Note 28 — Introductory material

When Umi said this, the old man was greatly frightened, but he stood up and started off running, following the order of the king. After Nunu had started, Omaokamau followed him to see how much ground he would cover, wondering what the king was about. In running the old man’s feet became entangled soon after he started and he fell down, but he got up and kept on running; but he tripped on his feet and again fell, face down, breathing very heavily. When Umi and the other old man, Kakohe, came up to where he was lying face downward, Umi said to him: “Say, are you exhausted?” All Nunu could say was “Hu.” After waiting for a while Nunu recovered himself, and so Umi said to him: “From the point where you started to this place where we are standing, covering two ahupuaas, is the width of your land.” In making this remark to Nunu, Kakohe heard it, so he said to himself: “So, that is the way the king is going to give lands to his people. They must run until they fall down. He is indeed justified in doing this, for we must bear our burden even as he did when we made him work for us.” Umi then turned to Kakohe and said: “Now you must run.” Kakohe then started off and Piimaiwaa accompanied him. They ran until one ahupuaa was passed, when Kakohe fell down to the ground and he remained there exhausted. When Umi arrived at the place where Kakohe was lying, he said: “Exhausted, are you?” Kakohe said “Hu.” This expression, “hu”, was intended to be for “u”, meaning “yes”, but being so exhausted, the “u” was changed into “hu”. Umi then said to Kakohe: “This is your land, one ahupuaa, while Nunu has two ahupuaas. You two will make your own arrangements in reference to their use.” Turning to both the old men, Umi continued: “All of the things that are growing on your lands are yours, and you two shall do what you wish with your lands without any reference to me; and you can leave the same to your heirs after you.”28 At the close of these remarks to the old men they all returned to the Waipio Valley where they lived.