Vii.—Worship At The Altar Of The Halau

The first duty of a visitor on being admitted to the halau while the tabu was on—that is, during the conduct of a regular hula—was to do reverence at the kuahu. The obligations of religion took precedence of all social etiquette. He reverently approaches the altar, to which all eyes are turned, and with outstretched hands pours out a supplication that breathes the aroma of ancient prayer:

Pule Kuahu (no Laka)

O Laka oe, O ke akua i ke a’a-lii nui. E Laka mai uka! E Laka mai kai! O hoo-ulu o Lono, O ka ilio nana e haehae ke aha, O ka ie-ie ku i ka wao, O ka maile hihi i ka nahele, O ka lau ki-ele ula o ke akua, O na ku’i o Hauoli, O Ha’i-ka-malama, Wahine o Kina’u. Kapo ula o Kina’u. O Laka oe, O ke akua i ke kuahu nei la, e! E ho’i, e ho’i a nolao i kou kuahu. Hoo-ulu ia!

[Translation.]

Altar-Prayer (to Laka)

Thou art Laka, God of the deep-rooted a’a-lii. O Laka from the mountains, O Laka from the ocean! Let Lono bless the service, Shutting the mouth of the dog, That breaks the charm with his barking. Bring the i-e that grows in the wilds, The maile that twines in the thicket, Red-beaked kiele, leaf of the goddess, The joyous pulse of the dance In honor of Ha’i-ka-malama, Friend of Kina’u, Red-robed friend of Kina’u. Thou art Laka, God of this altar here. Return, return and reside at your altar! Bring it good luck!

A single prayer may not suffice as the offering at Laka’s altar. His repertory is full; the visitor begins anew, this time on a different tack:

Pule Kuahu (no Laka)

Eia ke kuko, ka li’a; I ka manawa he hiamoe ko’u, Hoala ana oe, O oe o Halau-lani, O Hoa-lani, O Puoho-lani, Me he manu e hea ana i ka maha lehua Ku moho kiekie la i-uka. I-uka ho’i au me Laka A Lea, a Wahie-loa,, i ka nahelehele; He hoa kaana ia no’u, No kela kuahiwi, kualono hoi. E Laka, e Laka, e! E maliu mai! A maliu mai oe pono au, A a’e mai oe pono au!

[Translation.]

Altar-Prayer (to Laka)

This my wish, my burning desire, That in the season of slumber Thy spirit my soul may inspire, Altar-dweller, Heaven-guest, Soul-awakener, Bird from covert calling, Where forest champions stand. There roamed I too with Laka, Of Lea and Loa a wilderness-child; On ridge, in forest boon companion she To the heart that throbbed in me. O Laka, O Laka, Hark to my call! You approach, it is well; You possess me, I am blest!

In the translation of this pule the author has found it necessary to depart from the verse arrangement that obtains in the Hawaiian text.

The religious services of the halau, though inspired by one motive, were not tied to a single ritual or to one set of prayers. Prayer marked the beginning and the ending of every play—that is, of every dance—and of every important event in the programme of the halau; but there were many prayers from which the priest might select. After the prayer specially addressed to Laka the visitor might use a petition of more general scope. Such is the one now to be given:

He Pule Kuahu (ia Kane ame Kapo); a he Pule Hoolei

Kane, hiki a’e, he maláma la luna; Ha’aha’a, he maláma ia lalo; Oni-oni, he málama ia ka’u; He wahine lei, málama ia Kapo; E Kapo nui, hala-hala a i’a; E Kapo nui, hala-hala a mea, Ka alihi luna, ka alihi lalo; E ka poha-kú. Noho ana Kapo i ka ulu wehi-wehi; Ku ana i Moo-helaia, Ka ohi’a-Ku iluna o Mauna-loa. Aloha mai Kaulana-a-ula ia’u; Eia ka ula la, he ula leo, He uku, he mohai, he alana, He kanaenae na’u ia oe, e Kapo ku-lani. E moe hauna-ike, e hea au, e o mai oe. Aia la na lehua o Kaana Ke kui ia mai la e na wahine a lawa I lei no Kapo— O Kapo, alii nui no ia moku, Ki’e-ki’e, ha’a-ha’a; Ka la o ka ike e ike aku ai: He ike kumu, he ike lono; He ike pu-awa hiwa, He ike a ke Akua, e! E Kapo, ho’i! E ho’i a noho i kou kuahu. Ho’ulu ia! Eia ka wai, la, He wai e ola. E ola nou, e!