Miscellaneous Docs

LEGENDS OF HAWAII - How Hilo got its name.

When Kamehameha was ruler of all the islands he liked to visit his domain and consult with his chiefs. But even though he was the most powerful man in his kingdom, he had many enemies. So one day when he was at the mouth of the Wailuku River, he decided to go to see a certain chief who lived on what is now called Reed's Island, but he warned his servants to watch his canoe so that his enemies would not steal it or it would not wash out to sea.

After several days I when the king did not return or send word, his servants became worried

and wanted to go in search of him. "We dare not leave" said one of the men, for the king told us not to. Anyhow, if we do his canoe may get carried out to sea by the tide." "Let us make a rope and tie it suggested another. "Make a rope? How ?"

"All we have to do is tie a bunch of ti leaves together into two strands. Then we wrap these around each other twisting them. This is called hilo. There will be only one strand when we are through, and it will be strong enough to hold the boat on the beach if we tie it to a tree."

Acting upon this idea the men soon collected ti leaves and made a rope. Tying it to a tree at the mouth of the river, they went to look for the king. They had not gone far when they met him on his ray back.

"Why have you left my canoe," shouted the king angrily. "It is probably washed out into the ocean by now."

"No," answered the man who made the rope. "We tied it with a rope to a tree and it is fast.

"How could you do that?" queried Kamehameha, "where did you learn to make a rope? Only the men frorn Waipio know that."

"I am from Waipio."

"Well, well," declared the king, "that was a good thing to do and I am glad that you taught this twisting to my men and from today we shall call this place Hilo."