Read this article in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
We will soon see and hear chanted the Kumulipo, a creation chant and genealogy of chiefly lines. The Kumulipo will be presented on Sunday, September 14, at ʻIolani Palace. It will be chanted by the students of Kamuela Chun, the lead instructor, along with the students of Mehana Hind of Oʻahu, Kalei Nuʻuhiwa of Hawaiʻi Island, Kaponoʻai Molitau of Maui, as well as my students.
This performance is a tribute to Liliʻuokalani, the one who translated the Kumulipo while she was imprisoned, in the eastern seaward corner room on the second floor of the palace.
This is the second time this millenium that the Kumulipo will be chanted on the grounds of ʻIolani Palace. The first time it was chanted in this millennium at ʻIolani was by Kamuela Chun and his students in 2003. However, their first time was in 1999 at WIPCE-Hilo. The last time the Kumulipo was chanted in ancient times was when Keʻeaumoku was laying on his deathbed at Koko, Maunalua. The Kumulipo was chanted by Hewahewa and ʻAhukai.
The first time it was seen and heard by foreigners was at the arrival of Captain Cook at Kealakekua. The foreigners were led to Hikiau Heiau. There, Cook was venerated by Puou, the chief priest of the temple. Puou and his attendants thought that Cook was Lonoikamakahiki, for whom the chant is composed and whose return it prophesied. Lono and his “fleet-of-two sails” looked like Cook’s ships.
There are 2102 lines in the entire chant. There are perhaps three sections. The first section speaks of the creation of the world. There are seven epochs in this section concerning the birth of sea creatures and their guardians in the uplands. Epochs 1 to 7 were collected by Hale Nauā and it was Kalākaua who sent his members to Molokaʻi to inquire of the kahuna for this creation section.
The second section is comprised of Epoch 8. This epoch shows the change from night to day. Laʻilaʻi, the first woman, and Kiʻi, the first man, were born. So too were Kāne and Kanaloa as gods. Kū and Lono were not born as they were introduced gods. The other distant ancestors were born in this long epoch – 800+ lines. According to Rubellite Johnson, the star ancestors were born in this section.
The third section consists of Epoch 9 to Epoch 16 to which belongs the genealogical songs of ʻŌpuʻupuʻu, Palikū, Wākea, Haumea, Māui, and ʻĪ, to name some of the genealogies within. The chant is dedicated to Lonoikamakahiki. His other name was Kalaninui-ʻĪʻi-mamao.
May the names of the ancestors of the night and ancestors of the day live on.
