THE GODS WHO FOUND WATER
Four great gods with a large retinue of lesser gods came from Kahiki to the Hawaiian Islands. “Kahiki” meant any land beyond the skies which came down to the seas around the Hawaiian group. These gods settled for a time in Nuuanu Valley, back of the lands now known as Honolulu. These four great gods were worshipped by the Polynesians scattered all over the Pacific Ocean. Their names were Ku, Lono, Ka-ne and Kanaloa.
Ka-ne and Kanaloa were the water-finders, opening springs and pools over all the islands, each pool known now as Ka-Wai-a-ke-Akua (The water provided by a god).
In one of the very old Hawaiian newspapers the question was asked, “What are the waters of Ka-ne?” The answers came: The heavy showers of life-giving rain, the mountain stream swelling into a torrent lifting and carrying away canoes, the rainbow-colored rain loved by Ka-ne, the continually flowing brooks of the valleys and the fresh waters found anywhere—these were the waters of Ka-ne. [[38]]
It may reasonably be surmised that from the realization of the blessing of fresh waters the ancient Polynesians as well as the Hawaiians looked up to some waters to be found somewhere in the lands of the gods, which were called “the waters of life of Ka-ne.” The Hawaiian legends said: “If any one is dead and this water is thrown upon him, he becomes alive again. Old people bathing in this water go back to their youth.” If the common fresh water of the hills and plains was good, it was easy to look beyond to something better.
The gods Ka-ne and Kanaloa were very closely allied to the farming interests of the people of the long ago. Prayers were offered to them in all the different stages of the process of farming. When a field was selected some article of food was cooked and offered with the prayer:
“Here is food,
O Gods, Ka-ne and Kanaloa!
Here is food for us.
Give life to us and our family.