Kamaile by Joni Keamoai

Kealohilani

Manā

"Papa!" Alohi shouted nearly waking up the whole house, "I finished my chores" she continued. Ho'omana shook his head as he prepared for the day's work. He had a long way to go by foot and he knew Alohi's plan was to finish her chores so she could visit Kapua and Kaulana's hale hitching a ride with him. "Oh really? Let me have a look" he replied trying to hide his smile. He was not keen on her being "kapulu" or messy/sloppy in order to finish her chores quickly. As he looked over her work she followed right behind him observing him and his reaction. "Hmmm" he sighed "I think you missed a spot" making Alohi take a mental note, she would go back to that spot and wipe it spotless. Following behind Ho'omana she also found herself looking for slip ups, "Well except for that one spot" Ho'omana finally announced "I'd say you've done a good job and earned yourself a visit to the Kealoha's hale! Alohi jumped up and hugged her father, almost causing them to fall backward.

The road to Waiawa was a long one and walking by foot through the dirt and fields, with the sun beaming down made it even more difficult. "How much farther Papa?" Alohi questioned, she was exhausted and hot. "Your destination is much farther than mine" he informed her. Alohi's facial expression let him know that she was really wiped out. "I'll take her" Makani offered, there was a lio or horse at a nearby farm and he would stop and ask to borrow it. "Oia hiki no" Ho'omana replied. He trusted Makani and all of his guards with his life, as well as his daughter's and besides she looked as though she was about to faint. "Hele ana wau e hopu ka lio" Makani shouted and ran up ahead of them, in no time he was back on a horse, stopping in front of Alohi, helping her up to sit behind him. She gripped Makani's waist as if her life depended on it and leaned her cheek against his back. "Pa'a Pono" he instructed her, not wanting her to fall off. "A hui hou Pa!" she waved to her dad as Makani turned the horse around and rode off ahead. He was told to bring her to Kawaiulailiahi, the river that joins the mountain spring water from makaweli to the sea. It was also once home to Kaumuali'i , Ali'i nui of the aina.

Nounou

"Kili! ......Kili!" there was an echo through the forest. Kililau was hiding from his cousin Manaleo as he continuously called for him. He wasn't lost or anything, this was his backyard but he definitely was hungry and if they wanted to eat, they had to get back to the hale. "Elēu Kili pōloli au" he announced, saying he was hungry. "Of course you are" Kili jumped out from the bushes, they had raced up the mountain and Kili won for the hundredth time. Mana was always the stocky one, built like a warrior but Kililau was the tall agile one and he was very fast. They made it home before dinner was served and Mana was happy. Ha'ikū and Kililau had brought over some Kalua pig for their ohana after cooking it overnight in the imu and Malanai and Hilina'i also came along for the trip. They were planning to spend a few nights with Kahiau, his wife Leimomi and son, Manaleo.  After they ate, the boys practiced spear throwing, as their mom's relaxed on the porch observing them, preparing dessert and mamaki tea. Kahiau & Ha'ikū discussed current events and other island business, on the other side of the lanai, as Ha'ikū held Hilina'i rocking her to sleep.

Waimea

Alohi enjoyed every moment with Kapua and Kaulana. They swam and paddled canoe everyday and hung out with the neighborhood kids in the village. Kaulana's brother Koa walked in the hale laughing, as if someone had just told him the funniest joke. "What's so funny?" Kaulana asked him as he looked at the girls continuing his laughter. "Tell me!" Kaulana shouted to her brother. He was built like a house, tall, and stocky, and when he laughed his opu or stomach shook, heck his whole body shook. "It's Lamakū he fell off the horse into the mud puddle outside" Koa explained, of his best friend. The girls ran to the front porch and watched as Lamakū made his way toward the pond near their hale, tying his horse to the tree. As soon as he noticed the girls on the porch, he ran toward the pond hiding his face. "I think Lama likes her" Koa announced biting into a sweet potato. Kaulana scrunched up her face looking at her brother before bursting into laughter. "What is it?" Alohi questioned them watching their exchange. "Alohi don't pay attention to these kolohe boys" she sighed turning Alohi's attention back to what they were doing before Koa interrupted. "No tell me" Alohi insisted, she was obviously missing something. "Its Lamakū.... he umm has a crush on you" Kaulana continued. Alohi nearly choked on her fruit. "Yes that's why i said to not pay attention to them, they're young and pupule" she laughed. Alohi was curious, "have you ever?" she questioned. "Have i ever what?" Kaulana replied. "Have you ever paid attention to a boy?" now it was Kaulana's turn to almost choke on her piece of fruit. "You really want to know?" she smiled. "Yes" Alohi smiled in return, telling her that she was too young to ask her mom about boys or love. Kaulana had pretty much lived her whole life in Nualolo Kai with Alohi, but she had traveled home a time or two for breaks and has had a boyfriend before. She answered Alohi's questions and told her that boys are pupule and immature, and that girls were smarter. They heard the boys outside talking and heard Lamakū yelling at Koa to kulikuli or be quiet when teasing him about his crush on Alohi. They were definitely at that teenage age. "Makani will be here soon" Kapua announced to the girls as she walked into the room, they jumped up quickly and helped Kapua prepare dinner. Makani would stay for dinner and he and Alohi would ride back to Manā by midnight.

Manā

Ho'omana paced back and forth deciding whether to send Alohi back to Nualolo at dawn. The other guards and ladies were still there at the cove and he hadn't asked them to close up the house and return home to Manā but it was a decision he had put off for the time being. "They are set to arrive by midnight" Kuha'o informed Ho'omana, of Makani's and his daughter's return. "Ae Mahalo!" he replied heading to the porch. He heard the horse making it's way into the Pā or the front gate as Makani approached. Alohi was fast asleep with her arms around his waist. He tied her hands together with a rope to prevent her from falling. "Hiki ia'u e hapai iaia" Ho'omana sighed carrying his daughter off the horse and into the hale. She had spent a week in Waimea with Kapua's ohana and was definitely exhausted from the trip. He decided to let her sleep in and not wake her at dawn; he would use this time to talk to her about his plans for her.

Wainiha

"Kililau!!" Ha'ikū shouted down the valley, where was he? He scratched his head. He needed his help in watching Hilina'i so he could carry Malanai on his back and into the village. She had been sick for a few days now and he wanted to take her to see a Kahuna. "E kali no iaia" Malanai sighed telling her husband to wait for Anakē Hali'i but Ha'ikū was worried, especially since her fever had not broken. Just as he was about to run down to the river to look for his son, He saw a short-framed woman making her way toward him. "Anakē!" He exclaimed relieved to see her. "Ae" she replied picking up the pace, he explained to her Malana'i's condition and escorted her into their hale. Within an hour his wife was feeling a little better and the herbs and medicines that Hali'i brought was working it's magic on her. "Ua hiamoe oia" Hali'i announced to Ha'ikū, who was pacing back and forth in the living room. "Ha'awi keia la'au" she continued, instructing him to give specific medicinal herbs to her over the course of the next few days. He listened and nodded, agreeing to do what he was told. He decided to give his wife peace and quiet to rest and took Hilina'i to the pond in search of Kililau, who had completely disappeared.

Manā

Since it was Lāpule or Sunday, all the work in the village ceased and it was considered a rest day. Ho'omana spent the day in the backyard of the hale finishing a fishing net he had started during his last visit as the guards visited with their ohana in the neighboring villages. "Pa!" he heard Alohi's voice echoing through the hale  ...."Ma'ane'i!" he shouted from the backyard alerting her of his whereabouts. She looked dazed and still exhausted as she entered the back porch. "Its so quiet here, where are Makani, Kuha'o and Ha'upū " she yawned. "I hele lakou me kou lakou ohana" he replied answering her question as to where the guards were, "Ho'i hou ana mai lakou i keia pō" he continued, explaining that they were set to return in the evening. "Speaking of returning" Ho'omana announced looking over at his daughter, "When will you will be returning home to Nualolo?" he smiled. Alohi tried to avoid the question with a shrug of her shoulders; she hadn't expected to leave so soon, or at least for another week or so. "I am sending Ha'upū home to drop off supplies to Na'eole and the others, i'm thinking to send you along" he explained, as Alohi slumped in her chair pouting. "You were never meant to stay" Ho'omana spoke lightly trying not to discourage his daughter, "I know that you are having a fun time here Alohi but your safety is way more important to me than having a good time." Alohi's tears pooled in her eyes and although she had a lot to say, her mouth seemed to stay shut. She did not want to disrespect her father; she knew it took a lot for him to allow her a visit there. After all was said and done, until she left his home and provided for herself, whatever he said was law. Even then, as chief of the aina where she lived, he'd be the law.