This document provides information on various places, characters, and cultural concepts from Hawaiian legends, history, and traditions. It includes definitions and brief descriptions of terms like 'Iwa, 'Umi, 'Awa, and various Hawaiian place names such as Waipi'o, Makapu'u, and Kumukahi. The document conveys background information on important figures, locations, plants, and cultural practices that were part of ancient Hawaiian life.

1. LEGEND OF ‘IWA
HWST 104

2. CHARACTERS
• `Iwa
– Frigate or man-of-war bird (Fregata
minor palmerstoni); it has a wing
span of 12 m. Fig., thief, so called
because it steals food by forcing
other birds to disgorge; also used
figuratively for a handsome person,
as follows: Kīkaha ka `iwa, he lā
makani, poises the frigate bird, a
windy day [of a handsome person
who draws attention, as does the
`iwa bird poised aloft].
As taken from the Hawaiian Dictionary (Püku’i & Elbert)

3. CHARACTERS
• `Umi
– According to historians,
`Umi was a chief who ruled
Hawai’i Island in the 16th
or
17th
century
– His father, `Umi-a-līloa,
was a high-ranking chief
– His mother was Akahi-a-
kuleana

4. OTHER INFO.
• `Ō`ūholowai
– A well-known kind of tapa from `Ōla`a
made from the bark of the māmaki
• Māmaki
– The bark yielded a fiber valued for a kind
of tapa, similar to that made from wauke,
but courser.
• `Eleuli
– Literally meaning grayish-black
– A rare type of dark gray or perfumed
tapa

5. LEHO & LŪHE`E
• Leho
– General name for cowry shell
– Used as octopus lures
• Lūhe`e
– Octopus lure
– Pictured to the right: This is a
single cowry shell with olonā (a
native shrub) and coconut fiber
cordage

6. `AWA
• `Awa
– Said to be one of the plants
brought in the sailing canoes of
the earliest Polynesian voyages
to Hawai`i
– The root is used for medicinal
purposes, ceremonies, and as an
intoxicating drink
– Prepared formerly by chewing,
later by pounding. The
comminuted particles were mixed
with water and strained
– When drunk in excess, it causes
drowsiness

7. NĀ MOKUPUNI O HAWAI`I
THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

8. CHANNELS OF THE HAWAIIAN
ISLANDS
• `Alenuihāhā
– Separates the island of Hawai`i and the island of Maui
• `Alalākeiki
– Separates the islands of Kaho`olawe and Maui
– Literally means “crying baby”
• Kealaikahiki
– The channel between Lāna`i and Kaho`olawe
– Literally means “the path to Kahiki”
• `Au`au
– The channel between Lāna`i and Maui
– Literally means “to take a bath”; refers to its calm-like conditions

9. CHANNELS OF THE
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS CONTINUED
• Pailolo
– Separates the islands of Moloka`i and Maui
– It is said to be one of the windiest and
roughest channels in the Hawaiian islands
• Kalohi
– Separates Lāna`i and Moloka`i
– Although strong winds and choppy sea
conditions are frequent, it is considered one of
the less treacherous channels

10. CHANNELS OF THE
HAWAIIAN ISLANDS CONTINUED
• Kaiwi
– Separates the islands of Moloka`i and O`ahu
– Today, it is often referred to as “The Moloka`i
Channel”
• Kaulakahi
– Separates the islands of Ni`ihau and Kaua`i
• Ka`ie`iewaho
– Separates the islands of Kaua`i and O`ahu

11. PLACE NAMES
• `Ōla`a
– Land divisions, Hilo, Humu`ula,
Kīlauea, and Puna qds; flume, back
road, plantation mill, and railroad,
Hilo qd; village, forest reserve and
forest park reserve Kīlau qd.,
Hawai`i; formerly called La`a. La`a
literally meaning dedicated.
• Kea`au
– Land sections, intermediate and
elementary school, and villages,
Hilo, Maku`u, and Puna qds.,
Hawai’i. (For. Sel. 18; UL 62.) qd.
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Püku’i, Elbert & Mo’okini)

12. PLACE NAMES
• Kalaeokalā`au
– Point, southwest tip of
Moloka`i named for the
famous club (l `au)ā of Palila,
the Kaua`i hero who, with a
spear given him by the gods,
leapt to Kiha-a-Pi`ilani, a
Moloka`i hill, and there
attracted all the women; the
angry and jealous Moloka`i
men fought him. His club lost
its mana to the gods of
Moloka`i, and so he threw it
away; it landed on this cape.
(Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, July 6,
1922.)
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Pūku`i, Elbert &
Mo`okini)

13. PLACE NAMES
• Makapu`u
– beach park, point,
headland, and surfing
beach (Finney, 1959a:108),
Koko Head qd., O`ahu. Lit.,
hill beginning or bulging
eye (the name of an image
said to have been in a cave
known as Ke-ana-o-ke-
akua-pōloli; PH chapter
19).
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Pūku`i,
Elbert & Mo`okini)

14. PLACE NAMES
• Mōkapu
– A bird islet (3.6 acres, 360 feet elevation), Ka-
malō qd., north Moloka`i. Peninsula,
elementary school, point, quadrangle, and
land division, Kai-lua, O`ahu; originally named
Moku-kapu (sacred district) because Ka-
mehameha I met his chiefs here; it was "the
sacred land of Ka-mehameha" (Sterling and
Summers 5:165). See North Beach. Lit., taboo
district (m -ō is short for moku).
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Pūku`i, Elbert & Mo`okini)

15. PLACE NAMES
• Kawaihoa
– Point, Ni`ihau (PH 210). Point
beyond Portlock Road,
Honolulu; the god Kāne
brought forth water here (HM
64). Lit., the companion's
water.
• Molokini
– Islet (150 feet elevation)
between Ka-ho`olawe and
Maui. When Lohi`au (Pele's
dream lover) lived at Mā`alaea,
Maui, he took to wife a mo`o,
Pu`u-o-inaina (hill of wrath).
Pele in anger bisected her; her
tail became Pu`u-ō-la`i Hill,
Mākena, Maui, and her head
Molo-kini Islet. see Pu`u-ō-la`i.
(For. 5:514-521; HM 189; PH
75.) Lit., many ties.
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Pūku`i, Elbert &
Mo`okini)
Molokini

16. PLACE NAMES
• Pōhakueaea
– Point, Mākena qd., Maui. (For. Sel. 20.) Lit., stone [with] smell.
• Kalaeakeahole
– No information available.
• Kailua
– Village, school, bay, and ancient surfing area (Finney and
Houston 26), Kona, Hawai`i. Land division, land section, ditch,
village, hill (1,269 feet high), gulch, Pā`ia area; stream, Ha`i-kū
area, East Maui. Second largest city in the Hawaiian Islands
(33,783 population in 1970), land division, schools, bay, beach
park, field, ditch, and stream, Mō-kapu qd., O`ahu. Lit., two seas
(probably currents, especially on Hawai`i).
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Püku`i, Elbert & Mo`okini)

17. PLACE NAMES
• Leleiwi
– Cape, beach park, and point,
Hilo qd., Hawai`i. A fish heiau
(heiau ho`oulu i`a), named Pū-
hala (pandanus tree) once
was near here. (For. Sel. 22,
24, 278; PH 189; UL 60.) Heiau
at La`a-loa, Kona, Hawai`i.
Area, Hanalei district, Kaua`i.
Pali and overlook, Hale-a-ka-
lā Crater, Maui. Lit., bone altar
(poetically, a symbol of
disaster or anger).
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Püku`i, Elbert &
Mo`okini)

18. PLACE NAMES
• Kumukahi
– Easternmost cape, Hawai`i, named for
a migratory hero from Kahiki who
stopped here and who is represented
by a red stone. Two of his wives, also
in the form of stones, manipulated the
seasons by pushing the sun back and
forth between them. One of the wives
was named Ha`eha`e. Sun worshipers
brought their sick to be healed here.
(HM 119.) Another Kumu-kahi, the
favorite younger brother of Kama-lālā-
walu, lived here or near here (For. Sel.
250). Also the name of a chief who
pleased Pele but who ridiculed her;
she heaped lava over him, thus
forming the cape (Westervelt,
1963:28). Channel between Ni`ihau
and Lehua islands. Lit., first beginning
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Püku`i, Elbert & Mo`okini)
Sunrise at Kumukahi

19. PLACE NAMES
• Waipi`o
– Pali, Honu`apo qd., Hawai`i;
quadrangle, valley, land
section, bay, gulch, stream,
and ancient surfing place,
north Hawai`i (For. Sel. 138,
170; PH 49–50; Finney and
Houston 26). The earth in
the upper valley is red
because Kanaloa dashed
Māui against the rocks and
his blood colored the earth
there (Westervelt, n.d.:151).
Lit., curved water.
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Püku`i,
Elbert & Mo`okini)

20. PLACE NAMES
• Paka`alana
– Temple in Waipi`o that was famous for being
a place of refuge for Windward Hawai`i. It was
built before the time of `Umi’s grandfather
Kiha, and was destroyed by Kaeokulani, king
of Kaua`i in 1791
As taken from Hawaiian Antiquities and Folkore
(Elbert)

21. PLACE NAMES
• Pu`uepa
– Land section, Kohala qd., Hawai`i. (For. Sel. 26.) Also spelled
Pu`u-wepa.
• Puaahuku
– No information available
• Mahiki
– Land division, Wai-mea, Hawai`i, named for a horde of mo`o killed
by Hi`iaka. (PH chapter 12.) Lit., leap.
As taken from Place Names of Hawai`i (Püku`i, Elbert & Mo`okini)