This is a story of Waipio Valley, the most beautiful of all the valleys
of the Hawaiian Islands, and one of the most secluded. It is now, as it
has always been, very difficult of access. The walls are a sheer descent
of over a thousand feet. In ancient times a narrow path slanted along
the face of the bluffs wherever foothold could be found. In these later
days the path has been enlarged, and horse and rider can descend into
the valley's depths. In the upper end of the valley is a long silver
ribbon of water falling fifteen hundred feet from the brow of a
precipice over which a mountain torrent swiftly hurls itself to the
fertile valley below. Other falls show the convergence of other mountain
streams to the ocean outlet offered by the broad plains of Waipio.
Here in the long ago high chiefs dwelt and sacred temples were built.
From Waipio Valley Moikeha and Laa-Mai-Kahiki sailed away on their
famous voyages to distant foreign lands. In this valley dwelt the priest
who in the times of Maui was said to have the winds of heaven concealed
in his calabash. Raising the cover a little, he sent gentle breezes in
the direction of the opening. Severe storms and hurricanes were granted
by swiftly opening the cover widely and letting a chaotic mass of fierce
winds escape. The stories of magical powers of bird and fish as well as
of the strange deeds of powerful men are almost innumerable. Not the
least of the history-myths of Waipio Valley is the story of Nanaue, the
shark-man, who was one of the cannibals of the ancient time.
Ka-moho-alii was the king of all the sharks which frequent Hawaiian
waters. When he chose to appear as a man he was always a chief of
dignified, majestic appearance. One day, while swimming back and forth
just beneath the surface of the waters at the mouth of the valley, he
saw an exceedingly beautiful woman coming to bathe in the white surf.
That night Ka-moho-alii came to the beach black with lava sand, crawled
out of the water, and put on the form of a man. As a mighty chief he
walked through the valley and mingled with the people. For days he
entered into their sports and pastimes and partook of their bounty,
always looking for the beautiful woman whom he had seen bathing in the
surf. When he found her he came to her and won her to be his wife.
Kalei was the name of the woman who married the strange chief. When the
time came for a child to be born to them, Ka-moho-alii charged Kalei to
keep careful watch of it and guard its body continually from being seen
of men, and never allow the child to eat the flesh of any animal. Then
he disappeared, never permitting Kalei to have the least suspicion that
he was the king of the sharks.
When the child was born, Kalei gave to him the name "Nanaue." She was
exceedingly surprised to find an opening in his back. As the child grew
to manhood the opening developed into a large shark-mouth in rows of
fierce sharp teeth.
From infancy to manhood Kalei protected Nanaue by keeping his back
covered with a fine kapa cloak. She was full of fear as she saw Nanaue
plunge into the water and become a shark. The mouth on his back opened
for any kind of prey. But she kept the terrible birthmark of her son a
secret hidden in the depths of her own heart.
For years she prepared for him the common articles of food, always
shielding him from the temptation to eat meat. But when he became a man
his grandfather took him to the men's eating-house, where his mother
could no longer protect him. Meats of all varieties were given to him in
great abundance, yet he always wanted more. His appetite was
insatiable.
While under his mother's care he had been taken to the pool of water
into which the great Waipio Falls poured its cascade of water. There he
bathed, and, changing himself into a shark, caught the small fish which
were playing around him. His mother was always watching him to give an
alarm if any of the people came near to the bathing-place.
As he became a man he avoided his companions in all bathing and fishing.
He went away by himself. When the people were out in the deep sea
bathing or fishing, suddenly a fierce shark would appear in their midst,
biting and tearing their limbs and dragging them down in the deep water.
Many of the people disappeared secretly, and great terror filled the
homes of Waipio.
Nanaue's mother alone was certain that he was the cause of the trouble.
He was becoming very bold in his depredations. Sometimes he would ask
when his friends were going out in the sea; then he would go to a place
at some distance, leap into the sea, and swiftly dash to intercept the
return of his friends to the shore. Perhaps he would allay suspicion by
appearing as a man and challenge to a swimming-race. Diving suddenly, he
would in an instant become a shark and destroy his fellow-swimmer.
The people felt that he had some peculiar power, and feared him. One
day, when their high chief had called all the men of the valley to
prepare the taro patches for their future supply of food, a
fellow-workman standing by the side of Nanaue tore his kapa cape from
his shoulders. The men behind cried out, "See the great shark-mouth!"
All the people came running together, shouting, "A shark-man!" "A
shark-man!"
Nanaue became very angry and snapped his shark-teeth together. Then with
bitter rage he attacked those standing near him. He seized one by the
arm and bit it in two. He tore the flesh of another in ragged gashes.
Biting and snapping from side to side he ran toward the sea.
The crowd of natives surrounded him and blocked his way. He was thrown
down and tied. The mystery had now passed from the valley. The people
knew the cause of the troubles through which they had been passing, and
all crowded around to see this wonderful thing, part man and part shark.
The high chief ordered their largest oven to be prepared, that Nanaue
might be placed therein and burned alive. The deep pit was quickly
cleaned out by many willing hands, and, with much noise and rejoicing,
fire was placed within and the stones for heating were put in above the
fire. "We are ready for the shark-man," was the cry.
During the confusion Nanaue quietly made his plans to escape. Suddenly
changing himself to a shark, the cords which bound him fell off and he
rolled into one of the rivers which flowed from the falls in the upper
part of the valley.
None of the people dared to spring into the water for a hand-to-hand
fight with the monster. They ran along the bank, throwing stones at
Nanaue and bruising him. They called for spears that they might kill
him, but he made a swift rush to the sea and swam away, never again to
return to Waipio Valley.
Apparently Nanaue could not live long in the ocean. The story says that
he swam over to the island of Maui and landed near the village Hana.
There he dwelt for some time, and married a chiefess. Meanwhile he
secretly killed and ate some of the people. At last his appetite for
human flesh made him so bold that he caught a beautiful young girl and
carried her out into the deep waters. There he changed himself into a
shark and ate her body in the sight of the people.
The Hawaiians became very angry. They launched their canoes, and,
throwing in all kinds of weapons, pushed out to kill their enemy. But he
swam swiftly away, passing around the island until at last he landed on
Molokai.
[Illustration: A TRUSTY FISHERMAN]
Again he joined himself to the people, and again one by one those who
went bathing and fishing disappeared. The priests (kahunas) of the
people at last heard from their fellow-priests of the island of Maui
that there was a dangerous shark-man roaming through the islands. They
sent warning to the people, urging all trusty fishermen to keep strict
watch. At last they saw Nanaue change himself into a great fish. The
fishermen waged a fierce battle against him. They entangled him in their
nets, they pierced him with spears and struck him with clubs until the
waters were red with his blood. They called on the gods of the sea to
aid them. They uttered prayers and incantations. Soon Nanaue lost
strength and could not throw off the ropes which were tied around him,
nor could he break the nets in which he was entangled.
The fishermen drew him to the shore, and the people dragged the great
shark body up the hill Puu-mano. Then they cut the body into small
pieces and burned them in a great oven.
Thus died Nanaue, whose cannibal life was best explained by giving to
him in mythology the awful appetite of an insatiable man-eating shark.