🧚 Pele’s Long Sleep · page 2

Pele threw aside her shadow garments and came out clothed in her beautiful pa-u (skirt) and fragrant with the perfumes of Puna.110 She said, “It is not for me to give an olioli mele [a chant] for your native dance, but I will call the guardian winds of your islands Niihau and Kauai, O Lohiau! and they will answer my call.”111

Then she called for the gods who came to Hawaii; the gods of her old home now known through all Polynesia; the great gods Lono and his brothers, coming in the winds of heaven.112 Then she called on all the noted winds of the island Niihau, stating the directions from which they came, the points of land struck when they touched the island and their gentleness or wrath, their weakness or power, and their helpfulness or destructiveness.113

For a long time she chanted, calling wind after wind, and while she sang, soft breezes blew around and through the house; then came stronger winds whistling through the trees outside.114 As the voice of the singer rose or fell so also danced the winds in strict harmony.115 While she sang, the people outside the house cried out, “The sea grows rough and white, the waves are tossed by strong winds and clouds are flying, the winds are gathering the clouds and twisting the heavens.”116

But one of the dragon-women sitting near Lohiau said: “The noise you think is from the sea or rustling through the leaves of the trees is only the sound of the people talking outside the great building.117 Their murmur is like the voice of the wind.”118

Then Pele chanted for the return of the winds to Niihau and its small islands and the day was at peace as the voice of the singer softened toward the end of the chant.119 Hushed were the people and wondering were the eyes turned upon Pele by the chiefs who were seated in the great halau.120 Pele leaned on her couch of soft mats and rested.121

Very angry was Kilinoe, the dragon-woman.122 Full of fire were her eyes and dark was her face with hot blood, but she only said: “You have seen Niihau.123 Perhaps also you know the winds of Kauai.”124 By giving this challenge she thought she would overthrow the power of Pele over Lohiau.125 She did not know who Pele was, but supposed she was one of the women of high rank native to Kauai.126

Pele again chanted, calling for the guardian winds of the island Kauai:127

“O Kauai, great island of the Lehua, Island moving in the ocean, Island moving from Tahiti, Let the winds rattle the branches to Hawaii.128 Let them point to the eye of the sun. There is the wind of Kane at sunset— The hard night-wind for Kauai.”129

Then she called for kite-flying winds when the birds sport in the heavens and the surf lies quiet on incoming waves, and then she sang of the winds kolonahe, softly blowing; and the winds hunahuna, breaking into fragments; and the winds which carry the mist, the sprinkling shower, the falling rain and the severe storm; the winds which touch the mountain-tops, and those which creep along the edge of the precipices, holding on by their fingers, and those which dash over the plains and along the sea-beach, blowing the waves into mist.130

Then she chanted how the caves in the seacoast were opened and the guardians of the winds lifted their calabashes and let loose evil winds, angry and destructive, to sweep over the homes of the people and tear in pieces their fruit-trees and houses.131 Then Pele’s voice rang out while she made known the character of the beautiful dragon-women, the guardians of the caves of Haena, calling them the mocking winds of Haena.132

The people did not understand, but the dragon-women knew that Pele only needed to point them out as they sat near Lohiau, to have all the chiefs cry out against them in scorn.133 Out of the house they rushed, fleeing back to their home in the caves.134

When Pele ceased chanting, winds without number began to come near, scraping over the land.135 The surf on the reef was roaring.136 The white sand of the beach rose up.137 Thunder followed the rolling, rumbling tongue of branching lightning.138 Mist crept over the precipices.139 Running water poured down the face of the cliffs.140 Red water and white water fled seaward, and the stormy-heart of the ocean rose in tumbled heaps.141 The people rushed to their homes.142 The chiefs hastened from the house of pleasure.143 The feast and the day of dancing were broken up.144 Lohiau said to Pele: “How great indeed have been your true words telling the evil of this day.145 Here have come the winds and destructive storms of Haena.146 Truly this land has had evil to-day.”147

When Pele had laid herself down on the soft mats of Puna for her long sleep she had charged her little sister, who had been carried in her bosom, to wake her if she had not returned to life before nine days were past.148

The days were almost through to the last moment when Lohiau lamented the evil which his land had felt.149 Then as the winds died away and the last strong gust journeyed out toward the sea Pele heard Hiiaka’s voice calling from the island Hawaii in the magic chant Pele had told her to use to call her back to life.150

Hearing this arousing call, she bowed her head and wept.151 After a time she said to Lohiau: “It is not for me to remain here in pleasure with you.152 I must return because of the call of my sister.153 Your care is to obey my law, which is upon you.154 Calm will take the place of the storm, the winds will be quiet, the sea will ebb peacefully, cascades will murmur on the mountain sides, and sweet flowers will be among the leaves.155 I will send my little sister, then come quickly to my home in Puna.”156

Hiiaka knew that the time had come when she must arouse her goddess sister from that deep sleep.157 So she commenced the incantation which Pele told her to use.158 It would call the wandering spirit back to its home, no matter where it might have gone.159 This incantation was known as “Hulihia ke au” (“The current is turning”).160 This was a call carried by the spirit-power of the one who uttered it into far-away places to the very person for whom it was intended.161 The closing lines of the incantation were a personal appeal to Pele to awake.162

“E Pele e!163 The milky way (the i’a) turns.164 E Pele e!165 The night changes.166 E Pele e!167 The red glow is on the island.168 E Pele e!169 The red dawn breaks.170 E Pele e!171 Shadows are cast by the sunlight.172 E Pele e!173 The sound of roaring is in your crater.174 E Pele e!175 The uhi-uha is in your crater [this means the sound of wash of lava is in the crater].176 E Pele e!177 Awake, arise, return.”178

The spirit of Pele heard the wind, Naue, passing down to the sea and soon came the call of Hiiaka over the waters.179 Then she bowed down her head and wept.180

When Lohiau saw the tears pouring down the face of his wife he asked why in this time of gladness she wept.181

For a long time she did not reply.182 Then she spoke of the winds with which she had danced that night—the guardians of Niihau and Kauai, a people listening to her call, under the ruler of all the winds, the great Lono, dwelling on the waters.183

Then she said: “You are my husband and I am your wife, but the call has come and I cannot remain with you.184 I will return to my land—to the fragrant blossoms of the hala, but I will send one of my younger sisters to come after you.185 Before I forsook my land for Kauai I put a charge upon my young sister to call me before nine days and nights had passed.186 Now I hear this call and I must not abide by the great longing of your thought.”187

Then the queen of fire ceased speaking and began to be lost to Lohiau, who was marvelling greatly at the fading away of his loved one.188 As Pele disappeared peace came to him and all the land of Kauai was filled with calm and rest.189

Pele’s spirit passed at once to the body lying in the house thatched with ti [13] leaves in Puna.190 Soon she arose and told Hiiaka to call the sisters from the sea and they would go inland.191

Then they gathered around the house in which Pele had slept.192 Pele told them they must dance the hula of the lifted tabu, and asked them, one after the other, to dance, but they all refused until she came to Hiiaka, who had guarded her during her long sleep.193 Hiiaka desired to go down to the beach and bathe with a friend, Hopoe, while the others went inland.194

Pele said, “You cannot go unless you first dance for the lifted tabu.”195

Hiiaka arose and danced gloriously before the hula god and chanted while she danced—196

“Puna dances in the wind.197 The forest of Keaau is shaken.198 Haena moves quietly.199 There is motion on the beach of Nanahuki.200 The hula-lea danced by the wife, Dancing with the sea of Nanahuki.201 Perhaps this is a dance of love, For the friend loved in the sleep.”202

Pele rejoiced over the skill of her younger sister and was surprised by the chanted reference to the experiences at Haena.203 She granted permission to Hiiaka to remain by the sea with her friend Hopoe, bathing and surf-riding until a messenger should be sent to call her home to Kilauea.204 Then Pele and the other sisters went inland.205

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