Haleakala

“ When Ukiukiu is under, he proceeds to buck. Naulu’s mighty middle gives to the blow and bends upward, but usually he turns the attacking column back upon itself and sets it milling. And all the while the ragged little skirmishers, stray and detached, sneak through the trees and canyons, crawl along and through the grass, and surprise one another with unexpected leaps and rushes; while above, far above, serene and lonely in the rays of the setting sun, Haleakala looks down upon the conflict. ”

“ On such occasions the highest peak of Hualalai kept reappearing and disappearing during the day, but the distant summit of Haleakala in East Maui, 10,032 feet in elevation and 80 miles away, was always visible.
Words fail to describe the magnificent aspect of this sea of cloud which shuts off the spectator from the world below. From the summit of the mountain he gazes down on its surface lit up by a sun shining in a typically cloudless sky. At one time it appears as an undulating Arctic land covered with snow of dazzling whiteness. ”

“ As famous as the crater itself, and almost as well-known, the silversword is regarded as typical of Haleakala, although its natural range embraces Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, and Hualalai from 7,000 to 12,000 feet. A lustrous silvery down thickly covers all leaves and makes the plant exceedingly beautiful. It is highly evolved to withstand the extreme dryness of cinder cones and the intense sunlight of lofty elevation. ”

“ Yet I venture to state that for natural beauty and wonder the nature-lover may see dissimilar things as great as Haleakala, but no greater, while he will never see elsewhere anything more beautiful or wonderful. Honolulu is six days’ steaming from San Francisco; Maui is a night’s run on the steamer from Honolulu; and six hours more if he is in a hurry, can bring the traveller to Kolikoli, which is ten thousand and thirty-two feet above the sea and which stands hard by the entrance portal to the House of the Sun. Yet the tourist comes not, and Haleakala sleeps on in lonely and unseen grandeur. ”

“ That is why the sun goes slowly. And the name “Haleakala” given to it now is not correct; it should be Alehela, on account of Maui’s snaring the rays of the sun.
Pane kikoi mai o Moemoe: “Aohe e loaa ka la, he lopakuakea;” pane aku o Maui: “Make kuu enemi, a ko kuu iini, make oe ia’u.” Hele keia a hiki i Haleakala, a kau pono maluna oia nei, e alehe ae ana keia i ka pulu niu, haki kahi kukuna, alehe hou keia pau na kukuna ikaika o ka la. I aku keia: “Make oe i a’u no ko holo wikiwiki loa.” I mai ka la: “E ola au, e nana mai oe i kuu hele aku;” ”

“ Of the three volcanic summits which concern us, Haleakala is nearest the principal port of Honolulu, though not always the first visited. Its slopes nearly fill the southern half of the island of Maui.
The popular translation of the name Haleakala is "The House of the Sun"; literally the word means "The House Built by the Sun." The volcano is a monster of more than ten thousand feet, which bears upon its summit a crater of a size and beauty that make it one of the world's show-places. This crater is seven and a half miles long by two and a third miles wide. ”

“ The exclusive Society of the Silversword (Hui o Ahinahina) invites you to become a member if you have visited the summit or the crater of Haleakala. Only one class of membership. Life: one dollar! By joining you can help scientific study, interpretation, and display exhibits of the Park. Exchange your dollar at the Park or at the office of Silversword Inn for a silvery, engraved certificate, suitable for framing. With pride you can hand it down to your grandchildren, a souvenir of Haleakala. ”

“ The sun is ninety-three millions of miles distant, but to mortal conception the adjoining county is farther away. This frailty of the human brain is hard on the sun. It is likewise hard on the House of the Sun. Haleakala has a message of beauty and wonder for the human soul that cannot be delivered by proxy. Kolikoli is six hours from Kahului; Kahului is a night’s run from Honolulu; Honolulu is six days from San Francisco ”

“ Ua aneane e hala na la he umi ia ia ma Molokai, ike hou aku la oia e ku ana ka punohu iluna o Haleakala; haalele keia ia Molokai, hiki mua oia iluna o Haleakala ma kela lua pele, aole nae oia i ike i kana mea e imi nei.
I ua Makaula nei nae i hiki ai malaila, ike aku la oia ia Hawaii, ua uhi paapuia ka aina i ka ohu, a me ka noe. A haalele keia ia wahi, hiki keia i Kauwiki, a malaila oia i kukulu ai i wahi heiau, kahi hoi e hoomana ai i kona Aku, ka mea hiki ke kuhikuhi i kana mea e imi nei. ”

“ The hypothesis is presented that the so-called “crater” of Haleakala is chiefly, if not entirely, the result of the coalescence of the amphitheater heads of Kaupo and Keanae valleys and that renewed volcanic activity has partly masked their former divide and partly filled these valleys with lava flows.”
49 HALEAKALA PLANTS
Haleakala rises above the belt of warm trade winds into the cold, dry climate of the Alpine Zone. Temperatures at night may drop below freezing even in the warmer part of the year; the growing season is short and life is severe. ”

“ But it is on the western slopes of Haleakala that the main battle goes on. Here Naulu masses his heaviest formations and wins his greatest victories. Ukiukiu grows weak toward late afternoon, which is the way of all trade-winds, and is driven backward by Naulu. Naulu's generalship is excellent. All day he has been gathering and packing away immense reserves. ”

“ We must remember, however, that what is above sea-level is only a small fraction of the total amount, since it sweeps down below the waves hundreds of miles on every side.
CRATER OF HALEAKALA
Of the lava openings on these islands, the extinct one of Haleakala, as stated, with its twenty-seven miles circumference, is far the most stupendous. It is easy of access, the mountain sides leading to it presenting a gentle slope; while the walls of the crater, in places perpendicular, in others are so sloping that man and horse can descend them. ”

“ The Haleakala road is the easiest way to reach elevations above 7,000 feet in Hawaii. The lower mountain slopes up which it winds were once clothed with fern jungles that yielded with altitude to dry forest. All is now altered. Extensive grasslands and eucalyptus groves today leave the lasting impression on the visitor. Even on the heights, cattle, goats, introduced plants, insects, and other agents have wrought permanent change. Rare and interesting forms of native life have been exterminated or are well on the way to extinction. ”

“ Their next reputed move was to Kalaupapa, Molokai, thence to Haleakala, finally coming to rest on the Big Island. In Halemaumau they made their home, although stirring up the furies in Mauna Loa and Hualalai on occasion, as in 1801, when unconsidered largess of hogs and sacrifices was vainly thrown into the fiery flood to appease the huhu (angry) goddess. Only the sacrifice of a part of Kamehameha’s sacred hair could stay her wrath, which cooled within a day or two.
Many, doubtless, have there been of great men and women in the Polynesian race ”

“ In Haleakala Crater, I found it on Leleiwi Pali and near Paliku, where others might mistake it for an immature silversword or greensword. The Hawaiian general name for grasses, sedges, and rushes is MAU’U.
PAINIU, Astelia degeneri Skottsb. This plant is reported by Degener to be growing within the crater. [19]
MAU’U-LA’ILI, Sisyrinchium acre H. Mann. A native member of the Iris Family with grass-like leaves that grows on old lava flows between altitudes of 3,500 and 7,500 feet on Maui and Hawaii. It is an attractive plant that rarely exceeds 12 inches high. ”

“ The law of the land enjoins us to use them in such manner that they may be passed unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.
The story of HAWAII NATIONAL PARK is the story of active volcanism singularly marked by eruptions of very fluent lava. The park is in two sections; that on the island of Maui, discussed in this guide, includes the great eroded crater of Haleakala Volcano; that on the island of Hawaii embraces the summits of Mauna Loa and Kilauea Volcanoes. ”

“ The king of Oahu, Aikanaka, desires Halemano's death in order to enjoy the beauty of Puna. They flee and live as castaways, first on Molokai, then Maui, then Hawaii, at Waiakea, Hilo. Here the two are estranged. The chief of Puna seduces her, then, after a reconciliation, the Kohala chief, Kumoho, wins her affection. Halemano dies of grief, and his spirit appears to his sister as she is surfing in the Makaiwi surf at Wailua, Kauai. She restores him to life with a chant. ”

“ The wind is the carrier of the vision as it blows over the blossoming forest and scorches its wing across the flaming pit. In the Halemano story the chief describes his vision as follows: "She is very beautiful. Her eyes and form are perfect. She has long, straight, black hair and she seems to be of high rank, like a princess. Her garment seems scented with the pele and mahuna of Kauai, her skirt is made of some very light material dyed red. She wears a hala wreath on her head and a lehua wreath around her neck." ”

“ Lo! on that day, the rainbow pathway was let down from Nuumealani and Kaonohiokala and Laieikawai mounted upon that way, and she laid her last commands upon her sisters, the seer, and Laielohelohe; these were her words:
"My companions and our father the prophet, my sister born with me in the womb and your husband, I return according to our agreement! leave you and return to that place where you will not soon come to see me; therefore, live in peace, for each alike has prospered, not one of you lacks fortune. But Kaonohiokala will visit you to look after your welfare." ”

“ Halaaniani climbed the tree right over where Laielohelohe was wont to sit. Just as Malio's nose flute sounded, Halaaniani dropped the bunch of lehua flowers down from the tree, and it fell directly in front of Laielohelohe. Then Laielohelohe turned her eyes right upward, saying, "If you are a man who has sent me this gift and this music of the flute, then you are mine: if you are a woman, then you shall be my intimate friend." ”

“ Ia manawa, ku mai la ka mea ume a waenakonu o ka aha, ia Hauailiki me Poliahu e kilu ana, ia manawa, kani aku la ke oli a ka mea ume, e hookolili ana i ka welau o ka maile i luna o Hauailiki, a kaili mai la ka mea ume i ka maile, alaila, ku mai la o Hauailiki. Hele aku la ua mea ume nei a loaa o Hinaikamalama, kau aku la i ka maile a kaili mai la. Ia manawa, ku mai la o Hinaikamalama mawaho o ka aha imua o ke anaina. ”

“ Ma ka auina la mahope o ka aina awakea, pii aku la laua iuka, komo aku la iloko o na ululaau, i ka hihia paa o ka nahele. Ia laua i pii ai, halawai mua laua me Mailehaiwale, oia ke kiai makamua o ke Alii wahine. Ike mai la oia ia laua nei e kokoke aku ana io ia nei la, i mai la, "E Hauailiki, malaila olua hoi aku, aole o olua kuleana e pii mai ai ianei; no ka mea, ua hoonohoia mai wau maanei, he kiai makamua no ke Alii, a na'u no e hookuke aku i na mea a pau i hiki mai maanei, me ke kuleana ole; nolaila, e hoi olua me ke kali ole." ”

“ Now the vagabond, Aiwohikupua, was one of the chief's retainers, he was the one who heard these things. And when he heard Laielohelohe's reason for setting sail to seek her husband, then he said to the palace guard, "If Kaonohiokala returns again, and asks for Laielohelohe, tell him she is ill, then he will not come back, for she would pollute Kaonohiokala and our parents; when the uncleanness is over, then the deeds of Venus may be done." ”

“ For them shall crash the thunder, but when the clouds and mist clear away, then all present at the place of meeting shall behold you and Laielohelohe resting together upon the wings of birds."
Early in the morning of the next day, the day of the chief's marriage celebration, Kihanuilulumoku was summoned into the presence of Aiwohikupua's sisters, the servants who guarded Laieikawai.
When the lizard came, Kahalaomapuana said, "You have been summoned to take us down to the sea at Keaau to see Kekalukaluokewa's wedding feast. Be ready to take us down soon after the sun begins to decline." ”

“ Kauakahialii, the high chief of Kauai, now about to die, cedes the succession to his favorite chief, Kekalukaluokewa, and bids him seek out the beauty of Paliuli for a bride. He is acceptable to both the girl and her grandmother—to the first for his good looks, to the second for his rank and power. But before the marriage can be consummated a wily rascal of Puna, through the arts of his wise sister Malio, abducts Laieikawai while she and her lover are out surfing, by his superior dexterity wins her affection, and makes off with her to Paliuli. ”

“ The main situation in this story furnishes a close parallel to the Laieikawai A beautiful girl of high rank is taken from her parents and brought up apart in an earthly paradise by a supernatural guardian, Waka, where she is waited upon by birds. A great lizard acts as her protector. She is wedded to a high taboo chief who is fetched thither from the gods, and who later is seduced from his fidelity by the beauty of another woman. This woman of the mountain, Poliahu, though identical in name and nature, plays a minor part in Haleole's story. ”

“ Hoakaku means "to have a vision," a power which seers possess. Since the spirit may go abroad independently of the body, such romantic shifts as the vision of a dream lover, so magically introduced into more sophisticated romance, are attended with no difficulties of plausibility to a Polynesian mind. It is in a dream that Halemano first sees the beauty of Puna. In a Samoan story (Taylor, I, 98) the sisters catch the image of their brother in a bottle and throw it upon the princess's bathing pool. When the youth turns over at home, the image turns in the water. ”

“ The foster parents travel about Hawaii to find a bride of matchless beauty for their favorite, and finally choose Makolea, the daughter of Keauhou and Kahaluu, who live in Kona. Thither they take the boy, leaving Paliuli forever, and this place has never since been seen by man. The girl is, however, betrothed to Kakaalaneo, king of Maui, and when her parents discover her amour with Kepakailiula they send her off to her husband, who is a famous spearsman. Kepakailiula now moves to Kohala and marries the pretty daughter of its king. ”