9. UMI
The great chief of Hawaii, Liloa, has a son by Piena, named Hakau. On a journey to dedicate the temple of Manini at Kohalalele, Liloa sees Akahiakuleana bathing in the Hoea stream at Kaawikiwiki and falls in love with her. Some authorities claim she was of low birth, others make her a relative of Liloa. He leaves with her the customary tokens by which to recognize his child. When their boy Umi is grown, having quarreled with his supposed father, he takes the tokens and, by his mother's direction, goes to seek Liloa in Waipio valley. Two boys, Omaokamao and Piimaiwaa, whom he meets on the way, accompany him. Umi enters the sacred inclosure of the chief and sits in his father's lap, who, recognizing the trophies, pardons the sacrilege and sending for his gods, performs certain ceremonies. At his death he wills his lands and men to Hakau, but his gods and temples to Umi.
Hakau is of a cruel and jealous disposition. Umi is obliged to leave him and go to farming with his two companions and a third, Koi, whom he meets on the way. He marries two girls, but their parents complain that he is lazy and gets no fish. Racing with Paiea at Laupahoehoe, he gets crowded against the rocks. This is a breach of etiquette and he nurses his revenge. Finally, by a rainbow sign and by the fact that a pig offered in sacrifice walks toward Umi, his chiefly blood is proved to the priest Kaoleioku. The priest considers how Umi may win the kingdom away from the unpopular Hakau. Umi studies animal raising and farming. He builds four large houses, holding 160 men each, and these are filled in no time with men training in the arts of war. A couple of disaffected old men, Nunu and Kakohe, are won over to Umi's cause, and they advise Hakau to prepare for war with Umi. While all the king's men are gone to the forests to get feathers for the war god, Umi and his followers start, on the day of Olekulua, and on the day of Lono they surprise and kill Hakau and his few attendants, who thought they were men from the outdistricts come with their taxes. So Umi becomes king. Kaoleioku is chief priest, and Nunu and Kakohe are high in authority. The land he divides among his followers, giving Kau to Omaokamau, Hilo to Kaoleioku, Hamakua to Piimaiwaa, Kahala to Koi, Kona to Ehu, and Puna to another friend. To prove how long Umi will hold his kingdom, he is placed 8 fathoms away from a warrior who hurls his spear at the king's middle, using the thrust known as Wahie. Umi wards it off, catches it by the handle and holds it. This is a sign that he will hold his kingdom successfully—"your son, your grandson, your issue, your offspring until the very last of your blood."
Umi now makes a tour of the island for two years. He slays Paiea. He sends Omaokamau to Piilani of Maui to arrange a marriage with Piikea. After 20 days, Piikea sets sail for Hawaii with a fleet of 400 canoes, and a rainbow "like a feather helmet" stands out at sea signaling her approach. The rest of the story has to do with the adventures of Umi's three warriors, Omaokamau who is right-handed, Koi who is left-handed, and Piimaiwae, who is ambidextrous, during the campaign on Maui, undertaken at Piikea's plea to gain for her brother, Kihapiilani, the rule over Maui. The son and successor of Umi is Keawenuiaumi, father of Lonoikamakahiki.