Laʻa-mai-kahiki was the 3rd Alii Aimoku of Kauai. He ruled as King or Chief of Kauai. He is sometimes mentioned as two persons: one named La'a and the other named La'amaikahiki (Laa from Kahiki). This extra La'a generation is not included in Fornander's preferred Ulu genealogy. This generation is included in "the one quoted by several ancient Hawaiians, scholars, Kamakau among others, and recited when rival heralds sang the praises of their chiefs." [1]
Contents |
Laa was born the son of High chief Ahukai, the great-grandson of the Oahu Paumakua, and who in the chants is called Chief of Kapaahu and Lord of Nualaka. He was adopted by Moikeha, the future founding Moi of Kauai. On this voyage Moikeha took with him, as an adopted son, the young Laa, who then must have been but a child. His foster father, Olopana, Moikeha's brother, and his family, embarked on their canoes and sailed for Kahiki, where they arrived safely, and where, according to the legend, Olopana gain control over a district or section of land called 'Moaulanuiakea, and where Moikeha, still the right-hand man of his brother, built a sumptuous residence and Heiau for himself, called Lanikeha. [2]
After his foster father had been many years residing at Kahiki as vizier to Olopana, he left after a chief had slandered him in front of his brother. Laa, on his departure from Kahiki, he had left with his brother Olopana, and whom Olopana had adopted as his heir and successor.[3] From his stay in Kahiki came his name Laa-Mai-Kahiki.
After Moikeha had been many years residing at Waialua as chief ruler of Kauai, and when his sons were grown-up men, a strong desire took possession of him to see once more his foster-son. Moikeha was too old, and Kila, his third son, was commissioned to go to Kahiki to Moa-ula-nui-akea and bring his foster brother with him to Kauai. The double canoes were fitted out and equipped for the long voyage; several, if not all, of Kila's brothers went with him; and, finally, Moikeha's own astrologer (Kilokilo) and friend, Kamahualele, who came with him from Kahiki, was ordered to accompany Kila as special counsellor and chief navigator. When all were ready the expedition started. After passing through the Hawaiian group, and taking its departure from the south point of Hawaii, it stood to the southward, and in due time arrived at Kahiki. Whether, as the one legend has it, Laa returned with Kila to the Hawaiian group, saw his foster-father, Moikeha, visited the other islands, and finally returned to Kahiki; or, as the other legend has it, Laa remained in Kahiki until after the death of Olopana, and then proceeded to Hawaii with his own canoes, accompanied by his priest, his astrologer, his master of ceremonies, his drummer, his prophet, and forty other attendants. The fact is nonetheless certain that Laa came to the Hawaiian group and stayed there for some time, principally on Oahu at Kualoa and the legend adds that after Moikeha's death Laa returned to Tahiti and lived and died there.[4]
He stayed for a while in Hawaii around Oahu and at Kualoa. Here he married three wives; they were Hoakanuikapuaihelu, daughter of Lonokaehu from Kualoa; Waolena from Kaalaea; and Mano from Kaneohe. All the ancient traditions retain the fact of this triple marriage, and that each one of those three ladies was delivered of a son on one and the same day. From each of these three sons it was the glory and pride of the aristocracy on Oahu and Kauai to trace their descent. These sons of Laa-mai-Kahiki were respectively called Lauli-a-Laa, Ahukini-a-Laa, and Kukona-a-Laa. Pakui, a noted bard and priest in the time of Kamehameha I, in his version of the ancient chant of the creation of the islands and the origin of the nobility, thus sings:[5]
| O Ahukai, O Laa-a, O Laa-a, | O Ahukai, O Laa-a, O Laa-a, |
| O Laa-mai Kahiki ke Alii, | O Laa from Tahiti, the chief, |
| O Ahukini-a-Laa, | O Ahukini-a-Laa, |
| O Kukona-a-Laa, | O Kukona-a-Laa, |
| O Lauli-a Laa, makua, | O Lauli-a Laa, the father, |
| O na pukolu a Laa-mai-Kahiki, | The triple canoe of Laa-mai-Kahiki, |
| He mau hiapo kapu a Laa, | The sacred firstborn (children) of Laa, |
| Hookahi no ka la i hanau ai | Who were born on the same one day. |
Though it is not mentioned that Laa ever had any Tahitian wives, Laa could have been the ancestor of the Tahitian royal families. The Ancient Tahitian Chief Hiro, whom their genealogies make the twentieth before the late Queen Pomare IV, and who, according to the same genealogies, was the great-grandson of Raa and the Hawaiian Laa flourished 23 generations ago.[7] Raa was the same as Laa as there were there were no appreciable distinction between the letter R and L in the Polynesian language.
The legend adds that after Moikeha's death Laa returned to Tahiti and lived and died there. Laa was noted to have brought with him from Raiatea and deposited at the heiau of his foster-father, the god Lono-i-ka-ou-alii.[8] It then narrates the adventures of Kila and his troubles with his brothers in a rather prolix and marvelous manner; but the result seems to be, comparing the two legends together, that Kila abandoned the island of Kauai and established himself on Hawaii, where he obtained possession of the valley of Waipio, the former land of his uncle Olopana; and from him several Hawaii families claimed descent, notably Laakapu, the wife of Kahoukapu, Kapukamola, the wife of Makakaualii, and Piilaniwaliine, the wife of Kamalalawalu of Maui.[6]
With Laa-mai-Kahiki closes this period of oceanic travel, migrations, and intercourse so far as the Hawaiian group was concerned; at least no name has come down upon the traditions, legends, or genealogies of any Hawaiian chief who undertook such a voyage to the southward, or of any southerner that arrived at the Hawaiian group after that time. While the exploits and adventures of the many who failed to establish themselves and perpetuate their names on the genealogies of the country have faded from the national memory, or are only alluded to in connection with some other more prominent figure, yet sufficiently many succeeded in making themselves famous among their contemporaries and sending their names and their exploits down to posterity as a cherished heirloom through unbroken generations. Thus, in spite of the marvelous accretions which the legends gathered as they passed from father to son, attesting the historical truth of the fact, the time, and the character of this singular episode in Hawaiian and Polynesian national life.[9]
| Preceded by Haulanuiaiakea |
Ali'i Aimoku of Kaua'i | Succeeded by Ahukinialaa |