All About Hawaii
By Clarice B. Taylor
THE TRIALS OF HEIAU CONSTRUCTION
Koihala, the high chief of the Kau district who constructed the immense heiau on the heights at Makanau, allowed his ambitions to still his conscience as an alii.
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The high chief who kept the love and devotion of his people made provision for their needs when he called upon the manpower of the district to work upon a public project such as the construction of a heiau.
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The alii who destroyed the regular rhythm of planting and fishing by employing all his men upon a construction job was certain to bring starvation upon his people and trouble for himself.
Koihala was such a chief.
NO PIGS OR POI
The Kau people depelted their stored up food supplies of dried fish, live pigs, dog, taro and sweet potatoes during the heavy work of building the heiau stone walls.
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The supply of pigs and dogs had been depleted for the religious services required at each step of the heiau construction.
By the time the men were ordered to make the 20 mile trip to and from Ninole beach at Punaluu to gather the half inch pebbles for the heiau paving, there was little food.
NO FRESH FISH
The tedious trips to and from the beach with the pebbles took the men within sight of the rich fishing grounds and reminded them of the fresh fish which was their normal diet.
They grumbled because they were dependent upon the food which their women could father: leftover sweet potatoes instead of poi; shellfish and offshore fish which the women could catch, and wild greens.
NEXT: The mountain trip.
(Star-Bulletin, 3/23/1949, p. 28)