Note 39 — Introductory material (continued 2)

When Umi-a-Liloa broke the tongue of the wiliwili necklace of the daughter of Kulukulua, after she fully realized that it was destroyed she wept bitterly and ran over to her father, saying: “My necklace ornament is completely broken by my husband.” The father then said: “What was the reason for destroying your necklace?” The daughter replied: “The man said that he was ashamed of it; the wiliwili necklace ornament was common among their people from children to old women, and that the royal necklace of their chiefs were the teeth of the whale forming the ivory ornament.” Kulukulua then said to his daughter: “Those men should be securely bound with cords, and if the ivory royal necklace is not furnished, then they shall all be slain and sacrificed at the temple of Kanoa.”39 Therefore, Kulukulua commanded his men, and Umi-a-Liloa, Omaokamau and Koi were securely bound, while Piimaiwaa was allowed to go to Waipio to bring the ivory necklace, because a command had been given that the ivory ornament must be produced within one day, and if it was not furnished in one day they would all be killed. So Piimaiwaa hurried down to Waipio and in a short time apprised the chiefs there of the predicament which befell Umi and his companions at Hilo. Without waste of time Piimaiwaa returned the same day and placed the ivory ornament in the hand of the daughter of Kulukulua. She was made very happy on seeing this uncommon thing that the tooth of a whale was made into an ivory royal necklace. She hopped around with joyful laughter at her good fortune, but to Umi-a-Liloa it was a sad occasion to lose the royal necklace inheritance of his royal father Liloa; but he earnestly prayed to his god Kukailimoku that the royal necklace of Nanikoki be safeguarded with the chiefs of Hilo until the time they [the chiefs of Hilo] would be conquered.