Kapu

“ The legends further relate that if strangers ate of the ripe apples of this land, Kalana i Hauola, they died forthwith, and that the native inhabitants, knowing this, never ate them. Here also, and here alone, [grew the] “wauke kapu a Kane,” the cloth which was forbidden to be worn by any but the Alii-kapu who had been properly anointed by the “aila niu a Kane.”
Among many other names for this land was Ulu-Paupau—the fruit which caused defilement and degradation. Another name was Pali-uli. The legend says:
“He aina kapu o Pali-uli. He aina hemolele. He hoopololei ka loaa o ua aina la. ”

“ The guilty parties have then to tread on the place where the head is buried, and the turmeric and ash water is poured over them. This ceremony rather resembles the one performed by the Oralis. The Pantas are said to have no caste panchayats (council) , whereas the Pongalas recognise the authority of officers called Kambalakkārans and Kottukkārans who uphold discipline." The following are some of the proverbs relating to the Kāpus: —
The Kāpu protects all. The Kāpu's difficulties are known only to god. The Kāpu dies from even the want of food. ”

“ The Kapus or Reddis are a large caste of cultivators and landowners in the Madras Presidency. When rain fails, women of the caste will catch a frog and tie it alive to a new winnowing fan made of bamboo. On this fan they spread a few margosa leaves and go from door to door singing, "Lady frog must have her bath. Oh! rain-god, give a little water for her at least." While the Kapu women sing this song, the woman of the house pours water over the frog and gives an alms, convinced that by so doing she will soon bring rain down in torrents. ”

“ This King had made a law that whoever among his people should erect a heiau and kapu the same before the King had his temple kapued, that man should pay the penalty of death. Kapoi was thereupon seized, by the King’s orders, and led to the heiau of Kupalaha, at Waikiki.
That same day, the owl that had told Kapoi to erect a temple gathered all the owls from Lanai, Maui, Molokai, and Hawaii to one place at Kalapueo.1 All those from the Koolau districts were assembled at Kanoniakapueo,2 and those from Kauai and Niihau at Pueohulunui, near Moanalua. ”

“ Kanaloa (Ká-na-ló-a) —one of the four major gods, represented as of a dark complexion, and of a malignant disposition (p. 24) .
Kane (Ká-ne) —male; a husband; one of the four major gods, represented as being a tall blond and of a benevolent disposition (p. 24) .
Kapa (ká-pa) —the paper-cloth of the Polynesians, made from the fibrous bark of many plants by pounding with wooden beaters while kept moist.
Kapo (Ká-po) —a goddess and patron of the hula, sister of the poison-god, Kalai-pahoa, and said to be mother of Laka (pp. 25, 45) .
Kapu (ká-pu) .—a tabu; a religious prohibition (pp. 30, 57) . ”

“ Kāpu women will fetch their own water, and carry meals to the fields for their fathers and husbands. The women of the other classes affect the gosha system, and the men carry their own food, and fetch water for domestic purposes, or, if well-to-do, employ Kapus for these services. It may be added that rich Kapus often exhibit a tendency to pass as Telagas. ”

“ Their creation commenced on the 26th day of the month, on the day called Kane and was continued during the days called Lono, Mauli, Muku, Hilo and Hoaka.
“In six days the creation was done and the seventh day, the day called Ku, became the first kapu day (la kapu) , day of rest. ”

“ He was a possessor of land because he was a descendant of a line of chiefs. ↑
164 He alii no ka moo; a chief by descent belongs to a line of kings. ↑
165 Ka maka i ike, that sees with his own eyes, i papu ke kapu; ike is again understood before papu—papu, altogether, fully, throughout; ike papu to look at closely, examine with one’s own eyes; i ke kapu, at the kapu. ↑
166 Papu ka lani, the heavens are covered over with palamoa, thin fleecy clouds of a whitish cast, not fog, clouds that stand still, but the sun can shine through. ”

“ He was again directed to go still farther along the windward side of the island till he should come to the Ana puhi (eel’s cave) , a singular cavern at sea level in the bold cliffs between the valleys of Waikolu and Pelekunu, where Kauhuhu, the shark god, dwelt, and to him he must apply. Upon this away went Kamalo and his pig. Arriving at the cave, he found there Waka and Moo, two kahus of the shark god. “Keep off! Keep off!” they shouted. “This place is kapu. No man can enter here, on penalty of death.” ”

“ In 1859, my father had already established himself on a large plantation on Kawai, one of the Hawaiian group. He acquired among his "boys" a reputation for utter fearlessness and, to an astonishing degree, for foolhardy disregard of the various powers of enchantment. There dwelt also on Kawai, where the two branches of the Waimea River join, a famous old Kahuna, Kapukapu, who far surpassed his fellow sorcerers in skill, being reputed a Kahuna-anana or death-dealing sorcerer. So great was the reputation of this magician that never did any of the villagers presume to oppose his wishes ”

“ When Tama-te-kapua was on the point of dying, he said to his son, Tuhoro, "You must remain sacred for three years, and dwell apart from the tribe. Let there be three gardens by the sides of your house, set apart as sacred, in which you are to cultivate food for the Atua. On the fourth year awaken me from sleep; for my hands will be ever gathering up the earth, and my mouth will be ever eating worms, and grubs, and excrement, the only food below in the Reinga (abode of spirits) . ”

“ KAPUNOHU Kukuipahu and Niulii are chiefs of Kohala when Kapunohu, the great warrior, is born in Kukuipahu. Kanikaa is his god, and Kanikawi his spear. Insulted by Kukuipahu, he goes to the uplands to test his strength, and sends his spear through 800 wili-wili trees at once. Two men he meets on the way are offered as much land as they can run over in a certain time; thus the upland districts of Pioholowai and Kukuikiikii are formed. Kapunohu makes a conquest of a number of women, before joining Niulii against Kukuipahu. ”

“ The other two tribes live close to Belaga fort in the Kayan country; their dialects vary.
The Malohs of Kapuas in Dutch Borneo formerly had a large village at Kanowit, but nearly all have returned to their own country, and the tribe is now represented by a sprinkling only among the Sea-Dayaks. They are wonderfully skilled workers in brass and copper, and manufacture 19the peculiar brass corsets worn by the Sea-Dayak women, and their armlets, anklets, leg and ear-rings, and other personal ornaments; and they have been known to turn their talents to making counterfeit coin. ”

“ There is no proper nucleus of mountains whence chains ramify in different directions. The central and west central parts of the island, however, are occupied by three mountain chains and a plateau. These chains are: (1) the folded chain of the upper Kapuas, which divides the western division of Dutch Borneo from Sarawak, extends west to east, and attains near the sources of the Kapuas river a height of 5000 to 6000 ft. ”

“ Sherif Sahib, and many others who visited that country, died suddenly, and the Malays assert it was from poison; but of this I have no proof.
Near the very sources of the Kapuas live the Malau Dayaks, who are workers in gold and brass, and it is very singular that members of this tribe can wander safely through the villages of the head-hunting Seribas and Sakarang, and are never molested,—on [31] the contrary, they are eagerly welcomed by the female portion of the population, and the young men are not indifferent to their arrival ”

“ When she saw Kapunohu they wept together, after which she said: “We have no food ready. You must be hungry. There is food growing out there in the patches. Your brother-in-law, Olopana is out with the men, working.” Kapunohu said to the sister: “Let us go out so that you can show me the patches.” When they came to the place she pointed out eight patches of large taro and returned home.
A pau ke kaua ana, holo mai la o Kapunohu, me ke ’kua ona o Kanikaa, a me kana laau palau o Kanikawi, i Oahu nei i kona kaikuahine, oia ka wahine a Olopana. ”

“ A hele hou mai la o Kapunohu i kahi o laua nei. Ike laua nei, lalau i ka ipukai me ka ai, a ai iho la, me ka penu o na lima i loko o ke kai o ka ipukai. I mai la o Kapunohu: “A, ai ka ai, auhea ka ia.” I aku laua nei: “O ka ai no ka ai, he io kanaka ka ia.” I mai o Kapunohu, “Wahahee olua, nawai i olelo o ka io o ke kanaka ka ia.” Pela ko lakou hoopaapaa ana, a pili okoa, a pau ka pili ana. Olelo aku ua mau keiki nei ia Kapunohu: “He ai no ka ai, he lima ka ia. O ka lima ka maua e penu nei i ke kai, aole ka ia. Nolaila he io kanaka ia.” Ae mai la o Kapunohu: “Ae, ua eo ia olua.” ”

“ Like Catherine of Russia, who in one mood was the patron of literature and of the arts and sciences and in another mood a very satyr, so the Hawaiian goddess Kapo seems to have lived a double life whose aims were at cross purposes with one another—now an angel of grace and beauty, now a demon of darkness and lust. ”

“ Apparently he was the highest chief on the island, but it was in the days when men were few and high chiefs and gods were many. He had spent his boyhood on the rich lands of Wailua, Kauai, and from there had crossed the deep channel to Oahu and had come to the home of the chiefess Kapalama after her beautiful daughter Kauhao, to take her to Kauai as his wife. But soon after his return one of the kupua gods became angry with him. A kupua was a god having a double body, sometimes appearing as a man and sometimes [205] as an animal. The animal body always possessed supernatural powers. ”

“ This kupua never attacked or injured any members of the family of the very high chief or king of the island Oahu, but he was a cannibal, and many of the people were killed and eaten by him. He could appear at will either as a man or a dog.
His name was Kaupe. After he had eaten some of the people of Oahu he went over the water to eat the men of Maui, and then went on to Hawaii, where he captured the son of one of the high chiefs and carried him back to Oahu, putting him in the temple at Lihue to keep him there until the time came for a human sacrifice. ”

“ They scratched dirt over them and befouled them. Such an attack was irresistible—Kakuhihewa’s men fled, and Kapoi was set free.
Kakuhihewa said to Kapoi: “Your god has mana (miraculous power) greater than my god. Your god is a true god.”
Kapoi was saved. The owl was worshipped as a god. The place of that battle was Kukaeunahio-ka-pueo (The-confused-noise-of-owls-rising-in-masses) .
[138]
1 This place is now the site of the Castle Home. ↑
2 Another legend says that the battle was between the little people and Kualii, a noted chief of Oahu, of comparatively recent date. ”

“ As I have elsewhere had occasion to remark, it is doubtful whether this generation of Papuans is capable of much spiritual enlightenment at the missionary’s hands, but the seeds of industrial progress at any rate are being sown, and the order and apparent prosperity of Kappa-Kappa say much for the work of the pioneer. There is no Paradise, however, without its serpent, and the scourge of Kappa-Kappa is the black snake, which attacks the natives. ”

“ Ow-bow was allowed to take a gun with him, but no cartridges, and his empty weapon evidently was not impressive. My emissary’s experience was painful; Kafulu did not take his life, but he took his effects. Now, every Papuan carries with him as his most cherished possession a little net-bag, containing a charming collection of oddments dear to the savage mind—his knife, tobacco, bamboo pipe, matches, which he had earned, betel-nut and gourd, and little trophies of the chase. ”

“ Kekupua and his men returned to their chief and reported their unsuccessful search for a suitable koa (Acacia koa) tree for the desired canoe, and related also the incident at Waolani. Kakae, being a descendant of the Menehunes, knew immediately the authors of the strange occurrence. He therefore instructed Kekupua to proceed to Makaho and Kamakela and to stay there till the night of Kane, then go up to Puunui and wait till hearing the hum and noise of the Menehunes, which would be the signal of their finishing the canoe. ”

“ You could not find him further east than Hisiu, nor further west than Maipua.
[181]
But who is he, or what is he? The who is a man. The what is a big mask. The “who” gets inside the “what” in the club house so that no one in the village can identify him. He then struts about armed with his big stick, and uses it freely if he finds any one stealing cocoanuts. The people cannot retaliate for the Kaiva-Kuku is sacred, and they do not know who is inside, and so cannot spot him when he has not got his uniform on. ”

“ But kanakas saw from the hills of Kalulu her father lead her through the forest of [170] Kumoku; since then our Kaala has not been seen, and I fear has met some fate that is to thwart thy love.”
“Kaala lost? The blood of my heart is gone!” He hears no more! The fierce chief, hot with baffled passion, strikes madly at the air, and dashes away, onward up the stony hill; and upward with his stout young savage thews, he bounds along without halt or slack of speed till he reaches the valley’s rim, then rushes down its slopes.
He courses over its bright green plains. ”

“ May 26.—Chief Kama, the only Christian Kaffir chief—I believe the only Christian Kaffir—is passing through Peddie, with his family, baggage, followers, and fifteen hundred head of cattle. His life is not safe in the neighbourhood of his brothers, Páto and Cobus Congo. He is bound for the Bechuana country, on the other side the Orange River; but, until spring commences, he will make a halt near Beaufort, and act under the protection of our nominal and drunken ally, Macomo, uncle of Sandilla, and a chief of the Gaika tribe. ”