The Legend of `Ōhi`a and Lehua –
As told by Leilehua Yuen

The story

Long, long ago on the island of Hawai`i in the district of Puna, there lived a beautiful girl. Lehua was her name. She had a face as round and glowing as the moon, with eyes that glimmered like starlight. Her back was as straight as the pali – the great sea cliffs –  and her hair rippled down it like a waterfall. Her heart was as kind and generous as her face and form were beautiful, and all who knew her loved her.

She was especially cherished by the young warrior `Ōhi`a. His legs were as thick and strong as forest trees, his chest as broad as a double canoe, and his face was as smiling as the sun. His heart was as brave and kind as his face and form were strong, and all who knew him loved him.

In the evening `Ōhi`a would play his `ohe hano ihu, his bamboo nose flute, sending the gentle melody to Lehua’s ears. She would follow it into the forest to meet him, and there they would admire the beauty of the night. Sometimes they played a duet with the hōkiokio, the gourd ocarina. Other times they strolled the forest paths by moonlight, often wandering down by the sea to swim or surf and watch the phosphorescence of the tiny sea creatures they awakened.

Lehua’s `aumakua was the little red `apapane. It loved to follow her through the forest and add it’s piping song to the melody of the flute. The little bird felt a great responsibility to care for the beautiful girl. It flitted about her, and showed her where the brightest flowers grew, and the most luxuriant vines. The generous-hearted girl always made lei when she went into the forest, and gave them to the kūpuna, the elders, on her return to the kauhale.

One evening, as `Ōhi`a played his flute, before Lehua arrived at their meeting place, a different young woman appeared. She had a face a round and glowing as the moon with eyes that smoldered like fire, a back as straight as the pali, and hair that rippled down it like a waterfall. She approached `Ōhi`a, who greeted her politely and then continued to play his flute until Lehua arrived.

The stranger watched the two wander away.

Another evening, as `Ōhi`a again played his flute for Lehua, the stranger appeared. She seemed even more lovely thatn the first time. “`Ōhi`a, come and be mine!” But `Ōhi`a was only polite, and waited for his beloved Lehua. Again, the stranger watched as they went on their way.

On another evening, yet again the stranger appeared. She was even more beautiful than before, and the fire in her eyes glowed red. Again, `Ōhi`a was polite, but only waited for Lehua. “Come, `Ōhi`a, leave that girl and be mine,” the stranger told him. “I am sorry, but my heart belongs to Lehua,” `Ōhi`a replied.

“Don’t you know who I am?” the stranger asked. “You are the great goddess, the sacred woman, Pele,” `Ōhi`a replied. “I am not worthy of you. I am content with my mortal love, Lehua.”

As the two spoke, Lehua arrived. `Ōhi`a put his arms around her and held her close. Pele glared at the couple. The ground began to tremble. She stamped her feet and lava spurted forth, creating a fiery ring around the couple, with a clear path to the goddess.

“Leave her behind and come to me, and you will live,” she told `Ōhi`a

“I am sorry, oh Sacred One. Lehua is my very heart. If I were to leave her I would die,” `Ōhi`a replied.

“Then, you shall die with her!” The lava from the curtain of fire began to ooze toward the couple. “Leave her and come to me!”  `Ōhi`a only held Lehua more tightly.

The lava came within inches of the pair. The little `apapane darted about them, flitting at the lava to try and warn it away, but the molten rock was inexorable in its approach.  `Ōhi`a lifted lehua above the glowing, molten rock. It reached his feet and began to cover them. He lifted Lehua higher. The `apapane darted high in the air and flew away, chirping as loudly as it could.

The lava began to heap around `Ōhi`a’s legs. He held his sweetheart higher. By the time the `apapane returned, Lehua was sitting on `Ōhi`a’s shoulders, caressing his face and weeping. The `apapane had tried to rally the forest spirits to rescue his Lehua and her sweetheart, but none of them had power enough to stop Pele.

But, what they, spirits of the forest, did have power over was the growth of plants and forest creatures.  `Ōhi`a and Lehua were such a beloved part of the forest that the little spirits began to change the burning flesh of his legs to wood. His skin became bark. His arms became branches. Lifting Lehua above his shoulders, he held her high in his branches, away from the lava which was crawling up his trunk. As he held her aloft, he felt his body stiffen.

He saw her hair billowing in the hot wind that blew across the lava. Sparks carried by the wind landed in her hair, looking like red blossoms. Suddenly, the girl was gone. In her place were clusters of  flame colored blooms.

Now understanding the depth of their love, Pele relented. Rather than consuming the pair, the lava nurtured them, letting them grow into an ancient tree that gave shelter to generation upon generation of `apapane. `Ōhi`a and Lehuaʻs many descendants are today scattered far and wide across the lava fields of Hawai`i nei.

Little `apapane continues to visit his beloved Lehua, and even today can be seen sweetly kissing her as she rests in `Ōhi`a’s leafy arms.

Lei makers never pick these lovely blossoms on the way into the forest, but only on the way out. If the lovers are separated as you enter the forest, Lehua grieves and droops. Her spirit is crushed, the spirits of the forest weep, bringing the rain, and the lei maker may become lost.

Instead, the lei maker travels into the forest, gives thanks for the beauty of the forest and asks permission to pluck the blooms. Then the sweet natured and generous Lehua will offer her blossoms freely so that people can continue to give lei in her name.

The Tree Behind the Legend

The `Ōhi`a-Lehua, Metrosideros polymorpha and M. macropus, is endemic to the Hawaiian islands. Most commonly red, the blossoms can range from creamy white to yellow to salmons, oranges, and scarlet. It can grow as a small shrub or reach heights of some 100 feet. It can be found growing in areas from sea level to over 7,000 feet elevation.

The blossom – pua lehua, blossom cluster – kīhene lehua, and the leaf bud – liko lehua, are important lei materials.

Customs in Harvesting Lehua

Traditionally, lei makers do not pick lehua on the way into the forest, but only after they have gone in, performed their harvesting protocols, and are coming back out. The reasons for this custom are very practical.

First, the areas where the lehua is most abundant and the kīhene most full are the misty rainforests on the windward side of the islands. There, mornings are often bright and sunny, though as the day wears on, the clouds drift in and the misty rains begin to kiss the trees. As the clouds thicken, it becomes easy to get lost in the dense foliage. So, it is good to harvest early and be out of the forest before the clouds set in.

Second, the lehua blossoms and liko are filled with moisture and more sturdy when picked in the morning. Picked in the afternoon, they are already starting to wilt and will not last as long when fashioned into lei.

Third, if the blossoms are picked on the way in, they will spend at least twice as much time packed together being crushed and heated in the bag or basket in which they are carried, so they will not last as long, but will wilt more quickly when made into lei.

Legends teach us many things, and even a simple legend, like that of `Ōhi`a and Lehua, can teach us about natural history, botany, and weather systems.

And so we leave our story of the lehua with this saying: Ka ua moaniani lehua o Puna. The rain that brings the fragrance of the lehua of Puna.