Kawaikapuokalani K. Hewett
March 22, 2005
I wanted to mark this transition of my life after graduating from Castle High School in 1972 by getting a tattoo done. Tattoo’s were not a part of the cultural renaissance yet so the word most people use today,” käkau” was not as widely used then for this tradition as it is used today. In fact when people saw my tattoo back then it was a thing of curiosity and some disdain. I was called “pupule,” or crazy for trying to bring back the dead and practising black magic.
People said all kinds of things when they saw my tattoos but nothing would stop me on my quest of honor as each tattoo would symbolize a design that I would create from the names of my ancestors. My ancestors that would give me strength and fortitude to proceed into life as a young man.
Assigned to the name of Känehekilinuinakëkë would be my rendition of the lightning bolt. To Kaÿönohiokalä would be my creation of the sun and it’s darting rays. To Hinaakeahi, Hinauli and Hinaÿeleÿele would be my creation of the moon and the rainbow that glowed around it circumference.
I would not use ancient designs because there was no ancient kahuna who knew the meanings of the ancient designs no to give me permission to do so. If the ancient designs were kapu to some lineage and I was not of that particular lineage, then what would be the outcome? Probably disaster. Imagine this, if words in the Hawai’ian language could bring about life or death, then these ancient symbols and patterns which are extensions of these words could do the same.
Tradition for me then became my creativity and my dynamics. Tatooing was an ancient tradition, it was also a means for me to connect to my ancestors and as long as the blood of my ancestors flows in my veins, then all that I create is tradition. It lives within us all. My origins are in the ancient past but I am here today in this world and the traditions that I perpetuate will live on through the dynamics of the next generation. This is, how culture lives and is perpetuated.
My first tattoo was that of a bird, wings outstretched within the circle of the sun reflecting five rays. I cannot explain why I drew that particular design, all that I knew was that it was personal to me as if I had always known this design and I had to do it. There was no way that I was not going to do it, so when I asked my grandmother permission to do the tattoo and she said no, I did it anyway. Ironically I placed the tattoo just above my knee or “kuli.” “Kuli,” deaf to the words of my grandmother or as I explain it, her no reply somehow translated in my ears as, yes!
This was also a transition for me because I was making this decision and I knew that either way right or wrong I had to be responsible for this choice and any negative outcomes. My grandmother did not reprimand me for what I had done. She looked at the completed tatoo and was more concerned that I would get blood poisoning or some kind of contagious disease.
It was not until I was 25 that I truly realized the significance of what I had done and the meaning behind the symbolism of the my tattoo. At a hula performance on the island of Kaua’i I met my granduncle Solomon Holi and his wife, my grandaunt Olga Pualani Kalï Holi. My uncle presented me with a genealogy written in 1881 by our ancestress, Kanaheleaumoku. She being a great granddaughter of Kekauhiwamoku son of King Kekaulike of Maui. With Kaÿailuaapeÿe Kekaÿawahineuli, Kekauhiwamoku had three offspring, Kaÿönohialiÿi (w), Kaÿönohilani (w) and Kamoaokalani (k). From the piÿo union of Kaÿönohialiÿi (w) and Kamoaokalani (k) was born Poeakalani Kaailuaapeÿa (w) who was the mother of Kanaheleaumoku.
Our tradition of the uhi or tattoo comes from the chief Kekauhiwamoku as explained in this chant from the genealogy book of Kanaheleaumoku.
ÿO ke kapu o ka uhi i kükulu i Kahiki
He kapu nö, he wela nö no Kauhihoÿolonoinämoku
ÿO Kauhihoÿolonoinämoku, ÿO Kauhihoÿolonoikahonua,
ÿO Kekauhiwamoku he aliÿi no Mauÿi
‘O ka wai ÿula, ‘o ka wai poni, ÿo ka wai kapu a Käne
Pähihi ka uhi, he hihipeÿa
Paÿa ka luna, paÿa ka lalo, ua paÿa ‘ia e ka uhi
No ka ÿili o ka uhi ka häuliuli
Kapu ka hau, kapu ke kükui, kapu ka uhi puni nä moku
Literal translation by Kawaikapuokalani K. Hewett)
The sacred privilege of the uhi (tattoo) was established in Kahiki
Sacred indeed, burning hot indeed for Kauhihoÿolonoinämoku
Kauhihoÿolonoinämoku, Kauhihoÿolonoikahonua, Kekauhiwamoku is a chief of Mauÿi
The red waters, the purple (anointed) waters, the sacred waters of Käne
The uhi spreads (like a vine) extensive (as it grows)
Firm above, firm below, the uhi is firmly established
From the skin of the uhi the blue black color
Sacred the hau, sacred the kükui, sacred the uhi that encompasses the island (chief)
Receiving this genealogy book from my grand uncle explained it all. As I read through pages of the book more and more was revealed to me. Who I was and my quest for the uhi, was there in this moÿoküÿauhau, in the list of names of my ancestors and their name chants or “mele inoa.” This legacy of the understanding of all that I am was established by my ancestors. I understood now about the bird and its relationship to me and my uhi. This bird was called Haluluikekihiokamälamalama the guardian and caretaker of the God of the Sun Kaÿönohiokalä. Through KekauhiwaÿönohimakaoLono our ancient ancestress, the daughter of Kaÿönohiokalä (k) and KeakaoLono (w) we inherit this ÿalae bird and the God of the sun as ÿaumakua.
Back in 1972 when I started this journey with the uhi there was no one with me. I stood alone. The images appeared in my head and I drew them down. I took my drawings to China Sea and Tatoo Co. and I had them firmly planted into my skin. The criticisms back then meant nothing because I was on a mission. This was my journey to the past, to my ancestors to find myself and I have never stopped.
When I moved to Maui in 1989 I met Samantha at a tattoo shop in Lähaina and continued my journey with the uhi. I took my drawings to Samantha and she implanted the designs into my skin with her needle. An ancient tradition perpetuated with contemporary modern techniques guided by the spirits of my ancestors. I continued to journey with her when she moved to Päia and I visit her occasionally in her shop in Wailuku. She is the only one that I gave a copy of the uhi chant of Kauhihoÿolonoinämoku when I dedicated her tattoo shop. I thought it befitting as I sat there under her needle for many hours watching the häuliuli of my ancestors unfold.
Now I pass the tradition to my children, my grandchildren, and my great grandchildren. The designs that have come from the inspiration of my ancestors is now theirs, this tradition reawakened now lives.
Web Kupua Earl Stokes email: stokes@lava.net