The Ho'omaka (initiate) waited nervously for the Kahuna to arrive -- this was a special day, and one which he had been waiting for a long time. Today, he was to receive a name; and, as he knew, the name was designed to change everything, everything about him. For the name contained a different vibratory quality than the original name he had been given by his parents. More specially, this name would be a Hawaiian name, and so carried the vibration of the ancient ones.

When the Kahuna arrived, and the initiate could see that he was shaken. He was more reverent than the initiate had ever seen -- actually quiet. Normally the Kahuna was quite jovial, and this was a different state for him, that even the initiate could see.

Now, they walked. And they walked, and they walked. As they walked on the Kahuna showed more and more reverence. Was he even getting nervous? The initiate thought so. And then they were there -- at the fiery pit, Halema'uma'u in the Kilauea Crater on Maunaloa mountain. So, they walked on to Halema'uma'u. Right up to the edge of the pit. And they stopped at the edge of the crater, and it was awesome. The smell of sulfur, the chasm going down hundreds of feet to the floor of the pit, the blue cloudless sky, and the mountains all around, all combined to make this a truly awesome sight.

The initiate shivered. Maybe it was anticipation, or maybe he felt a presence, he wasn't sure. Before he could sort out his feelings, the Kahuna started his chant.

"E Pele e, Pele e, Pele e, Pele e, Pele..." The initiate's head began to spin, and his knees began to feel weak. The Kahuna chanted on and on. The initiate had to grab onto a nearby tree to steady himself. Then the Kahuna threw something into the pit. Later the Ho'omaka would learn that the Kahuna had thrown two pieces of Tapa cloth each with a name written on it.

Then the Kahuna said, "Now we wait... For a sign." They sat there, and waited and waited. "There," the Kahuna breathed a sigh of relief, "do you see those birds?" The initiate strained his eyes; he didn't want to admit that he saw nothing."There those birds...Good, it's a good sign."

The Kahuna turned to the initiate and said, "Your name is Kiai-na'auao-maikalani... it means..."



previous initiation | return to lineage | next initiation