[Footnote 40: Mr. Meheula suggested to me this translation of the idiomatic allusions to the canoe and the coral reef.]
CHAPTER VIII
[Footnote 41: A peculiarly close family relation between brother and sister is reflected in Polynesian tales, as in those of Celtic, Finnish, and Scandinavian countries. Each serves as messenger or go-between for the other in matters of love or revenge, and guards the other's safety by magic arts. Such a condition represents a society in which the family group is closely bound together. For such illustrations compare the Fornander stories of Halemano, Hinaikamalama, Kalanimanuia, Nihoalaki, Kaulanapokii, Pamano. The character of accomplished sorceress belongs especially to the helpful sister, a woman of the Malio or Kahalaomapuana type, whose art depends upon a life of solitary virginity. She knows spells, she can see what is going on at a distance, and she can restore the dead to life. In the older stories she generally appears in bird form. In more human tales she wins her brother's wishes by strategy. This is particularly true of the characters in this story, who win their way by wit rather than magic. In this respect the youngest sister of Aiwohikupua should be compared with her prototype, Kaulanapokii, who weaves spells over plants and brings her slain brothers back to life. Kahalaomapuana never performs any such tasks, but she is pictured as invincible in persuasion; she never fails in sagacity, and is always right and always successful. She is, in fact, the most attractive character in the story. It is rather odd, since modern folk belief is firmly convinced of the power of love spells, that none appear in the recorded stories. All is accomplished by strategy.]
[Footnote 42: For the translation of this dialogue I am indebted, to the late Dr. Alexander, to whose abstract of the story I was fortunate enough to have access.]
CHAPTER X
[Footnote 43: To express the interrelation between brothers and sisters two pairs of kinship terms are used, depending upon the age and sex. Sisters speak of brothers as kaikunane, and brothers of sisters as kaikuahine, but within the same sex kaikuaana for the elder and kaikaina for the younger is used. So on page 431 Aiwohikupua deserts his sisters—kaikuahine—and the girls lament for their younger sister—kaikaina. After their reunion her older sisters—kaikuaana —ask her counsel. Notice, too, that when, on page 423, the brother bids his youngest sister—kaikuahine opiopio—stay with "her sisters" he uses the word kaikuaana, because he is thinking of her relation to them, not of his own. The word pokii,—"little sister"—is an endearing term used to good effect where the younger sister sings—
"I am going back to your little sisters (me o'u pokii)
To my older sisters (kaikuaana) I return.">[
[Footnote 44: The line translated "Fed upon the fruit of sin" contains one of those poetic plays upon words so frequent in Polynesian song, so difficult to reproduce in translation. Literally it might read "Sheltering under the great hala tree." But hala, also means "sin." This meaning is therefore caught up and employed in the next line—"is constancy then a sin?"—a repetition which is lost in translation. Malu, shade, is a doubtful word, which may, according to Andrews, mean "protected," or may stand for "wet and uncomfortable," a doubt evidently depending upon the nature of the case, which adds to the riddling character of the message. In their songs the sisters call up the natural scenery, place names, and childhood experiences of their native home on Kauai. The images used attempt actual description. The slant of the rain, the actual ladder of wood which helps scale the steep footpath up Nualolo Valley (compare Song of Kualii, line 269, Lyons' version), the rugged cliffs which are more easily rounded by sea—"swimming 'round the steeps"—picture actual conditions on the island. Notice especially how the song of the youngest sister reiterates the constant theme of the "follow your leader" relation between the brother and his younger sisters. Thus far they have unhesitatingly followed his lead; how, then, can he leave them leaderless? is the plea: first, in their sports at home; next, in this adventure over sea and through the forest; last, in that divine mystery of birth when he first opened the roadway and they, his little sisters, followed after.]
CHAPTER XI
[Footnote 45: This ti-leaf trumpet is constructed from the thin, dry, lilylike leaf of the wild ti much as children make whistles out of grass. It must be recalled that musical instruments were attributed to gods and awakened wonder and awe in Polynesian minds.]