Although I ended up reading the whole book on Hawaiian mythology there were only certain passages and stories that stuck with me, often because they reminded me of a theme or series of events that I’d read about in another story.  One of the last chapters in the book was called the Voyage to the Land of the Gods.  The narrator points out that these kinds of stories usually follow the same format.  A kupua is admitted to an overcrowded ship.  He wards off dangers along the way.  He sends the crew home with a gift which they lose because they refuse to follow instructions.

One of the examples given was the story of the great voyager, Waha-nui.  Waha-nui makes a vow to visit three gods and sails from Hawaii to Lanai.  The three gods are Kane, Kanaloa, and Kane-apua.  Kane-apua has angered the other ones by urinating in their fresh spring.  They become birds and fly away, leaving him stranded on the island.  When Waha-nui passes by, Kane-apua raises a storm that causes him to land.  He then takes refuge on the vessel.

There are many dangers that they encounter at sea and Kane-apua protects them.  He saves them from the dog of Hina, guides them through the black and white cliffs, which are famous for smashing canoes, keeps their boat together by mending it with ropes made from the intestines of a goddess, then he quiets his own dog when they get to Kahiki.  There he shows Waha-nui where to find Kane and Kanaloa, joined by another god, Mauli, who are lying with their faces turned upwards. 

Waha-nui begins to worship Kane-apua after his return and is gifted a double-bodied creature called a pilikua.  He is warned not to show anyone until he gets back to Hawaii, but can’t resist showing it off to a chief on Kauai.  The chief murders him and his men.  Only one of them escapes and returns home with the news.  Later, the chief and his people are lured to Hawaii and all of them are killed in retaliation.

The story about the voyage to the land of the gods reminded me of certain aspects of the Odyssey and also the adventures of Jason and the Argonauts who went in search of the golden fleece and were guided by Athena.  I had one last place to visit and that was Sandy Beach and Blowhole.  I would have to take the 23 bus the next morning and do a lot of walking to get there.  If possible, I would’ve also visited Hanauma Bay, but no buses went there.

That evening I walked back to Lewers Street, the sight of Our Redeemer Lutheran back in the day, when it was the only tall building in Waikiki and you could toss a paper airplane from the balcony and have it reach Manoa if it hit the right trade winds.  Now the site of the church was a squat, black commercial building.  There were souvenir shops across the street with tikis, leis, and Hawaiian outfits for men and women.  Down the street was an Irish bar.  I walked up Kalakaua Avenue with my ukelele strapped to my back.  There were street performers on every corner.  My purpose was not to entertain.  There was a graffitied bench in Kapiolani Park that I wanted to sit and play on. 

My soul was not at ease.  I needed to make an adjustment.  I am rarely at peace anywhere I go, but can sit in Kapiolani Park and play ukelele for hours.  Maybe Kane and Kanaloa would be lying in the grass, facing upward.  My new song was finished and ready to be tested.  If they liked it, maybe they’d take me with them the next time they went searching for awa.  If they didn’t like it, what could they do?  I never claimed to be a professional.