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Source: Centuries ago, Lānaʻi was
thought to be under complete domination of evil spirits.
Natives were afraid to visit and not much was known about
the early history of the island. Legend says the King of
Maui banished his nephew, son of the high chief of Lele
(ancient name of Lahaina) to Lānaʻi. Kaululaʻau, the
young chief, was escorted across the 9 mile channel that
separates Maui and Lānaʻi to serve his term. If he
survived, he had to make a bon fire visible to the people of
Lele. This would be the sign that he was ready to atone for
his constant disobedience and take his place as a high chief
of his people. Much time passed, hope for the young chief
faded and the people began to grieve. One night, fire
pierced the darkness of Lānaʻi and runners were sent to
the people of Maui bringing news of Kaululaʻau's victory over
the dark spirits. His return was celebrated with great joy
and thanksgiving and his conquest of the supernatural opened
the way for settlement of Lānaʻi. The Maui king divided
Lānaʻi into 13 ahupuaʻa, 11 to chiefs of high rank:
Kamoku, Kalulu, Kaunolu, Palawai, Kamao, Kaohai, Paawili,
Maunalei, Mahana, Paomaʻi and Kaʻa. The high chiefs then
portioned the ahupuaʻa to lesser chiefs and common people,
who were required to use the land productively and pay taxes
as required by the Maui king. Principal taxes were hogs, and
is the basis for the name ahupuaʻa. Ahu is a place of
storage or where things are piled up and puaʻa is hog or
pig. The other ahuapuaʻa were, Kealiaaupuni, the control
center of the island, where taxes were collected, and
Kealiakapu, the spirtual center and place of refuge, under
the rule of the kahuna or priest. Keahialoa, the long
lasting fire, is in the ahupuaʻa of Kaʻa. Many years ago,
old timers tell of a purple lehua (metrosideros) that grew
only on Lānaʻi, the last tree growing in a forest that
has since been destroyed by wild goats. The chief of this
village was a very powerful kahuna named Kawelo whose arch
rival was Lanikāula, the kahuna of Molokaʻi. Kawelo noticed
that many of his people seemed to be under a supernatural
spell and ordered a meeting with the village elders. They
proclaimed Lanikāula as the culprit. Messengers were sent
across the channel by each of the kahuna and accusations,
in the form of aku lele, directed at each other. The two
kahuna decided to build a visible fire, without any
assistance, and pray each other to death. The fire that went
out first would signal the death of the kahuna of the
respective island. Many months passed and one night the
Molokaʻi fire was seen no more. Kawelo, the Lānaʻi
kahuna, announced the death of Lanikāula of Molokaʻi. Kawelo
had secretly sent his retainers to Molokaʻi for the
excrement of Lanikāula to burn on his bonfire. The smoke
passed through the forest changing the red lehua to purple.
Legend of the purple lehua told by Huaʻi, Lānaʻi
kupuna. See: Kaulana Molokaʻi for their version of this
legend.
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