Did You Know.......
According to N.B. Emerson there were four Lakas:
Laka-aloha, the patron of hula; Laka-kea and Laka-uli, patrons of the practice of medicine; and "the Laka who was a patron of canoe builders." The first three, females, were said to be the children of Kapo, the sister of Pele. The latter, spoken of as "the king of Kipahulu, Hana, Maui, was said to be the son of Wahieloa and Hina, who was the sister of Kumokuhali'i."
While Emerson said that a block of lama wood was placed on the hula altar as a symbol of Laka's presence, Jennie Wilson said that "the lama tree had nothing to do with Laka, but that a branch of the tree was placed on the altar because of the good meaning of its name, which is "light."
Go to the current issue of HULA MAI 'OE - Hula Newsletter