Hawaiian Religion: Puolo Hoomanamana (1880)

Kaʻu Wahi Pūʻolo

"Kaʻu wahi pūʻolo"(my little bundle) derives from the use of pūʻolo (bundle, container) as metaphor for "message or topic."

This is a blog about Hawaiian Religion. A frequent topic is its continuity despite the fact that it was officially abolished in 1819 and despite massive efforts to Christianize Hawaiians in the 19th and 20th centuries. A good portion of this blog is dedicated to sharing articles on Hawaiian religion from 19th- and 20th-century Hawaiian-language newspapers and other sources. I use the electronic archives Papakilo Database and Ulukau for much of my online research. My translations here are just very rough drafts to offer the gist of the articles for those who are unable to access the Hawaiian language.

Photo: Dawn at Kahoʻolawe, a sacred island and kino lau of the ocean deity Kanaloa. Across the ocean stands Haleakalā, another sacred mountain, on the island of Maui.

Hawaiian Religion: Puolo Hoomanamana (1880)

7/27/2015

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Bundle containing things to worship a god.

To you, Kuokoa:—Aloha to you.
When I and my friend J. S. Lono were going to church, when we reached the bank of Puloku, there was a hoʻomanamana bundle at its edge floating in the water. I fetched it, opened it, and there was a small dog that had been baked, which was wrapped in yellow cloth. My friend said that this was a hoʻomanamana bundle of the olden times. It is right for you to show this to friends who are interested in our news about this hoʻomanamana of olden times, the Pagan period.

M. Kekalohe
Waiheʻe, Maui, Sept. 20, 1880.

Published in Ka Nupepa Kuokoa on 9 Oct. 1880.

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Kaʻu Wahi Pūʻolo