The legend of Kahalaopuna
Two mischievous men boasted that they had slept together with Kahalaopuna. Kauhi believes them. He decides to kill her. He leads Kahalaopuna to the uplands of Pohakea, close to Kaala mountain, he beats her to death and buries her body beneath a lehua tree under leaves.
The two were followed by the family god of Kahalaopunaʻs family, namely an owl. Kahalaopuna is restored to life by the owl. Kahalaopuna returns to her Fiance, however, she is killed again by Kauhi. Her body was buried in a place that the owl could not restore her. An elepaio bird bewails her death and her corpse is found by a man, Mahana was his name. Kahalopuna is brought back to life by Mahana.
Mahana challenges Kauhi to a test. The loser would be killed. Mahana wins and Kauhi and the two mischievous men are killed. However, the spirit of Kauhi continued living in a shark. The shark waits near the beach and Kahalaopuna is seized by the shark when she was swimming. Kahalaopuna was killed by the shark. She was not able to be restored.
Summary:
The parents of Kahalaopuna are the twin brother and sister Kaaukuahine (The rain of the mountain ridge) and Kahaukani (which names the Manoa wind), children of Akaaka and Nalehuaakaaka, names of a projecting spur of the ridge back of Manoa and the red lehua bushes that grow upon it. She lives under taboo in a house called Kahaimano and was betrothed to Kauhi of a powerful family of Koolau.
In this legend just one type of rainbow appears. Namely the full arching rainbow, shown in the table below along with itʻs sign. The translation key is shown below the table
There is one omen of this rainbow that was shown in this legend. In the paragraph below the presence of the rainbow in the valley of Mānoa on the island of Oʻahu was described (translated quotes):
"In looking also at this valley, it seems as like, within all the days of the year, this valley is being adorned by the rainbow, and the rain continues lightly drizzling the majority of the time there. And sometimes, the sunlit valley rain is firmly covered by the spreading mist in the grass. Your question is perhaps rising, oh dear reader, and to say, how was this valley continually adorned by the rain and the rainbow that tantalizes the sudden shower, while her beauty spreads above the forest leaves a spreads down to the deep dark forest? A truly pleasant thing when the eye observes and also admires."[1]
In the paragraph below the reader is taught, as for the rainbow, a sign for the people with miraculous powers (Kahaukani and Kauakuahine).
"Therefore, dear reader, in this marrying of Kahaukani with Kauakuahine, like that the firm residence of rain and the continual arching of the rainbow in the valley called Mānoa was a true sign for the saying that was first reported here by the coming together of these miraculous people."[2]
One can find other versions of this legend. In one other version the pūnohu, the uakoko, and the ʻōnohi appear in this legend. This can be seen in the paragraph below:
"When it was close to the childʻs birthday, there indeed, a wondrous sign was seen in the small rain, a little punohu onohi ua koko that continually stood above the roof of the house of the pregnant one, this puhohu onohi continually stood in the time of rain and no rain, and was changed into a wondrous thing by certain people..."[3]
[1] Buda (1904). Mookaao Hawaii No Kahalaopuna o Ke Awawa o Ke Anuenue. Honolulu, HI: Paiia ma ka Paredaiso o ka Pakipika. ʻaoʻao 4.
[2] k.l. ʻaoʻao 6
[3] Unknown author (1889). "He Moolelo Kaao no Kahalopuna." Ka Leo o ka Lahui, ʻAukake 26: 4.
Photo by: Tianne Alegnani