The Hawaiian Legend of Naupaka: A Forbidden Love ~ by Jacquolyn McMurray

Over several years of employment with the Hawai’i Department of Education, I've had the great privilege to work with many Kupuna (Hawaiian elders). Kupuna are traditionally masters of the oral tradition of storytelling, moʽolelo.  One particular Kupuna I know always starts her stories with, “It is said…”

In this legend of two lovers, storytellers explain why the naupaka plant’s blossoms are half flowers. 

There are many versions of this legend. Here’s my rendition.

It is said…

Two hula students, Nanau and Kapaka, spent long hours together memorizing dances, practicing protocols, and reciting ancient chants taught to them by their Kumu, their teacher. And despite Kumu’s warnings against it, they fell in love.

When the lovers could no longer tolerate Kumu's prying eyes, they broke the kapu that forbade them to be alone together and slipped away in the pale light of the hoaka, the crescent moon.

Happy in their deceit, they met night after night, despite the moon's growing light. On the fourteenth night of their meeting, their Kumu saw them cross a stream. Enraged, she chased them all the way to the beach and insisted they stop spending time together.

Determined to stay together, Nanau and Kapaka hid in a cave until Nanau heard their Kumu drawing near. He kissed Kapaka and told her to stay in the cave while he diverted Kumu toward the mountain.

Now Kapaka did not want Kumu to catch up with Nanau, so she jumped out of the cave and blocked her teacher's path. The women struggled, and in this struggle, their voices rose and reached Nanau. 

Nanau looked down the mountain, and by the light of the moon, he watched Kumu strike Kapaka to her death. No longer wanting to live, Nanau called to Kumu to come take his life as well. Still filled with anger, Kumu ran up the mountain and struck Nanau with a rock until he fell at her feet.

It is said...

Laka, the goddess of hula, changed the lovers into shrubs--one blooming in the mountains and one on the beach--separated for all time. 

Villagers named the plant naupaka, a combination of the names of the slain. It came to pass that each plant hosted several small, white, half flowers, none complete by themselves.

To this day, the naupaka shrub only grows at the beach and on the mountain, nowhere in between.

Stay tuned for more Hawaiian legends in my future posts.