Hawaii Loa was the ancestor of the Hawaiian family. They were an industrious, agricultural and fishing people. They were also very religious and worshiped Kane, Ku and Lono, either separately, or the joint name and symbol of Ku-Kauakahi. They were therefore called, par excellence, the lahui akua, while all those who worshiped images and such worthless things were called lahui laa luau. [[272]]
Lua Nuu and his descendants lived to the eastward of Kalana i Hauola, on the land called Aina Lauana a Kane and also Aina Au Apaapa a Kane until the time of Hoopale Honua, but after the time of Newenewe Mauolina they spread far to the eastward of the Aina Au Apaapa a Kane. From the time of Newenewe to Aniani Ku they had spread to the eastern-most shores of Kapakapaua a Kane. In the time of Ke Kowa i Hawaii they arrived at these (Hawaiian) islands.
Several legends refer to this period between Lua Nuu and Hawaii Loa. Those of Kana Loa and his brother Kane Apua, of Makalii, of Maui, of Kana, etc. Makalii was a celebrated king in Kahiki Kapakapaua a Kane. During a season of great fertility he sent his messengers all over the country and collected all the food they could get at and stored it up in Makalii’s storehouses and forts. A famine followed, but Makalii was stingy and had all the food gathered up in nets and hung up out of reach, and great distress came over men and animals. The rats scoured over the earth and found no food; they flared in the air, and there was the food. They then climbed up on the black shining cloud of Kane—ala nui polohiwa a Kane—and on the rainbow and from there they nibbled at Makalii’s nets until they broke and tore them, so that the food fell out on the earth again; and thus was the earth restocked with potatoes, taro, yam, etc. In remembrance of this king some stars have been called Makalii, and the Pleiades have been called “na Huihui,” in memory of Makalii’s nets of food—“na koko a Makalii.”
Kana Loa was the elder and Kane Apua was the younger brother. Their exploits are celebrated, viz: How they overthrew the King Wahanui and how he and his died at sea, how they conducted the Menehune people over the sea and through the wilderness until they came to the land that Kane had given their forefathers, the “Aina i ka Houpo a Kane;” and how they caused water to flow from the rocks, etc. Kana Loa was also called Li Hau Ula and he was a priest (kahuna) of greater renown than any other.
The legend of Maui and how he caught the sun and made him go slower, so that his mother might have more daylight to manufacture her kapa in (akuku i ke kapa), belongs to this period.
In former times there were two modes of worship, or two different creeds here on Hawaii—1. Those who worshiped the God who could not be seen;—2. Those who worshiped the God who could be seen, natural objects, or objects made by hand.—“He Pae a Kane,” “He Pae Kii.”
The one god (Kane) comprised three beings (ouli-wai-akua)—Kane, Ku, Lono. Kane was the root or origin of gods and all created things; Ku or Ku-ka-Pao was the workman who executed everything; Lono was the essence of wisdom, power and incomparable attributes. One god, but viewed under three different aspects. He was called Kane in order that man (“kane”) by being named after him should not forget him.
Before heaven and earth were created these three deities were called Kane-i-ka-Po-Loa, Ku-i-ka-Po-Loa and Lono-i-ka-Po-Loa, and their joint name was Ke Alii Hi-ka-Po-Loa, equivalent to “Almighty God.” [[273]]