("Na Mea Hou o Nuu, Kaupo, i Hanaia ma ka La Sabati, Feberuari 9, M. H. 1890", Nupepa Kuokoa, March 1, 1890)
Land Association at the House of Kaaipalaoa.
Twenty people met with Portuguese landholder John Flores,1 who called the meeting to settle the payment of animals. Here is what was determined:
Each horse will be assessed a fee of $3, and each person may have up to three horses. If a person has more than three, then those additional horses will be removed. Therefore, the natives of Nuu are now greatly anxious that some people will get on their fourth animals and take them away due to the callous actions of this Portuguese man. Stewards of the king, you should look into this predicament.
Ewa is in distress2
The natives of Nuu are caught in a tangled line like the kawelea fish.3
Some people who were natives of Nuu fled to Mana to live. Because of these cruel actions against the natives, they are scattering, and the animals of those who cannot pay are being driven away.
Maybe it is time to rectify this situation. Therefore, know of this, Wilcox, Representative No. 5 for Honolulu, when the Legislature meets to review this lease. Know of my doubts after the meeting on Sunday. This Portuguese is a religious man, but he has gone astray with his land association.
Yours truly,
John Kaupo.
Nuu, Feb. 14, 1890.
Reply to John Kaupo
("Pane ia Keoni Kaupo", Nupepa Kuokoa, May 3, 1890)
I saw in the “Kuokoa” newspaper, Issue 9, March 1 of this year, concerning the land association meeting at the house of Kaaipalaoa. Here is my reply to you, John Kaupo: We did not meet at Kaaipalaoa's house. This is just talk. The meeting was held at Kike’s house on a weekday, not on the Sabbath like you say. There, the fees were set for the animals of the people in this association, and each person reported the number of animals he had. It was decided that the number of horses per person would be three for those who do not provide sufficient work trade and the fee would be $3 per head per year. Those who provide sufficient work are allowed six horses per year. As for cattle, each person is allowed to raise as many cattle as they want for a fee of $1.50 per head annually. Here is my question to you, John Kaupo: Who is the man that you know that has been evicted by me and is now living at Mana? I assert that there is no one. The people living in Mana went there months ago, not when this association was formed. As for you, John Kaupo, reporting that my actions are cruel to the residents of Nuu, I ask you, do you know of any locals that I have evicted? Here is another question for you, John Kaupo: Who built the supply house at Nuu and the wharf? It was I, the one who you are announcing is uncaring. I did it without receiving compensation. And when the animals of the king, the queen, and you residents of Nuu come, who is the one who built the trough and fixed the pump? It was I, and I did it without being compensated. See for yourself, John Kaupo, the amount I have spent in the past year for the royal land at Nakula. The lease costs $565 each year, and the amount received from the locals was only $219.00 for animals reported: 164 cows and 110 horses, being 274 head total. There are more animals than were paid for. What about the $386 remaining? Did John Kaupo pay this? No. It was John Flores and my associates who paid this $386 even though none of my own animals were on the land in the first year and I hosted 800 head or more that month from these people, not the number reported. For this year, the number of animals is 113 cows and 61 horses, totaling 174 head, and the amount of fees collected is $247. My own animals number 106 cows and no horses. $3 a head annually equals $318.00. What of this, John Kaupo? Has the Portuguese man John Flores treated you residents of Nuu poorly? Stewards of the king, look at these figures and judge for yourselves if John Flores has caused trouble for the residents of Nuu. You hide behind the name John Kaupo and conceal your real name because you know that the things you say are not true. If you make more disturbances, I will be happy to respond. I will stop here.
Sincerely,
J. C. Flores & Co.
Waiopai, April 12, 1890.
Below is the text of the original articles:
NA MEA HOU O NUU, KAUPO.
I HANAIA MA KA LA SABATI, FEBERUARI 9, M. H. 1890.
Hui Aina ma ka Hale o Kaaipalaoa.
Ua hui mai na kanaka nona ka heluna he 20, me ka Ona Aina o Keoni Polole Pukiki, nana keia kukala i kanaka e hui, a e hooponopono i ka uku o na holoholona. A penei na hooponopono ana:
E auhau ia ke poo lio hookahi i ekolu dala, a i ekolu lio o ke kanaka hookahi, a ina e oi aku mamua o ekolu, e kipaku ia no ia mau lio, nolaila, ua oi la aku ka poino o na kupa o Nuu nei i keia wa, ke kau nei ka lia a ke hehu nei kekahi poe i ko lakou mau holoholona, no keia mau hana aloha ole a kela pukiki, na oukou i a e na Puuku o ka Moi e nana mai i keia pilikia.
Eia Ewa la ua haunaele
Hauhili ka ai a Kawele-a i na kupa o Nuu nei.
Ua he’e kahi poe aia ma Mana kahi i noho ai, he kupa keia poe o Nuu, a ma keia mau hana aloha ole i na kupa o ka aina, ua kaiehu ia aku la, a i keia la e kipaku ia ai na holoholona o ka poe hookaa ole.
A malia nae paha ua ke au hoomaemae keia mau hana, nolaila, e ike ana oe e Wilikoki ka lunamakaainana helu elima o Honolulu, a i noho ka Ahaolelo e weheia keia hoolimalima, a o ko’u mea kanalua i ko’u ike ana i keia hui i ka la pule, he pukiki haipule keia, aka nae ua kapae ae ia kela ia a he hui aina ko ia la.
Kou oiaio,
Keoni Kaupo.
Nuu, Feb. 14, 1890.
PANE IA KEONI KAUPO.
Ua ike au maloko o ka Nupepa “Kuokoa,” Helu 9 o ka la 1 o Maraki o keia makahiki no na mea e pili ana i ka Hui Aina ma ka hale o Kaaipalaoa. Eia ka’u pane ia oe e Keoni Kaupo, aole makou i hui ma ka hale o Kaaipalaoa, he mau olelo wale no. Ma ka hale o Kike i hui ai ma na la hana, aole ma ka la Sabati e like me kau, a malaila i hooponopono ia ai ka uku o na holoholona o na kanaka i komo i keia hui, a e hoike mai kela kanaka keia kanaka pakahi i ka nui o kona mau holoholona iho. Ua ae ia ka nui o na lio o ke kanaka hookahi, he ekolu lio o ka poe kupono ole i ka hana, a he ekolu dala no ke poo hookahi o ka makahiki a o ka poe kupono i ka hana he eono lio o ke kanaka hookahi o ka makahiki. No ka bipi, ua ae ia kela kanaka keia kanaka e hanai i mau bipi e like me ke kupono no hookah dala me ka hapalua o ke poo hookahi no ka makahiki. Eia ka’u ninau ia oe e Keoni Kaupo, Owai la ke kanaka au i ike ai ua kipakuia e a’u ae noho nei ma Mana? Ke hoike nei au, aole loa hookahi; o keia poe e noho nei ma Mana ua hele mua mahina ka loihi, aole i ka wa i hanaia ai keia hui. No kau e Keoni Kaupo e hoike nei no ko’u hana aloha ole in a kupa o Nuu, ke ninau nei au ia oe, Ua ike oe he mau kupa kekahi a’u i kipaku ai ? Eia hou keia ninau ia oe e Keoni Kaupo, Owai la ka mea nana i hana i ka hale ukana e ku nei ma Nuu a me ka uwapo palekai? Owau no ia, ka mea au e hoolaha nei i ka hana aloha ole, ua hana au me ka uku ole. Eia hou i ka wa e hele ana na holoholona o ka Moi a me ka Moiwahine, a me oukou na kupa o Nuu, Owai la ka mea nana i hana i na kula-wai a me ka hooponopono ana i ka pauma? Owau no ia, ua hana au me ka uku ole. E nana iho ou mau maka e Keoni Kaupo i ka nui o ko’u mau lilo no ka makahiki i hala no ka aina o ka Moi a me Nakula, he $565.00 ka hoolimalima o kela a me keia makahiki, a o ka nui o na dala i loaa mai mai na kupa aina mai, he $219.00 wale no, no na holoholona i hoikeia mai ia’u he 164 bipi a me 110 lio, a ua like me 274 poo, ua oi ka nui o na holoholona mamua o na dala i hookaaia mai. Pehea ka hoi keia $386 na Keoni Kaupo paha i hookaa i keia? Aole; na Keoni Flores a me ko’u mau hoa i hookaa i keia $386, me ka hele ole o kekahi o ko’u mau holoholona maluna o ka aina i kela mahina keia mahina o ka makahiki mua a loaa ia’u he 800 poo a oi no kela mahina keia poe, aole e like me ka helu i hoikeia. No keia makahiki, o ka nui o na holoholona he 113 bipi a me 61 lio, huina pau 174 poo, a o ka nui o na dala i hookaaia mai he $247.00; ko’u mau holoholona ponoi he 106 bipi, aole lio, ekolu dala no ka makahiki o ke poo hookahi, ua like me $318.00. Pehea oe e Keoni Kaupo i keia, ua hana aloha ole anei o Keoni Flores Pukiki ia oukou na kupa o Nuu? E nana mai oukou e na Puuku o ka Moi i keia mau hoike, ua ku anei o Keoni Flores i ka hoopilikia i na kupa o Nuu, a na oukou ia e kaupaono iho. Pehea la oe i holo pee ai malalo o kela inoa Keoni Kaupo a huna i ka inoa oiaio, no kou ike aole he pololei o kau mau olelo oia ke kumu o kou huna ana i kou inoa oiaio. Ina oe e hooni hou mai, ua lawa au me ka pane ana aku ia oe. Ke hooki nei au maanei.
Owau no me ka oiaio,
J. C. Flores & Co.
Waiopai, April 12 1890.
Footnotes
- In September 1889, John C. Flores, M. J. Faria and T. K. Clarke were awarded a 10-year lease of 1,500 acres of government land in Nakula, Kaupo.
- A variation of a common poetic saying for adversity. See entry No. 493 in the book “ʻŌlelo Noʻeau: Hawaiian Proverbs & Poetical Sayings“.
- A variation of a common poetic saying for a difficult situation. See entry No. 486 in “ʻŌlelo Noʻeau”.