Kumulipo, Eighth Age
Translated by Queen Liliuokalani
in 1897

                   
  The child of Uli, of Uli of Ke,
The child in the time of numerous night,
The child in the time of riding distant surf in the night.
Beings were born to increase.
Male was born of Waiololi,
Female was born of Waiolola,
Then was born the night of gods,
Men that stood,
Of men lying down,
They slept long sleep in the distant time,
And went staggering when they walked.
The forehead of the gods is red.
That of man is dark.
Their chins are light.
Then calmness spread in the time of Kapokinikini--
Calm in the time of Kapoheenalu mamao,
And it was called there Lailai.
Lailai was born a woman,
Kii was born a man.
Kane a god was born.
Kanaloa was born a god, the great Kaheehaunawela (Octopus).
                           ’Tis day.

The drums were born,
Called Moanaliha.
Kawaomaaukele came next.
The last was Kupololiilialiimuaoloipo,
A man of long life and very high rank.
O night! O God of Night!
O kupa, Kupakupa kupa, the settler!
Then Kupakupa the settler, the woman who sat sideway,
That woman was Lailai of the distant night,
Lailai, the woman. Kapokinikini
Dwelt with people of Kapokinikini.
Hahapoele was born a woman,

Hapopo was born a woman.
Maila was born and called Lopalapala (ingenious),
Her other name was void or nakedness,
And lived in the land of Lua (deep hole).
So the place was called Olohelohe lua.
Then Olohelohe was born in the day a man,
And Olohelohe was born at the time, a woman,
And lived with Kane.
Laiolo was born by Kane.
Kapopo was born a woman,
Poelei and Poelea were born twins.
After them was born Wehiloa.
From them these were born,
The little beings who were cross-eyed,
That stood in numbers and moved in myriads.
These men that flew naked were the men of the day.
                            ’Tis day

 
                   
 

The Kumulipo, Ninth Age

 
                   
  Lailai, of the quaking earth,
Of great heat and noise, and opening heavens,
This woman ascending to heaven,
Climbed to heaven by the forest.
Onehenehe flew where the earth rose.
Children of Kii that were born from the brain,
Were born and flew, both flew to heaven.
Then the signs appeared and cast their shadow
On their forehead, a bread fruit was impressed,
On their chins shot roots of fire.
This woman was from a race of delusions (myth),
A woman with dark skin, from the land of Iipakalani,
Where numbers of men lived in the heat.
This woman lived in Nuumealani,
Land where the Aoa thrived,
Who stripped with great ease the leaves of the Koa;
A woman whose person was never seen,
From her to Kii, from him to Kane,
From her to Kane of Kapokinikini.
The times of those people came to naught.
A tribe, a generation of great strength,
She alone flew to her abode,
And on the boughs of the Aoa tree, in Nuumealani stayed,
Became pregnant, and the earth was born.
Haha Poele was born a woman,
Hapopo was born,
Lohelohe was born last of all.
These were the children of this woman.
                            ’Tis day.
 
     
     
  2nd Age 3rd Age 4th Age 5th Age 6th & 7th Ages 8th & 9th Ages  
                   
  10th Age 11th Age 12th Age 12th Age Branch 14th Age 15th Age 16th Age  
     
             
   
  History  Atlas  Culture Language Links  

donch.com home     photos     baritone ukulele     lucky u live hawai'i