Kupe'e live in sand and under the sand and among the rocks. At night the kupe’e comes out of the sand and feed on plant algae found on the rock surface.

Varieties are qualified:

            1. Kane-i-ka-anuenue---rainbow-Kane’s symbol of plant life

            2.’ele’ele

            3. kani’o

            4. mahiole

            5. palaoa: literally "ivory"

            6. puna

            7. ‘ula

Long ago Kupe'e lived on rocks during the day. They were white and black, resulting from too little or too much sunlight. They were small, like the pipi’i, and lacked beauty. They were shunned by humans as ugly and without taste.

Legend

The early days, the sun’s travel was erratic, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. People could not depend on it. Cooking was very difficult and at times the night lasted for a very long time. The taro, sweet potato and other foods could not grow. Fishing was very difficult, and fire was the only source of consistent light and heat.  Sometimes the sun just stayed out and the heat was oppressive. Trees, plants were scorched. The ponds dried up. The hanging tapa were burned.  Even people and animals were overheated and their tongues hung out.  People on Kaua’i and Ni’ihau suffered.

People wailed, animals wailed, plants drooped, leave shriveled. Even the ground cracked and the rocks were hot to the touch. The priests at Hikina-a-ka-la were so vexed; their prayers could do nothing to put regularity in the sun’s travels. The sun may or may not rise and at times not set. Even when the sun did rise, it may speed across the sky. Often to play with human the sun would travel slowly and at a very low height, burning the land. At sunset he would laugh and roar and brag about his misdeeds. When he did not rise, the land was dark and cold.

A family of Fisher-people called Kuakino lived along the sandy shore of Koloa. This was a large family. It was said that they were all related to the kupe’e. Like their kupe’e ancestors, they were not an appealing family as they were bent by hard work, sunburned, and calloused. The difficult work and the difficult days caused the family to be split into factions. Some obedient to their gods, they did not complain but gave thanks to their ancestors and gods with offerings from the heart. Others complained aloud, they cursed the gods and gave insulting offerings.  The elder Kuakino beseeched his family to unite and remain as one.

Maui lived at Wailua near the temple of Hikina-a-ka-la. The priests could do nothing, they begged and offered offerings but to no avail. Maui lived with his mother and brothers at the point of Ke-’a’a-kukui, near the place where his mother went to into the heavens to seek her husband.

One day Maui traveled to Koloa and as he rested saw the Kuakino family in their work. He went over to the canoe sheds and asked for fish and sweet potatoes. The family members although not eating well brought out their food and openly gave him a feast. Maui knew they would soon starve. Other family members came by and denounced them for feeding a stranger. The Kuakino elder apologized for the ill-remarks of some.

Maui sat and ate, he was offered the best black awa of Ha’upu, the sweetest fish from Waikomo and the best sweet potatoes from Koloa. Soon after his meal, he relaxed with his host family and told them of his venture to slow the sun down. They looked at him in awe, “who are you to do this”. Maui revealed himself with his anuenue tattoo on his arms. He was Maui, the grandson of Hina who guards the underworld and the warrior of the gods. Maui was fully ready for his trip to Haleakala Mountain. He had his magical jawbone, his stone club, the magical snare and the chants to weaken the sun. However, since he was to paddle a canoe, he would be seen by the sun so he needed their help.

Kuakino, the elder, gathered his people and asked them for consensus in helping Maui. They agreed except for a few who left.

Kuakino gave Maui his ancestor’s canoe. It traveled swiftly with one stroke. But once there, he had to hide so he told Maui of his ancestor’s secrets. Maui was to dig and hide in the sand like a kupe’e. Family members would go along and chant the magical incantation that would change Maui into a kupe’e. He would be invisible in the sands of Kihei.

The kupe’e at Kihei would help Maui until it was sunset.  Because the sun was mischievous, he needed to be enticed to be of full stomach so that he would sleep for along time. This would give Maui time to climb Haleakala and prepare his venture. The kupe’e decided to sacrifice themselves. Kuakino’s men were told to cook a large platter of them. Awa from Kaua’i would be served in large gourds. They would leave all the food for the sun to see and smell.

The trap worked, and the sun arose and smelled the cooked kupe’e and drank the large gourd o awa. The sun staggered across the sky and sank into the sea where he could be heard snoring all night.

At that time Maui’s kupe’e body was restored and he could climb Haleakala and be ready for the sunrise the next morning. As everyone knows, the sun arose and Maui snared it with his magical rope. His chanting caused the sun to weaken. Maui’s strong tattooed arm was very powerful. The sun’s rays reached out but were broken by the jawbone of his grandmother. His magical stone club broke other rays. The sun now was weakened, its rays broken, its head bleeding and its eyes swollen. Maui tied it down and sat near it and made his proclamation for all humans, plants and animals. Obey the rules of the gods and serve life. The sun acknowledged and was set loose. It slowly traveled the sky and sank in the west. The sky was red from the blood of its wounds. All was now well.

Maui climbed down the mountain and reached the shore of Kihei. There he asked the gods to favor the Kuakino family. No more would they be bent, darkened, and skin shriveled. No more will they work hard. From this day forth they will be beautiful, with an array of colors. Especially those who helped in his venture and for those kupe’e who sacrificed themselves, their family will wear the anuenue tattoo. Others will have the colors of ivory, or have a stripes of red. For those who preferred not to help, he turned them black.

These Kupe’e will now sleep during the day and work only a night beneath the sands along the shore.  Kupe’e will now be sought by humans, their beauty to be worn on the wrist or as a lei. They will be cherished. Maui thanked them all and left for a new venture.