Meha Ka Leo I Ka Nahele: He Noiʻina I Ka Poʻe Kāpili Manu O Ke Au Kahiko

Abstract

In this paper I have researched the kinds of bird hunting practiced traditionally throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago. I have collected, analyzed, and documented all of the sources that could be found on the subject of traditional Hawaiian bird hunting, commonly referred to as called kāpili manu. Sources utilized include Hawaiian language newspaper articles, old manuscripts, journal publications, old interviews, and traditional Hawaiian stories. This paper has been divided up into three major parts. In Māhele 1, the bird hunters themselves are examined, as well as their lifestyle when on hunting trips. This is done in five chapters: 2. The Konohiki System, 3. The Qualities of a Bird Hunter, 4. Mountain Living, 5. Trespassing on Land Boundaries, 6. The Spiritual Aspects of Bird Hunting. In Māhele 2, native Hawaiian birds and how often they were caught are examined through two chapters: 7. The Traditional Categorization System of Native Birds Used by Hawaiians, and 8. The Birds Most Hunted on Hawaiʻi Island. The last section, Māhele 3 looks at hunting methods of specific kinds of birds. First examined are the general traditional methods of catching small forest birds. Then the hunting of the ʻōʻō (Moho spp.), the mamo (Drepanis pacifica), ʻuaʻu (Pterodroma sandwichensis) and kōlea (Pluvialis fulva) each have their own chapter. The business of bird hunting was important in ancient Hawaiʻi. Birds were hunted for food, feathers, and for tools. Ma keia pepa nei, ua noiʻi ʻia ke ʻano o ke kāpili manu o ke au kahiko o Hawaiʻi paeʻāina. Ua ʻohi, kālailai, a ua palapala ʻia pū nā kūmole a pau i hiki ke loaʻa mai no ia kumuhana, kapa mau ʻia he kāpili manu. Ua kiʻi ʻia nā kūmole mai nā nūpepa ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi kahiko, nā waihona palapala kahiko, nā puke pai, nā nīnauele kahiko, a me nā kaʻao kahiko. Ua hoʻomāhele ʻia ka pepa i ʻekolu māhele. Ma ka Māhele 1 o ka pepa, nānā ‘ia ke ‘ano o ka po’e kāpili manu a me ko lakou noho ‘ana ma ia hana ma ‘elima mau mokuna: 1. Ka ʻŌnaehana Konohiki, 2. Ke ʻano o ka Poʻe Kāpili manu, 3. No ka Noho ʻana i Kuahiwi, 4. Ka ʻAʻe ʻana i nā Palena ʻĀina, 5. Ka ʻAoʻAo Pili ʻUhane o ke Kāpili Manu. Ma ka Māhele 2, nānā ʻia nā manu ‘ōiwi o Hawai’i a me ka nui o ko lakou hopu ‘ia ma ʻelua mokuna: 6. Ka ‘Ōnaehana Waeʻanona Manu Kuʻuna o nā Hawaiʻi, a me 7. Nā Manu i Hahai Nui ʻia ma Hawaiʻi Mokupuni. Ma ka Māhele 3 i nānā ʻia ai ka hahai ʻia o nā manu liʻiliʻi o ka nahele ma ka laula, a laila, ka hahai ‘ana i ‘ehā mau manu, ʻo ka ʻōʻō, ka mamo, ka ʻuaʻu, a me ke kōlea. He ʻoihana koʻikoʻi ia hana kāpili manu i ke au kahiko. He hahai ʻia ka manu no ka hulu, ka meaʻai, a no kekahi mau pono hana.