Title: Kumu Kahi, First Beginnings: Astronomy and … Kumu Kahi, First Beginnings: Astronomy and Ancient Architecture Author(s): Francis X. Warther, Karen J. Meech Published by: WISN

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Title: Kumu Kahi, First Beginnings: Astronomy and Ancient Architecture

Author(s): Francis X. Warther, Karen J. Meech

Published by: WISN

Publish date: 23 July 1993 (Presented August 1993 at the Fourth “Oxford” International Conference of Archaeoastronomy, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria)

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TT.{U KAHIFIRST BEGINNINGS:

Astrouony and Cos[iq Archltecture ilr ArcieDt lla]ralr 1by

Ersnc:.s :{. WariherKilauea, Kaua'1, Hawa j, ' 1, U. s. A.

Karen J. Meech:::s:itute of As:ronomy, university oi Eawai'i

Honolulu, Orahu, Hawairi, U.S.A'

As PEesenir4 iugus: 1993 a'L theFourth "ox:lrd" lniernational conference on Archaeoasr-rononyAuEus-. 23-27, 1993siara zaEcra, Bulga! lacopyrig}r'. 1/23/93

K'JMU K-AHT, EIRST BEGINNINGS :Astronomy and Cosmic Architecture in Ancj.ent Hawai'i

In this pape: we propose to show, evaluate and. Ciscuss t..roi}?es cf solar as:;onomlcaL alagninen:s de!1ved f:om two sepa!aieancae:1t "chants" i:]at have been preserved through ..he unw!1ttennelrory o: the iiu1a. The htdd.en meao:.r.!E (kaona) wbeD resolved.Eives the instructaon for the solar alignments and cosmologicalpurposes in the !.iakalj.an isiands.These chan.-s, because o! their Cirectness and simpllcity,waulC aplrea: :c have ccme faom a cfassic poe:ic beginni:1g Cu:i:tg-,he formatron c: a cosmic view adapteC to islanC living. They!.re!e also sel-ec:eC fc! thet: e!:c:hous informaticD.al and cul!u:alccn:en: whach we bef:eve glves an instght oi the m:!d anCcreative capac::y cf the anclenis.Laie! in this paper we will briefly explore this earlyc:eattve pasi a:)d cu:1t]le vJha! l^re peacelve as a mas:er plan

-=:-9:-tr: l! ----- e ::.::a:.: Sea C:-:::S.The chan:s beicng to a vas: cclleciioil cf c:a1 Litera:u:e:.nposei :o! usa :-! ?o1y!:esi3i:s ic: !ia:iy cu1:urai p,Jlposes. T::e::=_3, o: Da::c: :s :e!:c;:ed b't Aa::etrne Kaepp:e; (19a3:g-14), andwe -.arap.::!ase: ::as u:ique, C:s:lnguishi-n9 charac!a:isiics r-h3i

Separa:e the Hu-!a tn Polynes:.a iiom ihe dance in Melanesj-a andl,llcronesia, The Egi3 text o! chant was basi.c, del.j.vered withneloC-v al]d rhyiSn, accompanied bl' a musical instrument and, mos.,o! ihe t:ne, rii:h an intelpretive ,,ilance,,- -more a ritual ofexp:essive novemen:--wj.th SiIlct, lorma1 and st:'1ized movemetts_The chan:s incc:pc:a:ed hidien meanlnEs thlougn ne:aphor andaLlusion and couLd be interpleleC oR nore than one Level.

Thus Pof!'::es:ais bega:t *i:h a uaique cultural chalt-dance:om which was Ceveloped by liawaiialts to a hlgh art. We bel-ieve:he word ilglg p:esenrly mean:ng "dance,', origlnaily neant"clant,' or twc:d." CLd Egi3S refer io ,'The Vot-ce only t,he voi-ce,'as the necessall' aclion to gain elttr3llce tg the !!gl3 School{}.ia1au Hula). The I{a1au is the lcng house that enclosed theschool o: studetis, so its oiher meaning was hiddet; so you cculCsay, 'rThe place of the biddeD vrard.',

since the cha!:is we are ccnce:'ned with hele erere the sa.reC,-;rc:ia::gj-:19 c!:es, w: w11i siay w1:li:: this f !arne.The chanted poe:ry, calied me1e, had two lypesi BglC__qLL,poetrr- oot lntended fcr canclilg, a:ld mele Hu1a, p9etry neant !cbe accompanied by stylized dance movement. The two chants arenele c1i, the sac:ed oI]es used fc: pie:/ers and spj.rj.tual meailtnE:

!ii:::.+:, Mr::._.' IiY_i !:-li::, F::S: ::::\:::NGS

ttI

2

voi-ced wittrout d.ance, music bY pelcussj,on. we want to stress thisdj.stlnc!ion by quoti-ng Maly Kawena Pukui (P'H.L 19?2:201), theprlncipal Hawailan authority.

":.-.e hlfl-a Cance:: 1n ::arr-:nE !ias deCr-ca:ei :c ;,aka, the bg]gccCiess, ts:u1a t!ainrag !ras a religious Ela."ter. TotaLCef,:cation was needeC, T5e siudent, maD or l,cman, was X3!ll,ca set apart. 'i,

That 1s, :1!ua1 viiglnl:-y was na::Jatc:y while 1r the Halau Huiauntil a::er qiraCuation. :t Has, howeve!:, not a pe:'nanent IB!9.

sc the chants were conceived within iEsij.tutional franework,a cu:tu:af fo!m unique to Ha!.rar': and Polyaesla, erhr-ch aie+ttr-^:- t.-: 1-r -ttt-t.-o

The !anilia:ity of :he "::cpics" j-n as::cncmy \ras coveredvely He:i in Ethnoastroponv ard Arch aeoas tronomv in the A$erj.can!:g!j=i, e:r:eC b-v .An'"hcEy .1ve.-: a:rd Gar:, U::cii viho, e/:t:l olhers,vrere cci::ibuiors. lie only w:sh to mention what certaj-n aspectsof the :nvesij.gation have shoIfll to be unusuaL and specj.fically

I: vras David I,ewj.s r.ho pcln:ed out the sLgnificance off'-5 -...r\. r- i5F ^r.ar-::1)u?:._- ;:::e:!:s c: :hese :::.:r{':.:i Davtga::rs. :i: sa::!ol!-:res:ars ale lhe only peop:e Hho travel a:rC e4)erielce livitqrequall:r ci bo;h s:des c: ::-: :f .::::: !.1ih i.3ie: t.:pic bouada..y-

1:.i:es. (T:ie Mao;1 o: New zeef3;d behave as 1: they vrere s-siLIi.nsiCe the trcprcs. )

Ailc:he! ari we discuss:d lias the Po1:/nesian abiiity tov:EJ::::e isla:1d E:a!:ps o: -::.:--:.: w:t ey:en: eS j.: ::om aScve a: ag:ea: d:saance, 1i.ke the Rapa Nu1 "dream vqyage fiighi." Lewisconilibutes ihis art to thg navigators' taclliiy during a voyaget.o ::-s::::Ly po:ni to ihe i.:rE.i:cn of his hcme lsiand. Tavake,ihe i:s: ?ol:r;res].aD navlga:or, who dled in 1970, used Ehis

?::e balance qf iwo ier:j.:o;tes aSout the equatgr, whlch 1s asewr seam or p!h-g (nave1), 1s ltke place wi+.h two nolth siars, a!l:-!:cr :rage of even'es in !rtn: currelt and time; oi upbiI1 anddcr"nh:i:i of lefi and llght. He find th].s al exlraoldj-nary placeto s:uey; palticula!ty the t::ne reversaL, where I'cu! c3lecda: c:s:x !loD--::s suDmer, s].x mcnths i{Lnter has to be turned 180 degreeswhe:': J-c: cross the seam.

In Hawai'i, Kane, JuDe 21 suDner solstice, rises in thenortheasi, and telg, December 2L vri.nte! solstice, rises to thesouiieas:. In the Marquesas beiow the equato!, jr9!9, wintersolstice, stays at j.ts geophysical location and ri.ses in thenc::5aas:, a!:a 5gle, sunne: sa_s:tce, rlses i: :l:: scu:i.!easi, you

3see, in forning a conceptof tine, Pollmeslans had to reverse thenonths to give neaninE to reaLj.ties they exper:-eDced.

From these thoughts and the desc:ipticns cf the Hawaiians,the Tropic bounded wcrld of the PoiytestaDs Has :lot. concelved ofas a triangle, bu'- a square approxlna--e1y fifly (50) degrees on aside. Astronomrcaily, i-L is a lelg (1::e) s;:ace: the only spacewhere the zenlih and anti-zenith celestial eve:::s peculiar to iheTloFi.c world can cc.u!, and beyond wh.se bouria:tes shadow(deaih) is cast. To say it nakes a dt:fere:tce :: you belleve lhezeniih event is the primal lj-fe force would be ar understatenent,

warirE:, l.{eecb: KUMU KA:I , IIP,ST 3i3lr*l{lNGS

With this background lre 9o direc:Iy to Cha:1: One

N. E. Eine.soD (i9C9:1i4) ari U, Ma:ru t1499 & :'{s. ).lnelson gives Do titfe othe! than Ug- (Scng), a:rd says iE is ai'fragmeni of folklore . "

YSLE: soNG:

1 :.irki m3:, h:k: ne: k3:e, e. : :::3s c::.:, rt has ccme;10, the SUD !2 Aloha wale ka La e kau nei, 2 -ow I love ihe Sun that's on

3 Selow:_- si\::ms Ka-wai-hoa,4 Cn :he s:.pe i-ncl-1ned frofiKauari Eo Lehua.

On Kauai lrei I a pa1i,A beetllnq cliff that bcunds

3 A:3 na:i1o o Ke-wa:-:oe,1 A ka lalo o Ke:3:, o Lehua.

5 A Kaual au, tke t ka pali; 56 A Mil-o-Lii pale ka pali 61o1oa.7 E kolo ana k3 pa11 o

Makua-:k:;I Kolo o Pu-a, he keiki,9 He keikr makua-ole ke uwe Lei.

I c:awl:ng up was Pua, lhechiLd,9 A:r c!pha:: t:a'r weeps ":_t, ]t"

, :rrl ^l:n}---- !!FMiIo-1i1,

Makue-iki,

A brlef explanati.on per line:Isee ]'Ilus:ra!]ons, ?:gures l and 2.1

4

t1!}'6 c' riThe sun rlses to 1ts zenith-Ka-wai-hoa, a snaLl peak; zenilh on a fou!-year cycle(plus cr !r::lus fou. from July :3, 19a9).l.le staDd on N-ilj.ba]! island, sun reflecied dolrn fromKaua' i 1sland.5 Look towa:d l!Bge:!; see the c::ff.6 A big cl-ifi that bounds !!Lb:LL:L vailey.? tFhc e,.- 'ri r'.e ci:i: nanei M1:<:r-iki..

8 tge j.s Kane-a-Pua, ihe Baby Sun. n

9 A1one, it takas flve days to !'eturn, o: eventually cfimbthe cl1:f ani ae-!u:ir on 1ts s:x-nc!::h :::p to the sou-"h.

4This chaot and the traCi.-l,cn of i{hen f i.rst used cotnes from MosesManu (1899 & Hs.) and is 91ven in "Eqg," B. p. Bishop MuseuD(1930:8,9), It telLs the stcry of the visit to Ni'ihau island. andChie: Halai-i'i by the !:g- coddess Kapo'ula-kina'u, or Sepq forsho::, in whtch she takes pcssession of the ch1ef, causrltahlm tochair:, Then, tu:niog :o he; younge! s].ster, Kewelani, Xepq takespossession c: her, aj.so. Kewelani proceeds to chant a:td Cance theEq13 abcve. This occu:s, c: c.urse, on a June 21 sols:ice riseanC ihe retu=n Cate o: IE:e. plincipal god of I)locieation, o! theretu:n o: :.:ttar, il:e s'J'i:::i. X-BI-C of the pele-Hi,iaka j.iulacyc:e.

. Tl," ci::f Maku3-1k:, i.;hlch 1j-es apploxlnately 29 ki.lomete!s(i3 miles) away, besiCes belng the mouniain peak iround which theTr:lprcbi:'Cs c: .5_A-iC c::.:3 :s aLso the peak f lom wht ch pg1g,s:;-a:-:ilg ftag s_,:cks a:e sa::ed out over the ocean. This !i:ua1was pcssibly pe:fc:liei :c encculage the retuin of -,he summea sun,',he souace c: f::e.- The:e :s, *e oe::s!'e, 3.ro:her hiideD nean:.ng enbedCeC 1]1this chant: a pa:alie:. al:.g:ineai. If we move one hj.1e Dolth fi.omji:h3-wahl:e cn Nt :l:3..: :s:a:1d :c at:oihe: pfa:iorm cailed }(a_uno_ka-:-:3, lre c.:a:: :hE -_.j..= s::s::ce t:se aga:ns: uak::: c_tlf_]:wh:c:1 r-s 45 k. \38 r,. ) ai{a.j a:1C over xa-uLr:-a-pa6iheiau wilh theEILI3 platfo:r Ke-Ahu-a-:a}3. th:.s aftir. cf r,ake, coCdess cf Eqlg,:ie :i.s: ::;:\s ::i.-:e:: :::l:u i{ula c. X-a!-ql_-l isLa;j, ltas EZ *r::re piace :aa g:3j.:a::a:: a::a:ticD.aes j.:: accc:i' wtah irac.:,_ton.

',ie qu:..k-'r: ]1a.;i se.,.e::: :n!e!es::;tg :h:ngs happen:.ag: U-e-\-g!-a(The- ci:t) peak .owe::nE a:cve Ahu-a-Laia is ihe o-the:: piaX-trii-wh1.h the fi!'e s:l-ck ce:.n.::-v is perlornrea. This alignmant wou1d.rj.:ually link the twc f::s: 5gI3 pla:forms on two sepai.aie:.s1a:1ds i:: a sinul--a:ec,js ::--..rat in vast spatial- tame reiaied to_ -..= s-:.. -: :: : :?u:]:er :::gnmer.:, aLsa, sl:)ce 5!:U1'j-+-paoa ::eiau oo Xaua,1 :sland i.eceiv6s the':une solsticesu!::1se, anC laom th:s p:a.9 ycu could also clearly obselve the:ea:::e: sa:s:::: s::. :::::- a:tgnnen: then glves W:.:..-.e: :s:a::C aiuture, and Xaua,i islaid, a past. rt is an interEiringcon:eciule/ anC someHhe:= ::i the chan:s we should hear ihe echc

^€ -\.i. .r - -*-^--

:i:'Mi,] KAI:], EIRST EEGfNN]NCS

Beicre :he :hec:y c: :ef:actionHewa:'i on some f,ays :::.:: Ehe sunEhe laws oi ea:th c::va:i::: seell !oi{E :-ave s:cci 3: i(a--J::-1-i?:t Hrr.rr!Eb.g-a crater; wi: iii:-;!5c -_.1: be,i !€lowi: Fe:e o!::-.- 8 k. l : i, ) 3w=y :.nsteai(36-r. ) i.:s;a:]ce:!:.s a::u a:: y.

- Thts hE::u-:o-i-e::u :::g:lment at the tine of the .funesor.str.ce ]._s particularLy anierestj-ng in that fron this selected1oc3!1on ihe ho:tlcn s.J::::se may be cbse:ved only fcr the f:ve_Lcr s.aa.cs::_-, w::e:a:5 s-i-::,se wtii iot have beeD seeD for at

cames up, note that inrj-ses or after iis sei:1ng,be suspended. To illustrate,on -E-e-U-a-:L aDd have seetthe horizoo, locm up as 1fo! the barely v1sl51e 45-k.

ii::--hi:, y+i::.. KlliJ K;-i:, ::is: 3EG:\N:NGS

5

least four Donths prior to this tine. This is because the gleaternass of Kaua'1 island effectively blocks the sunrise fron aNlrihau island perspective for 35 degrees out of the 50 degreestotal . T:r:s design featu:e nakes the standstill. of the sumnersols--rce ::se a ve::y selec::ve window, 1nd.eed.

:: rs e.:1 :nte!'es:::g c:--:ecture that the .lu:le 21 solstice;:se:s a ;:.i13 fest'j-vai of ir,portance, and aLso a clear exampletha! o:e c: th. purpcses c: ::-e sacled glll3 was to !-eco!d al]d:eveal ::.. :it.,la1 ccs;r:. allE::men!s, and inclui::rg the fulL cycle

Iicte :ha', the Hula was controlled by gcddesses, Stariillg!rj.th ?eLe, whose red lBva fine c.eates the islatCs, Hi'1aka,- :i^ .-i -i. .2-.tar-!q _!rrc- i E!.llj!l . erre

Yc:'::e: Gaaiess c: :he sea '';::i her wor1d. sea taee of 1j-fe; Laka,E:::..:;al 3cda:ss o: ::.. I;-, whcse aliar in :he bgl3! faces io'ra"atq-

",a" 3nd tbe eiCer parroness mentioned. above, 3!p, "fhe

;.aka a::d 53!9 are a Cuallty: !e he.e is sun and life; Pg ise:er::r:y a:i' u!:der!,roif i. tso:h, togethe!, a:e symbollc cf t.he 1!n:_=-. --.c e.-d - J!-.r5

:c ::::s::a_,e iii:s :e:3:1on. one :we!ir--seven Itte chalrt...] '5j w6' rF^.5 r.._: Dalcl Fnsrc^F /':ono.1o<\ 6h^cwi:h the l1.es:

::e s::: stsri's cve! !i::-hoa,Ai:.e: on the b:eas: .: ocean;::--::re ::oF:a:::a I l: :e::roa: :s preen:-;'r9

cn --:.e b:east oi naked Lehua.

The poet:c :e:erence on i:s !3!!g leve1 m3y be read as zenith and

one .: Pg-'s b::::1e:s, a nevj.gatc: nameC X3:yghp:Aljl-i, hasa klnc 1:! (bciy) folr o: a ia:k cLiif, and Kaua'i island, lrhichhas ri3::'j c: :::+se c::::s ::a-' plunge i:l:o the sea, bas Xg:!9b9:... '. -:Kane-a-Pua ('Baly sr.rn') ciinbs the cLiffs of his older brother;E:1us "?!e --:ie chr1d" ::nCs a p:ace in chan"s f!"n the ancientcia: --:::::::r such as ::i3:::st cha:l-" ciiad, Lllre g. lJa alrraysvj.s:ts X3lSjjL 1s:,and anC h:s b:other whele lank oD lank of cliffsabcu::.

3:C:Nli:rics

6

The place on Nl,ihau island where Kapo and Kewelanlperforned thls flrst gUfg rrith its implication of sun aiignmentlaoking toward Kaua'i island would appear to be a wa11ed heiau(sacred space) calleC Klha-wahine on a point of taDd calLed ial:-6.S.e-. This 1s siiua:eC on the e/estern edge of a vast, sun-bakeC,flat p1a1n at 2,a24 hectares (5,ooo acres). lgll:Egg:e neans"Cliff of the (wh1:e) T.opicbird" of .E!-DC (The Sun).The openicg flon Lines o: another cha.t {Eme.soo 19C9:61)

tHaunt of whlte troplc-bj-rd and. big ruffLed ow1,lThe cliff on Kaua,il .Lrp rlses '.he farst-borD chtld o! the pa1:.. Iclj.!f]lie cLlnbs, he climrs, he climbs up aLo:t,KahoLo-ku-' iwa, the pa11 of Ha, i. ,,

Thls is interesting for it gives a new name for the cliff anCa:ea on Raua'i :.sland. A face: of the liawai].an way oi naning isthat the pelson or object naned nay carry many diiferent names,all correci, carefully chosen for lnhereni meining, and used aidif:eretlt times cl fo: Cl::e:altt purposes because cf inile:en-,sub;ieiies. Thls f:ts wlth the oraL poetic tradit].on--the truelil:i: a..utaton in EaqEjS--comFLete wiih iis netaphys:ca1

Another chan: ir j.ts 1as: eight lines exlresses tbe rj.st:tgsun as:

"Love returDs ta Nf ihauTo the sec!.et i.rate!s of the pa,o'o fish.The breadfruit fruiting ai grcunC 1eve1And the b:-ack s:aLkeC suga! caie at :.taial1,i.There is Nrhoa further back,A tlny isl,et in the sea.The hot sun beats upon the plafns.Turn al1d face Kaua' i. "

Again, metaphor aDd aLLusioD Inixed wi:h physlcal elignmen:s. Tot-ruLy "reaC,' thr.s chant. you must either k;ow the pl;ce or beaDre ro prolecE yourseLf inio it by way of the map. you mus! knowthe culture, the references, the sun-roundneSs of a breadfluitand the ou!-of-place character of it fruitlng at ground level;you musi kilow t:]is black-stalkei suga= cate, and. its plopertj,esand uses; !elatedLy, you must know ihe na:ure, also, ot lne fa*eof-liaLali'i, anC j.l which mcn:hs it Clsap?ears, ard ho,, th:slelates !o the mentj-oned cane; you nust krow the j,nherentneanings of the lake name, which j,s the same as the chiefPcssesseC by &ep-q j.n Chant One of the E!l]g.We gi.ve alL of these related chants !o show the inpo.tar:ceglve; r.o th:-s spec:::c t]'ne and piace al:giment by the iawar:.an

iiarther, Meeci- : KJMU tiAii: ,

composers of therising solsti-c eEnI3, the realities

sun and its z enlth,1and signi.fj-cance of the

Tha s ccmes fron Robe:is (79261265 No. 122

1 "He noku Ka-u1a, Nlhoa 1ane N1, i.hau2 I ka ulu La'i a ka Waihoa 2a Kane3 0 Kau:-ana a ka Ia i !iaIali.,i. 34 Hala ka la kau na kua 4o Lehua5 !(au ka :ehul,ehu o ke ahlahi 5

6 Moe e no, Kaua,i i luna_ka 6

7 E o ana Do o Lehua i ke kai-."7Expl anat:on :

An islanC is Ka'ula, Nihoaadjolni-ng t\-1, iaauIn the calm rests the wate!produced by KaneThe sun rests over Ha1aLi'iAnd in passing rests over thethe back of Lehu aThen lhe i.usk of evening

beg:IsKauar]. qoes to sleep wh:le :::e-.,- ._ ..e! u_while Lehua rs s!i.1I vlstb:ein lhe sea,

I KaruL: :sland is sou:h\rss--, Nlhoa is noirtheast,2 The calm is a grest sun sirace-3 !.la1ai:,:. is a !^re.. seascn Lake, and an anci.en! chlef4 Lenua s ,'back,' is to the west.5 Dusk = s.:n :s seiting/has set.6 Rauar: 1s dark wh11e the sun travel.s on lrestwarC.7 iiehya :s not only vis:.bl.e, but measuled as by a (sun)paihiElpliei in the word, .e]lg, to measure; so lt aaD be un-dersiooCtha: -vcu as vj.elver are sianding on Kaua'i obselv:ng the fournemed tslanCs -

Quesilon wher.e you are staDding, exactLlr, i:l this chantea,ssce!:e, aad wha: soLaa eveots you are seeing in lhe cycle. ycuare, ci course, observlng setting suns which are associated wt-,h."he depa!'tilg spirj.ts of deceased Hawaiians; so the pLace tosiand wj-li be a leina, a juEpidg-off place from which to t3ke theleap lato tlte mys!].c sea oi !9 into eEernity.lSee Fig'.r.es 3 & 4. 1lhe p:ocedure is to deternine the back-sight from theislanCs .a11eC off, so, s:e:tLngi !.,iih (a'u1a :.siand., whach 1s 3Zk. (20 B.) sou:hwest of Ni.'i"hau and about BO,5 k. (So n.) fromwest X=!-aj: island, we ily to measure ihe Decembe: sols-,j.cesunsei L:.::e back io Kar.la' i. ',{e pu-- asile }LLI9g j.sland as i-. !snot in orCer. Moving north, Ha1a1j.t i lake j.s next, bu! we suspectit is an anti-zenlth, or naCi-r aligomeDt. since we do not have:.et any cbservati"on point fcr thLs on Kaua'i, we select lgjl]lAisLand a:C ceater a due lnest 270 degree equinox se! back-s1ght on

i{ar--heT, }'Ieech: KUMU KAHI, EIRST BEGINNINGS

ILehua and bring it back to xaua'i., whlch intersects with ourDecember solstice line oll a 2?o degree equLnox sunset back-sighton l€-b]lji al]d bring it back to:!.e.U3:!, which intersects with ourDecenber solsiice line or] a riCge call"ed Xe!!3:Ie!A; now we havea "po j-nl. "

lrcm :hes: two !n:e:'sec:eC lines we p!o-reci out tovrardsHalalf i Lake on Ni'ihau 1s1and at an estimatednorih o:2{3 irgrees. what we discover is tha: the south mountainlange oD Nl'il3u p:'events nov:ilg the nadlr 11:re any nore norththan 248 degrees, a:1d the 11::e does cross HglgLL:i lake. It is aboxed-in aLignneni not capable of being moved off Halali'i. lakei: we we:e to observe a horizon set of the anti.-zeni-th (nadir)suns .

Tbls qurte reDa::kable fac: suggesied an ancienE astroDome:had enjoyeC hrrself wi:h thrs cne. CbviousLy what was berngmaniPulateC was the location oi the observation poj.nt on Kaua'i,and ih:s helped to confiln wha: we were finding about thestruclures ca1led heiau, connonly t:ansLated as "tenp1es, " butac!ua11y Cenotl:rg sacreC spacels), and therefore "points" tc

I,le lei lhrs ali-gnmen! lest for a b1t because Nihoa isLand:acn !h:s a:r+-e:sect:cn was ic: on tle 295 ieg:ee sumnea soisiicese: anC was !:c: ki'lown as a : j;r.!:.ng-c:: pLace :!r sp j-rits, so wi].Has it i:rc:'.ii.e:? ia:ei we:a::::e a::ti-:enl-Eh fltes on the clta:f:o! Decenber : (30) a:2:- 52.9'ani the January i1 {90) at 2i-52.6', AraslnEly, these t!4c an:i-:enith Lines intersected theaLlgnment prcjected over Eg131j!_:L lake and:o suDset and ihe faceof the cl1f: as ilt the char:ts. He a;e not quite sure how this hadbeen ach i eveC.

The N:hca island j.ncluCed t-n the chant resoived itself bythree pieces o: informatio!:. The first came f:-om E[erson(19:.7:XXVI:) ',PeIe,s Accout! tc Kaocho-e11,t of tite Depa!turefron Kahik1." Brlefly, lgle sa:.Is toward the lslands withpassengers lncludi:lg two br-others. When they stop at llllegisLand, Kane-a-Pua, the "baby sun,' we met in Chant One, L!l-anded, ihel1 t:le rest sai.l, awa]' to !c-b.gq islet of N-!]jlb-a.g islani..UneypLa:ned, '.:"te nav19aio. Ka$chc-a:t'L re:urns and picks upyoung Xane-a-Pua, and they lelurD tc Nt'1hau to the south.The iex: :wc i::ms a::e :::3t wheir il:ljigLe, the pr:opbe:

Goddess, is oc XElElf islaj:C,s west coast, she chanls.Emerson (1909:258-259, Li:les g-13 ) :

,Out thele l/ith the ficat:ng SuD,where c:oud :orms res: c:t ocean,s bleast,Upltf '.1n9 their forns at Nihoa,Th:s siie the base c: Lehua,.C: K::.8 . "

9

And the third 1s Pukui, Elbert, l'{orokinj., Place Nanes ofHavrai' i, 1974:155 and i48.

rrNihoa, see Mau-1oku,'r the aIlcieDt rIane."Mau-ioku. !eair::':g place fcr sculs, li:.hca Lit. contj.nuous

Note :hat -.he f a::r-:rg of t.le scul rl:c havai'i, the openingof the unCeri{or1d, is a continuous-cyc1ica1-cj.rcula! motion of!etur:1ir1g. so, cf ccu:se, xane-a-Pua was Ie: off at sL}gg forfive days :or -":le Ju::e soLstice se; perlod and was picked upl-ater r.rhen he could rncve south; and &Lbpg rs a lCilA, leapingplace for souls; and ihe place to stand has to be between !]]]!ka Pele gg:Leg and Hakua-iki alignment on (e!-al_I ls]and.

t{e prcpose :;ra: 5:b9A jusi had tc be ircluded to complelealL the soiar sei eve:1:s: Decenber solstice set; tro anti-:enithsets; ir,rc equatcx se:s; and one iune sois:tce set. The stxseit:ng suns, then, aae refelenceC in a seven-1ine chant, BeycnCber-ng qu:ie amazr.ng, you ironder how Iong 1r took to gain theviei.€oiDt and ulrCers:a:rCrng to set this solar knowledge inlarguage slTbois. Th:s is observed from 53993;13lg4 rldge, the!:ame ci whlch mears "::e Squa:e (c:9our) iioating" and suggeststha: '-he slx suis se-- :n:c four pi'.s tn '"he floatlng weste:'n seahori:on, which :.s what they aciuaLly io.

'l31al:'1 iake g:::s srppoi': as a place for depar::ng sou:s-^ _-..^- ^_ -_.: .-^_---,., the chan: refe.enced previousl:' tha!oenij-oDs "-.he b:ack-s:alked sugar cane of }ialali'i." checkr.ngPukui & Eibert Clctic;rary (1986:51), we are enllghtened by,"Hal-ali'i, Na'lhau, whe:e a famous sugar cane once grew in thesand dunes. Thi-s ca:re \.ias lrsed in cerenolies !or renissi.on of

Kauia-1ewa ridge, a high plateau now ln sugar cane, st.artedoff a:r iavesti.Eaiio. :::_.c an unk:icwn a!:ea. lhe!:e 1s Dot a he-La.q:he:e, o: a:ecc:3ea ::.e, but t5e ch-a::t hi;|.Ll,ghEs a neanrngbesldes "sacred.," i.e. rbe root word " b.e.i" is "sDare," and "3lL "a seqheni of ti:!e; sc a qood transla-sion ihai flts is "ast!'uctule to mark a p:ace that sqa:es sac.ed. tine." A consui-tantKumu !{u]a {souice Te:che: cf HglS ) salC ihe;e had to be a chantabout EgllalClq, and crie was found. so vJe w111 know mo:'e about!hi.s area in lhe fulu:e.

aligninents 1.ras f r-:s! plotted on charts,s check ln the f:eLC. on ILL:he.q islanC,

-^r n^cc-L'1 5 r-' -\6^].. rr_ w,L..-i].ruJn was verifr-ed, and back checks fromlhe oecenrber sols!1ce sunset. However,arisfactory, the:eiore two Gallttln G,P.S.{nd associate Karen Meech !.ti11 beil1] be possible fc; even out of 1lne-of-

l

fto r--!r,.-r,.i -i5then by vi.sual a!,lC ceilpasprivatel!' owi:ei., !h:s h3:r!'o -1i i: Eh] 11--r-a r;a.Ahu-a-Laka we::e nad.e fo!unlts have beeR acquiredconducting surveys :h=: li

l.la:ther. Meech: KUMU KAHf, rIRST BEGINNINGS

10

sigh: allgimenis, of which there are quite a nunber over the1151-k. (725-m. ) lenS:h of the lrfelve ]-slands.T::s H:i1 remain an oilgor-ng investigation; the prospec+-s

cFe:ei Jp a:e end:ess and exct::nq..l.s slaw:), the two main c:.ant exenpfes !o9e',her--!is:tg su:1,

:_=_=___:_l_! s a c ! eo Eg=!:a w :' :Dou r oanc e - - r eve a -some as:.'::-c,i]19 1n:ornatlon. Both haC tc be composed byasi:ci:.:1e:-i:avi.gar--crs who had a ihorough knowleCge of t:ei!.lsla::i.s' posiiicns even out of sight, but not inpossible toloca:e. lle are not dealing Hj.th traditional poetic understandingof c!:an:s as prayers, naltle chants, love poeEls of people andplaces; ::s:aaC, we have dfiec! ie:e:enc9 iJ the celes;:.al eve:'-s:l-a: a:. :::uaily ltcoapora:eC a:1C pa=: c: -Lhe Hawat:a:] bEiiE:s-vs:=:iis.

In ore niDe-line and one seve!-Iine verse He are tDade a*areof past krtoe.ledge of alL tbe solstj.ce, equinox and zenith-nadireven:s cf tbe Tropic !,orld.;ha-- :s un:que for the h:s-.or1' o: al1gnnenis, gene!a11y, isi::a: ::: :s:aoncme:-si!e p1a:::e:s 1i::ked sepa:.aie isla::i.s i:::c aaas::: ^::/ a sinu:--aneous it;ua1 aL:gnlnetri th:cugh s!-ace ::-- --hesaia :::!. :.::s suggests a ceslg:t s::a:eE-j !o create a nEs!e:i:a: ::-:: r3ufC eveit:uaLly it:.k pe:heFs el: af the 1s13:.tjs 1: er::'.::: niLc:3. Thls grcupinE was f :-!s: Core for ihe th::ee-1s13::Cg:ou; .: N:'ihau, Kaua,i and q=hU, acco:C:ng to Kamakau {19G.!,Vol . 2, :.i) an iia\^,a1j-an historlan of the 1840s. He informs uslhei :'::e iit:ee-island g:.oup had oae astlcnomy wlth the cen:er cfiea:::::; !e:lg locateC on I3!4_-l islanC a: Eg.!!e3. He:ees::::'..=::s call.ei. pc,e (i1c F:oku wen: ic make lhe:!.obse=va:t:l:s, -&LLg meaning stargaze! c! seer, and bghU, star.i:: :esearches suggest thei:hlough chants and t.ai.itl-on acon.:p-- c: a oneness, a conpleteness ca!led lgBehi keeps:ec:l:--:-;, ai1 insj-s:ance that i\e famil!,, the chiefs aod the:s:a:-:s .:! "cne,, a!]d the sea:ch is:or a unify]'ng sys!em.ue ::::C evidence of this in the compcsitlon o! a pele_::'r-:.:: c'J:le, a chani jou.ne:/ ih:cugh tle islands r.qilr:i-g s:xmoD:::s 'ip at:C six ncnihs down, Erom zen]-ih to nadir j.s also slxirci:i-s a:ta 5:nds the half year of growih -so the half year of

lira! aLso Deeds thought is the vas:ness of the sea in whj-chthe rav:;a-.crs repeatedly saiLed. The island.s are-porats, areasc::.s:, :.Fai!, rec!eation, u:lii1 i: ts tlme to siif agiin,Hgunea's sea j-s the navlgatcr,s homeland; the points of land are',rhe:: ::i:::/ ai:d:e1a:ion a!e visltei: blooC rLla:rons a:e alI!rE- i__r.-Es rc.

liaTlheT, Meech: KUMU KAHT, FIRST BEGINN:NGS

11The j,slands, themselves, are round like woneR's breasls with

a high noun:ain pyramid as a poina of direction expressed in twoways: Egkgi, seawaril, and SStIka, mountainward { a!.r'ay fron thesea). The navigiator is either going or coming. The otherCr.:ection 1s around, direction deflned by er'"her the rrgS-. orl-e:t shoulde! being toward the nountain, The islands are cl.ocksanC the rislng,/settlng sun changes positioo as )'ou mcveclrcula!1y around the island in a constant changing luxiapcsrtloncf gecicgicaf fcrms, They are unlike any othe: fand fc:;r E. livein--ve:y ii:ferent from places on coDtineats,

lie promised to di-scuss two chants of ..he HuIa, bui i"re cansay that they e:rC1essly nultipLy to include the twelve tropiclslanCs of lhe enirre Hawaiiaa chafn: irom Necke. islal]i. cr U.g.bli?re M3:a, th.e 'rEoe of Pe1e" on the i!op1c, to the r.sLai.3 c:I.:ar,rai'i w1:11 iis ac'!ive vof cano of Kl1auea, the i'head.!' oi the!g- frEu:e. Thrs we wi1l. have !c leeve :or o-.her PaFe:s t:

Finally, there is no quesiicn that we inus's fc11o!, thecrea:ive maild of the ancle:1t as ti oDomer-nev i ga:o! . Ii: i:Esarnves_!igailcns r success, if any, :-s due :5 tbls ne\.r1:--ie:::ed!:3i^'a::-en muli1C:sci-piii]a:y sysiell, whlch a1i o! !,ou hsve dc:le sonuch to ci:eate and which we call in HaHai'i "Astronon:cal::::.::ec:.::e, ' a ?la::n:nE si's:em f)urieC c:. ::-9 nav:ga:-_:ssp:Ce:!.eb cf s:a;s.

";s--:r:1rir::a: A:chi:ect.r:e" ls !:ul:r a sea:ch :c: a::i.3::iiawai:ar hr-story embeCded j-n the reall-ties o: ancient By:h. Thfsileld cf Archaeo- E thno-As tronomy has opened up and ex:ranCed ourunderstand:ng o! the Hawaii.aa mind by findirg reasons for t'!isvasi amount of public archj.teclure and whai ii was used !c:, a!]iwha'. coufd have been seen and transacied 1i:s ii.e these 1i:geceremcni3l landscape complexes. we recognr-zed the forinai as webegan investigatlng froB the island pie segheDis ou'L ::'on ihencuniar!:--op to the sea, circling to incLude the entfrs :.sla:id,ard as i-t revolves it includes in its sweep other isl.anCs leaicloss the spokes of the eiqht plllars of the solar cYcie.

The arcieols created an all-i-sland ecological whoi-e thai lrascomposed in a vast archi'leciura1 p1an, This pian selectr.vely usediald iorms aDd structures thai captured anC dramatized i5e qreaiccsmic events that they wished to "stoP," to ''snare" in ..lme.Thus, thicugh t5is twefve-island !itual space they e]<F:e:seitheir valued and nolded traditi-on and belie!s.

ao! EB!!jl5- - ai 1 tHelve cfE-cI-!, a filst beginnj.ng inlo anto be uncovered from lhe laYers

the lslands oi P-glC--ir is a IlEqancien! past, a knowledge siillo! 1j. te ra1 neanj.ng.

F!anci.s X. warthe !'Mia.h

Copyright 1/23/93

Ua!'ther, Meecb: KJNU KAIII, EIRST BEGINNINGS

PROJECT LOKAIIT 12

Ms. Edlted & Prepared 1/22-1 /37/93Gl0ssary

spoDsor,KA IMI NA AU' :O C E:.TiA: I : }-E:"The search fcr the Trutb oi ilawaiiinEdusational & Research lDst:-.uteKauari & Maui. Hawa:'i, U.s.A.Roselle r. Ke:j.':honj.pua B a:: ey,Director & Runu Hula

EEADEB]_5--OIIES.I.IPN.9 :

by DawD Fraser (awahara,Poet Ln the scbools-Kauari.

THE PATH OF THE HALAU HULA FBOM Nt/t HAU TO KAUAT - ^,,ii'ilayifjlS D!C rr-!- ar

JUi! 2t IOLITtC! Al!A Altu a tAxa llllAU lluLl.xA t tu o PAoA, ltttAu. ra!,8A!|la. !ixut

:lzru).t / )'-F t67tt Au ,/ *==

alg, 1, Cll,\NT NO. I

Thls perspectlva 3hor3. bacf tlght of the.llqnnent rhlcl beglns oo thed16t.nt lsland of tll'1hau to th. rlqht. nhere (lha-r..hlne rtula platforD i,6slocated. paraller.llgnment rould.ctullly hlve the rlslnq solstlce Eun.Dperr to he at tlte Heinu nnd tlula pl.tfortr of Ahu-6-L.,(a on the tefr, TheItrr.reRt ot thl. solstrce.llqnrent Ir that lt rntte. trc t!landB lnsln,rlt.n.ons tln. rttu.l of th€ llnrar lltl..

\,kn uopeoai"raaha aAv d lEha

", alan" .l,rr ''-,

-.r

I----..^-ut,.

lehua.4 inoa.tt^3.t

:Idi;/a //d

i-J-:' : ! :.:: r- :: : :l :: :: :'

IKd-ula I sl end

ha tno o4eha.h eh. la ueh,he,h.lFtL

rtg. 2. CFA I tro. t ^nrl CthrlT NO. 2

rn rht" pl6n F. sr. ^lro ehortng cnint no. , b.for. ra s.t to llr,leF, rltl lon; to 1lltr.tr,rte, th. .tl.rononl..l tr.hltPctnr.l bal.n,. d,6lqnn.lrnto t,o s.parate irIatr(li 29 kllom.ter! ap.!t l1{ nltc!) eh.,. tne (1rnln^trt,1!F or th.6'rnm.r.olrtlc. rlln (l(a{e, I.lrF) l. eoni.t.6t?d wlr.I lo,rr i.ti.lrq':In all'1nn.nta of l.lr. ilDt.r tolstlcc..t oa l/gno {o..th).

:_;lti

-- ----- -: --

.---

Kqttz'l ToIHPEE - 3

...-..\\:\

FPo/Y1 AAAKUA'/Kl -NI i HOA . JUNE 2/. SOLS TlCE .fE TNIlH4U. HO'O NEE NUA IIE/AU

R/PGE.PoINT 4L|6NrUENI K4UNA LE WAa t6. 3.

ThlE pFrsp.ctlv. expr..6es an.llgnnent d'slqn that ls a pararltqn fDrriiriri". i,."-i""a""ipe eonceptr: io 3t.nd 't one 6ctected placE aD(l to slshtio$ioc a tanttlar lmportant q.oqr.phlcal .l.nent of anoth'r lslanrt tb6ttrrg.ts 6 6!l.ct.d loltr or cclettlal .v.nt..

| - - Wlo.t gg..ZZ+' t V'-o!2.7 I t-s! a-a-a-o1t!a- t-t-o4 c.l 3 9 e99 : ! 2'-5! !Z'-

i l 't...)1" -4|trea. -"u.'r"*, li\

lqdq\"

i

Kaue'i iifri[iatc nt

FTEG#.o 5o *.|of,.t.?s

Kaua't

7-X

Nt'thau

FIG, 4 .

rhls Dlan.hots th€ bdslc !olar tettlhq polnt'-_tho B!'e'lan6.sav-"pltB";ii:;""ii: ;;;";.;;;s-ihe una.r"orri.-iri iii ot tnese arrqtrm'nts x6 onrv c6rI:i;';h;";.iil J,J'i",-i;t ihe plerades rt3es Pre-herlcauv, -!:j:::.:l: "*"";;i";i;"-;i;;.-^i;; in thrs ratrtude 'n'r looo vears aeo' a svnmetrlcarbalance wa! perforheit bv e...utu" ina entires''*nfct both rose 'nd 6et !t th€::;:";;';;;.';;i;;" 6t;hlch the st mer, v'lnter Bxns rose and i€t'

'-'trM*,.*",| - *t--i- let4.\i tlin!9!.!9\