AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY
BULLETIN 38 PLATE XIII
[Illustration: LEHUA (METROSIDEROS POLYMORPHA) FLOWERS AND LEAVES]

[Translation]

_Power to Remove Tabu_

Bloom of lehua on altar piled,
Bloom of lehua below,
Bloom of lehua at altar's base,
In the month Ka-ulua.
5 Present here is Haumea,
And the father of thee,
And the goddess of eloquent speech;
Gather, now gather,
Ye ranks of gods,
10 And ye ranks of men,
Complete in array.
The heavenly service is done,
Service of Ku of the mount,
Service of Laka,
15 And the great god Ku,
Ku of the wilds,
And of Hina,
Hina, the heavenly singer.
Now it is done,
20 Our work is done;
The tabu is lifted,
Free is the place,
Tabu-free!

Here also is another pule hoo-noa, a prayer-song addressed to
Laka, an intercession for the lifting of the tabu. It will be
noticed that the request is implied, not explicitly stated.
All heads are lifted, all eyes are directed heavenward or to
the altar, and the hands with a noiseless motion keep time as
the voices of the company, led by the kumu, in solemn
cantillation, utter the following prayer:
[Page 128]

_Pule Hoo-noa no Laka_

Pupu we'u-we'u[273] e, Laka e,
O kona we'u-we'u e ku-wa;[274]
O Ku-ka-ohia-Laka,[275] e;
Laua me Ku-pulu-pulu;[276]
5 Ka Lehua me ke Koa lau-lii;
O ka Lama me Moku-halii,
Ku-i-ku-i[277] me ka Hala-pepe;
Lakou me Lau-ka-ie-ie,
Ka Palai me Maile-lau-lii.
10 Noa, noa i kou kuahu;
Noa, noa ia oe, Laka;
Pa-pa-lua noa!

[Translation]

_Tabu-lifting Prayer (to Laka)_

Oh wildwood bouquet, O Laka!
Set her greenwood leaves in order due;
And Ku, god of Ohia-La-ka,
He and Ku, the shaggy,
5 Lehua with small-leafed Koa,