Molokai History:
(more from “Ho’opono: The Hawaiian Way to Put Things Back into Balance (2nd. Edition)” by Pali Jae Lee, I.M. Publishing Ltd., Mountain View, HI, 2006)
There are just about as many stories about Kaiakea, the old chief of Molokai, as there are about King Kamehameha. There is one story of the reverence King Kamehameha had for the old chief of Molokai. On his last trip to Kona from O’ahu, he (King Kamehameha) stopped at Molokai to get or two of the famous fishnets made by Pe’elua, a son of Kaiakea.
The old sage of Molokai, Kaiakea, came down from his mountain home to greet the King, as he was greatly honored that King Kamehameha had stopped to get fishnets from his son Pe’elua. He (Kaiakea) was in his 99th year and quite frail. Kamehameha, King that he was, took off his malo (feather cape) and crawled on the ground to the feet of Kaiakea. There was no greater tribute he could give this blessed old man.
Kaiakea did not call himself a chief. He called himself an elder or grandparent. He believed no person was higher or lower than any other. This was definitely not what the other chiefs believed, for they had rank, and the highest birth rank had the “burning back kapu”, which meant they were holy. Even King Kamehameha had been taught in this way, although he had not been raised with things of that high rank.
Kaiakea told any chief that visited Molokai, “When you are on Molokai, you do things our way. Here (on Molokai), all men are equal.” Kaiakea had a great spring of water. On any other island, all of the chiefs would drink first and, if there was any left, others could quench their thirst. But Kaiakea said instead, “Here (on Molokai), all who thirst shall drink.”
Mahalo nui,
Fr. Brian