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maka- ainana (commoners) of Honoli' i that she intends to depart the area via canoe after
<br />a great earthquake destroys her foes, the mo' o (lizard) women. In the book she states
<br />that "This is a prayer already memorized by some, but there is no wrong with
<br />memorizing it anew so that it is securely and profoundly set, to avoid misfortune. And
<br />listen, all of you, if we sit a bit and there comes the rumbling of an earthquake, and the
<br />earth is atremble, you should all recognize it as the last gaping breath of the mo' o
<br />women, my adversaries, whom this woman here saw tonight. At that point we shall take
<br />our leave of you, for the Milky Way has turned toward the west" (Nogelmeler 2007:101).
<br />Soon after an earthquake struck and 'gently rumbled, dry thunder crashed,
<br />booming once, twice and a third time, at which Hi' iaka said, "My opponents have indeed
<br />died" ' (2007: 101). To the disappoint of the commoners, Hi' iakaikapoliopele and her
<br />entourage departed Honoli' i. They traveled "until they had passed Pauka' a and reached
<br />Pahoehoe, passing it and coming to Pu' u' eopaku, then continuiiing to Papa ikou,
<br />Keapoko, Paiha' aloa, Ka' ie' ie, Kalaloa, and all the way to Pu' umoi, and from there
<br />onward to Onomea, Kawainui, Kukuikea, Pepe ekeo and on to Makahanaloa" (2007:
<br />101).
<br />In Abraham Fornander's Ancient History of the Hawaiian People he discusses a
<br />fallen chief of Hilo named Hilo - Hamakua. His death, collectively with the deaths of other
<br />Hawaii Island chiefs, led to the reconsolidation of power on the Island: "War followed,
<br />but the revolted chiefs seem to have been deficient in organization or co- operation, for
<br />Kea wenui-a- Umidefeated each and all of them, killed them and kept their bones ... as
<br />trophies... In the legend and chant of Lonoikamakahik% the son of Keawenu% the names
<br />of the six district chiefs whom his father defeated are given" (Fornander 1996: 111).
<br />Among those names was Hilo- Hamakua, son of Kulukulua of Hilo.
<br />In Thrums Hawaiian Folk Tales it is explained that "Another temple of their
<br />erection was at Pepeekeo, Hilo, the peculiarity of the work being that the stones had
<br />been brought together by the residents of that part of the district, by direction of the
<br />chief, but that in one night, the Menehunes gathered together and built it. The chief and
<br />his people were surprised on coming the next morning to resume their labors, to find the
<br />heiau completed" (Thrum, 1907: 71) This story, although mythological, may be related to
<br />another account told by A. E. Hudson in his circa 1932 book Archaeology in East Hawaii
<br />in which he was told by an informant that a heiau was located at the Pepe ekeo
<br />plantation managers house. (also see the Previous Archaeological Investigations
<br />section)
<br />HISTORIC AND RECENT LAND USE HISTORY
<br />By the late 18th century, and after at least two violent attempts to occupy the
<br />district of Hilo, Kamehameha had taken control over all of Hawai' i Island's districts:
<br />"Evidently, in 1789 and 1790, Kamehameha had been preparing an invasion of Maui. At
<br />some point, he asked Keawema' uhili of Hilo to supply him with canoes, men and feather
<br />capes for this invasion. Keawema' uhili consented, sending canoes and warriors with
<br />three of his sons -a stunning change in the Hawaii Island alliances, with a shift of the
<br />Hilo kingdom from Ke6ua and the Ka' u kingdom to Kamehameha and the Kohala -Kona
<br />kingdom" (Cordy 2000: 331) .
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