THE ROUT OF THE MAHIKI
The location of the adventure with the shark-god Maka’u-kiu[1] was at the mouth of Wai-pi’o valley, a region where Hawaii’s storm-coast forms an impassable rampart, save as it is cut by this and its twin valley, Wai-manu. These valleys take head in a wild forest region, the home of mist, rain and swamp. Adjoining this and part of the same watershed is the region known as Mahiki-waena, a land which the convenience of traffic required should be open to travel. It was the haunt of a ferocious horde of mo’o called mahiki[2] from their power to leap and spring like grass-hoppers.
When Hiiaka proposed to pass through this region in the ordinary course of travel, the head of the Mahiki insolently denied her the right of way, suggesting as an alternative the boisterous sea-route around the northern shoulder of Hawaii. Hiiaka’s blood was up. The victory over the hosts of Pana-ewa and the more recent destruction of Maka’u-kiu had fired her courage. She resolved once for all to make an end of this arrogant nuisance and to rid the island of the whole pestilential brood of imps and mo’o. Standing on a height that overlooked Wai-pi’o, she chanted a mele which is at once descriptive of the scene before her and at the same time expressive of her determination:
Mele Uhau
A luna au o Wai-pi’o,
Kilohi aku k’uu maka ilalo;
Hele ho’i ke ala makai o Maka’u-kiu;
Hele ho’i ke ala mauka o Ka-pu-o’a—
Pihapiha, he’e i ka welowelo,
I ka pu’u Kolea, i ka ino, e—