Читать книгу Unwritten Literature of Hawaii: The Sacred Songs of the Hula - Nathaniel Bright Emerson - Страница 34
VII.--WORSHIP AT THE ALTAR OF THE HALAU
ОглавлениеThe first duty of a visitor on being admitted to the halau while the tabu was on--that is, during the conduct of a regular hula--was to do reverence at the kuahu. The obligations of religion took precedence of all social etiquette. He reverently approaches the altar, to which all eyes are turned, and with outstretched hands pours out a supplication that breathes the aroma of ancient prayer:
Pule Kuahu (no Laka)
O Laka oe,
O ke akua i ke a'a-lii 64 nui.
E Laka mai uka!
E Laka mai kai!
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O hoo-ulu 65 o Lono,
O ka ilio nana e haehae ke aha,
O ka ie-le ku i ka wao,
O ka maile hihi i ka nahele,
O ka lau ki-ele 66 ula o ke akua,
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O na ku'i 67 o Hauoli,
O Ha'i-ka-malama, 68
Wahine o Kina'u. 69
Kapo ula 70 o Kina'u.
O Laka oe,
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O ke akua i ke kuahu nei la, e!
E ho'i, e ho'i a nolao i kou kuahu.
Hoo-ulu ia!
Footnote 64:(return) A'a-lii. A deep-rooted tree, sacred to Laka or to Kapo.
Footnote 65:(return) Hoo-ulu. Literally to make grow; secondarily, to inspire, to prosper, to bring good luck. This is the meaning most in mind in modern times, since the hula has become a commercial venture.
Footnote 66:(return) Ki-ele. A flowering plant native to the Hawaiian woods, also cultivated, sacred to Laka, and perhaps to Kapo. The leaves are said to be pointed and curved like the beak of the bird i-iwi, and the flower has the gorgeous yellow-red color of that bird.
Footnote 67:(return) It has been proposed to amend this verse by substituting akua, for ku'i, thus making the idea the gods of the hula.
Footnote 68:(return) Haí-ka-malama. An epithet applied to Laka.
Footnote 69:(return) Kina'u. Said to mean Hiiaka, the sister of Pele.
Footnote 70:(return) Kapo ula. Red, ula, was the favorite color of Kapo. The kahuna anaana, high priests of sorcery, of the black art, and of murder, to whom Kapo was at times procuress, made themselves known as such by the display of a red flag and the wearing of a red malo.
