Last night I learned a mo'olelo mostly concerning the whale. The two species that visit the islands in the pacific are the humpback Kohola and the sperm whale Palaoa. I usually keep the new mo'olelo I learn from someone to myself. Until I can absorb it onto myself and make it my own at some later time in my life that relates to it. But when I woke up this morning and saw on the news that a dead sperm whale was found floating in the sea off shore of Kaneohe, I knew I had to share this.
Observing the migration of birds and whales were possible motivating factors for early voyagers from the south pacific to Hawaii. Sometimes the whales would die and wash onto the shore on the windward side of Oahu. The Palaoa tooth ivory would be used to make the Lei Niho of the Ali'i. The ali'i of Maui / Hawaii island and were recognized with the curved tongue shape, and the ali'i of Oahu / Kauai wore the flat oblong shape.
When Kahekili II recognized a member of his own court, Kahahana to become the Al'ii Nui of Oahu. It was very treacherous when Kahekili II asked to keep Kualoa and the whale ivory that washed onto the shore for himself. No future Ali'i of Oahu would be able to attain the level of Kapu Ai, and Kahekili II with the Maui kingdom would virtually rule over Oahu and one of it's most sacred areas. Eventually it happened anyway but not before Kahahana's kahuna, Kaopulupulu realized Kahekili II's intentions and foiled his plans for a short time. By rejecting Kahekili II's offer and keeping Kualoa under Oahu rule.
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