  Eventually, the brothers set sail with their son and are drowned at sea.

 

ʻAukelenuiaikū is attracted by his wife's young cousins Pele and Hi‘iaka and pretends to go fishing in order to meet them. His wife discovers this and drives them from the country. ʻAukelenuiaikū decides to return to his old home. He goes to Kuaihelani and finds the place empty.  The family have gone to Kauai to live. At Kauai, Iku became ruler over the island, and later a battle was fought over ʻAukelenuiaikūʻs pretty sister. 

Summary:

ʻAukelenuiaikū is the eleventh and favorite son of Iku and Kapapaiakea in Kuaihelani. His ten older brothers, are all great boxers.  They hate ʻAukelenuiaikū because their father has given to him the inheritance of the kingdom instead of to his older brothers.  They throw him into the pit of the ancestress Kamo‘oinanea who eats men, but she spares him, describes to him the vacant land ruled over by Namakaokaha‘i and gives him a food-providing leaf, and other magical items and a box containing the god Lonoikouali‘i to warn him of approaching danger. She then lifts him up out of the pit and he returns to his brothers. 

Within this legend three types of rainbows appear.  Namely the piʻo ānuenue, the uakoko, and the poʻo muku. These rainbow types along with their signs/omens can be seen in the table below, followed by the translation key.

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Here is an example from the legend (translated quote):

"...residing at that time, Haluluʻs mate, a bird indeed, Kiwaha the name.  The aforementioned gave to ʻAukelenuiaikū a path, it was the poʻomuku rainbow, 3 types, yellow, red, green.  And  there they returned below.

And ʻAukelenuiaikū arrived below with the people, Kiwaha brought the rainbow path to the cliff, after there, ʻAukelenuiaikū asked the people:  What is the thing you are hungry for?..."[1]

References:

[1] Fornander, A., Ka Hale Kuamoʻo (2014).  He Moʻolelo No ʻAukelenuiaikū.  Hilo, HI.  Na ka Hale Kuamoʻo.   

Photo by: Hoaloha Westcott

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