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Kalou-wai and Kalou-kai

BY EMMA AHUHNA TAYLOR

THE HONOLULU ADVERTISER, 

SUNDAY MORNING, MAY 2. 1943.

Paradise of the Pacific.Vol.47, March 1935, pg.4

 

THESE TWO FISH Ponds are situated at Waialee and Kahuku on the Island of Oahu.

 

In the long, long ago, tradition tells us a part of Kahuku and Waialee was composed of a strip of land or islet that was floating in the sea near the mainland. During stormy weather this moving piece of land would crash against terra firma creating a most annoying sound and this, in addition to the natural roar of the ocean, disturbed the two old women guardians of Malaekahana and Laie-i-ka-wai.

 

These two old women made their home at Kalae-Kao where they watched over the district of the Princess of the treasured father house (Laie-i-ka-wai). So they thought out a plan whereby these awful noises could be eradicated. They made two huge fishhooks from wood and attached them to a large rope of Olona fiber. Then they swam out to where part of Kahuku was floating in the sea and caught it with the hook at either end of the land.

Returning to the mainland they drew it up and held it by winding the rope around two large boulders at Kalaekoa. After securing it in this manner they held it there until the small land grew together with the mainland and the aggravating, crashing noises ceased. When they unfastened the hooks from where they were attached they left two holes that filled up with water and became fishponds.

 

The fishpond at Kahuku is Ka-lou-kai (the sea hook) and the pond at Waialee is called Ka-lou-wai (the water hook), It is said the souls of these two old women watch over these ponds. Salt water can be found beneath the surface of Kahuku in many parts and thus this land is termed by the Hawaiians as "the land that floats over the water."

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