--- title: Laa From Tahiti — Hawaiian Historical Legends · full text with trees description: Laa From Tahiti, «Hawaiian Historical Legends» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: When history is told by genealogies, rather than by cycles of years, the time-problem is difficult to solve. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/10/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Hawaiian Historical Legends](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/) / Laa From Tahiti # Laa From Tahiti Laa From Tahiti of «Hawaiian Historical Legends» by W. D. Westervelt: the whole text, 69 sentences and 1364 words. 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When history is told by genealogies, rather than by cycles of years, the time-problem is difficult to solve.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") But in the story of Laa-mai-Kahiki \[2\] the stories and genealogies of two widely separated groups of Pacific islands produce a certain degree of apparent accuracy.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") The Society Islands have the story of Raa who became a ruler and established a line of rulers which has continued to the present day.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") The genealogy of this Raa family coincides very closely in extent with the number of names given in the Hawaiian genealogies from the time of the visit of Laa from Tahiti to his uncle Moi-keha the Restless and his subsequent return to Tahiti.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") This places the time of Laa in the thirteenth century.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Moi-keha sailed away from the Hawaiian Islands with his brother Olopana and his nephew Laa.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") He returned alone, and won the island Kauai as his kingdom.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Olopana and Laa remained in the “wide spreading” valley under the shadow of what the Hawaiians called the mountain Kapa-ahu the Tapa Cloak in far away Tahiti.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") The mountains of Tahiti have been built upward from the floors of the ocean until their rugged ravines rise several thousand feet above the surf-washed beach.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") The centuries have softened the harsh mountain outlines and swept vast masses of debris down into the valleys, until at last tropical luxuriance dominates mountain slope and level plain.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Here Laa’s youth was spent, and his manhood gained.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Here he proved his superiority over the Tahitian chiefs among whom he had found his permanent home.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Laa’s record is that of a Polynesian viking.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") He was born on the island Oahu.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") He went to Hawaii with his uncles and spent a part of his boyhood in the royal valley of Waipio.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") With these same uncles he sailed the many hundred miles to Tahiti.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") It has always been the ambition of Hawaiian chiefs to excel in all athletic sports and warlike exercises.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") This was a course of training well fitted to make Laa high-spirited, courageous and ever ready to take the leadership among his fellow-chiefs in the new land where he made his home.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Years passed by.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Moi-keha was held back from longed-for sea journeys by the cares of his kingdom and the restful delights of a prosperous home.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") Children whose names became noted in Hawaiian legends grew to manhood and womanhood around him.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") Kahai, the sea-rover, a grandson of Moi-keha, is said to have sailed to Upolu in the Samoan Islands and there found a new species of breadfruit which he thought might well be placed by the older Hawaiian breadfruit.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") This he brought back with him and planted at Pearl Harbor.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Kila, the third son of Moi-keha, was made a messenger to Tahiti by his father.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") A great longing had taken possession of Moi-keha to see the foster son whom he had carried away many years before.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Kila was said to be very careful and courageous with a strong desire to emulate the deeds of his ancestors.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") The call to the sea was hereditary and with eagerness he grasped the opportunity.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") The largest double canoes were selected, their mat sails were made from new and strong hala leaves and they were equipped for the long voyage.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Fornander says that some of Kila’s brothers went with him.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") The old astrologer and sailor, Kama-hua-lele, who had come from Tahiti with Moi-keha, was selected to be the guardian of the young chiefs and pilot of the expedition.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Kila sailed from island to island until at last he left the high mountains of the island Hawaii and sailed away to the South.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The Kalakaua legends say that Kila bore with him a brilliant royal mantle made from the rare feathers of the mamo, and that Moi-keha had been many months in the manufacture of the mantle, assisted by hundreds of bird hunters and skilled workmen.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") This was an especial offering to Laa, a reminder of the high esteem in which his foster father still held him, and a proof of the intense desire for him to visit his native land.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") The long canoe voyage appears to have been blessed with favouring winds and clear skies.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") The stars were easily observed and followed until Tahiti was found.[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") It seems to those who now cross the ocean in great ships that such a voyage is almost incredible, but the Hawaiians were vikings and were as intrepid sailors as the Norsemen who were sailing across the Atlantic Ocean about the same time.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") At Tahiti they found Laa and his uncle Olopana.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Fornander says that one set of legends gives the story of Laa’s speedy return to Hawaii with Kila.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") Another set of legends rehearses the age of Olopana and his desire for Laa to remain with him until his life should end.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") All the legends agree in stating that Laa returned to the Hawaiian Islands, that he had with him a large retinue when he visited the home of his childhood and that he brought the drum known through all the later years as Ke-eke-eke.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") It was made by cutting out the pithy heart of a section of a large cocoanut tree, and thinning the shell as far as safety would allow.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the ends were covered with the skin of a shark.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Fornander says that “every independent chief, and every temple where human sacrifices were offered, had their own drum and drummer from Laa-mai-Kahiki’s time to the introduction of Christianity.”[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") The great event by which Laa was indelibly impressed upon the legends of Hawaii was his triple marriage with three selected chiefesses of the island Oahu.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") The highest chiefs among the Hawaiians were glad to ally themselves with Laa-mai-Kahiki.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Not only did the romance of far-away lands and mighty deeds attract attention, but his personal appearance and royal bearing seemed to have conquered all who came near.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") There was the general feeling that this powerful chief, who would soon return to Raiatea, must leave descendants among the Hawaiians.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Offerings were sent to the temples and the priests were consulted.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") The most sacred tests were made of the most important auguries known by the priesthood.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") The decision was announced that Laa must have wives given to him from among the young women of highest rank on Oahu, the home of Laa in his boyhood and still the place where the larger portion of his nearest relatives resided.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") The daughters of the chiefs of the districts Kualoa, Kaalaea and Kaneohe, all on the island Oahu, were selected and married to him in the midst of a great round of feasts and games.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") It was always known that Laa would return to Tahiti, and yet many inducements were placed before him to lead him to stay.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") But he only waited until each of the three chiefesses gave birth to a son, and then sailed away to establish a lasting line of rulers in Tahiti, where, according to Tahitian custom, he was called Raa.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") The ancient Hawaiian chants recorded the names of the three sons of Laa thus:[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") “O Laa from Tahiti, the chief.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") O Ahukini, son of Laa.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") O Kukona, son of Laa.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") O Lauli, son of Laa, the father.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") The triple canoe of Laa-mai-Kahiki.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") The sacred first-born of Laa, Who were born on the same one day.”[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") This gift of three sons—a “triple canoe”—to the Hawaiians is one of the most fully accepted facts of the traditions of long ago.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") They established families of great prominence and their descendants were proud of this distinction as “children of Laa.”[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") Apparently there was little intercourse later with the southern groups of the islands of the Pacific Ocean.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") The vikings passed away and their descendants failed to conquer the dangers of the seas.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") It may be that a prolonged season of volcanic activity discouraged sea roving.[65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") It is probable that many sailed away and were never heard of again.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") History seldom records the long list of failures among men.[67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") It has been better to tell of victories.[68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") X[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [Moi-keha, the Restless](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/9/) - next →: [First Foreigners](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/11/) - ↑ back to [Hawaiian Historical Legends](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66357/)