Pupu-lenalena: The Kupua Dog of Ni'ihau

Pupulenalena was a very famous dog of Ni'ihau. he was a kupua, one who could change his body form at will. He roamed the islands doing very mischievous things, and he especially loved to steal. The following story was told to Tutu Kaui in 1930 when he left Ni'ihau to go to Waimea, Kaua'i, to work as a cowboy for the Gay and Robinson plantation. The story was told to him by Kuwalu, a man who lived to be 104 years old.

While on Ni'ihau, Pupulenalena had heard that the pig god Kamapua'a had planted a very beautiful garden at Makana in Ha'ena, Kaua'i. The garden had a very sweet-smelling hinahina and a very fragrant laua'e that smelled like the maile vine. Mischievous as he was, Pupulenalena decided he was going to Kaua'i to steal some of the plants and bring them back to Ni'ihau.

He knew that this would infuriate Kamapua'a, so with much speed, he went to kaua'i. he climbed to the top of the mountain and as he reached the top, the air was filled with the sweet smell of the plants. In haste he dug up as much hinahina as he needed. As he started digging up the laua'e, he spotted the pig god Kamapua'a coming up the mountain in a rage to defend his garden from intruders.

Pupulenalena knew Kamapua'a had seen him so he ran down the mountain to Wai-o-ka-palae, the wet cave, where he dove into the water and disappeared. Upon entering the water, he changed into his crab form, called papa'ipa'akea, which is very hard to see in the water as it looks very much like limu, or seaweed. Pupulenalena reached the beach at Ha'ena and swam for home.

In the meantime, Kamapua'a had reached the wet cave. He didn't see the dog but he did see its tracks leading into the water, so he dove in the water, changing himself into his fish form called Humuhumu-nukunuku-apua'a, so as to make better time to catch the thief that raided his garden. When he reached the beach, no one was there so on to Ni'ihau he went.

By then, Pupulenalena had already climbed the Kaali cliffs and planted the first laua'e and hinahina at Kaalipua'a. Kamapua'a in hot pursuit and still raging mad, spotted Pupulenalena up on the cliffs and gave chase along the mountain range, passing Pueo and on to Paia, hoping to catch up. But Pupulenalena was too fast and he was already resting at Kailioopapa'i in his crab form, watching Kamapua'a searching relentlessly.

After a while, Kamapua'a became thirsty because he had run so hard,so he paused for a drink in Hono'ula at the punawai called Waiakapua'a. While drinking and resting, he noted a reflection in the water: the dog hanging from the tree above his head, exposing his genitals. This area is named Ka-ma'i-lewalewa. By the time Kamapua'a came out of shock, Pupulenalena was long gone and was sunning himself on the reef at Kailioopapa'i. When he saw Kamapua'a he headed for Waaiu. In this area there are lot of saltwater loko or ponds.

Oh, how Pupulenalena loved being so playful! He was having a grand time teasing kamapua'a and again he changed himself to a crab, escaping through an exit at the far end of the pond. He watched the pig god from the cave Keanaakekolo, the Cave Where You Crawl. After some time passed, Kamapua'a began to tire and he decided to rest at Mauuloa. While he was resting, he devised a plan to fool Pupulenalena. Kamapua'a knew that the dog was watching him from somewhere so he pretended to be farming. This area has alot of pili grass. After he was sure the dog wasn't watching him, he piled the grass into bundles, tossed it over his shoulder and, disguising himself as an old man, went to Mauuhaawi.

Kamapua'a approached Pupulenalena at Haeakailio. The dog began to bark, and he continued to bark as the man came closer, not aware of who he really was. Coming close to the dog, kamapua'a flung the bundles from his shoulder and lunged for Pupulenalena. At this point, the dog knew exactly who the man was and with the speed of lightning, took off and disappeared. kamapua'a followed his tracks to Pu'uokama and kaholeinapua'a, a punawai, where he stopped for a drink of water. As Kamapua'a was drinking, he looked up and saw Pupulenalena at Kzaununui on the beach at Kepuhi, moving north to Kawaiakailio.

Pupulenalena started digging under these rocks and found water.. here he changed himself into the crab and disappeared from kamapua'a's view. He headed north to Pu'ukole Point and entered the hali'i Channel towards Lehua. This time kamapua'a did not continue the chase, as he was distracted by another intruder and so he headed back to his garden on Kaua'i, thus ending the chase that encircled the entire island. Even today the laua'e and hinahina that Pupulenalena stole still grow with their fragrant scents on the cliffs of Kaali.

Pupulenalena is the real name of the dog. Somehow during his travels and different masters, his name was changed to Puapualenalena

hula was written for him-the Hula Ilio, and it is considered a classic.

[Legends of Ni'ihau Tava , Keale 1989 p.71]

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