Month: November 2023

Beat Sheet for Blood Red Rain: The Invasion

Premise: Soon after an inexperienced king and his queen put down a bloody rebellion, they must rally their war-weary subjects to repel an invasion by a powerful neighboring army and bring a second political wife into the royal family.

  1. Opening Image (1): An internal rebellion has been put down. A young Hawaiian king, PONO, and his beautiful queen, LANI, walk among the smoldering ruins of a Kona coastal village. Wounded warriors prostrate themselves before the queen.
  2. Set-Up (1-10): Pono has his half brother, REBEL GENERAL, who was the general of the rebel forces killed and sacrificed to his war god in an elaborate ceremony. Another of Pono’s half-brothers, KANALOA, who led the earlier rebellion, is spared because he was Lani’s co-husband and is the father of her children. Pono takes after his grandfather and has a green thumb. Pono organizes expansion of the field systems to ensure sufficient food for the kingdom’s expanding population, e.g., he orients the fields in different directions. The Kona and Kohala field systems (giant gardens) are the jewels of his kingdom. Pono and Lani discuss the possibility of Pono’s taking a second wife to assure the loyalty of the Kona chiefs. Lani knows Pono is sad that he and she have not been able to have children. He may not know he needs to have children. Lani dreams about the grandmother she and Kea share.
  3. Theme Stated (5): Pono’s co step fathers, HAUNA and LOLI, are introduced as mentors. Hauna is a wizard and fortune teller. The theme is presented: A successful Hawaiian king must be Machiavellian (a trickster who can deceive and manipulate) as well as ruthless. Maybe it is accompanied by: War always has unintended consequences.
  4. Catalyst/Inciting Incident (12): Pono’s younger half-brother, KEA, a little person, brings Pono the news of an eminent invasion due to a food shortage on Maui and the MAUI KING’s wanting to take advantage of the loss of many Hawaii warriors during the rebellion. Pono decides to visit the Maui King. They agree to keep their visit secret from their half-brother, Kanaloa.
  5. Debate (12-25): Pono and Kea set out to visit the Maui King in a double-hulled canoe and debate about strategy. Pono and the Maui King meet and take the measure of each other. After surfing with the Maui King, Pono pretends that Kea is in trouble for being late cooking Pono’s lunch. Pono slaps Kea and gives Maui King the impression that Kea and he are at odds and that his kingdom is still in chaos. The audience may be deceived, too. Maui King tries to hire Kea away from Pono. Kea and Maui General trade barbs. Maui General, who is a giant, berates Kea for being so short.
  6. Break into Two (25): On the way back to Hawaii, Pono and Kea celebrate having tricked the Maui King, they think. Pono decides to implement their plan.
  7. B Story (30): Pono makes arrangements to marry a daughter of a powerful Kona chief. Lani does not like the idea but realizes why it must happen. Pono weds his POLITICAL WIFE. They enter the ceremonial white tent where Pono impregnates his Political Wife. Lani gets jealous of the attention Pono is paying to his new wife.
  8. Fun and Games/Promise of the Premise (30-55): Pono and Kea decide to move Kona villagers away from the coast and into the upland field systems to give Maui spies the impression that the island’s population is low. Pono’s Political Wife, who lives there, explains to the villagers why it is necessary. Maui King orders his SON, who is not too bright, to reconnoiter Hawaii island coast to assess defenses. The Son visits Hawaii and notes that coastal villages are empty of people and gets the impression that the villagers were killed off during the rebellion. The Son reports back to the Maui King. Maui King’s oracle advises against invasion and is told he will be burned alive on King’s victorious return. The Maui King decides to invade, but maybe with fewer warriors that he otherwise might have employed, or maybe not. Pono and Kea are told of the decision of the Maui King and refine their plan for defending the kingdom, deciding the battle will be fought on a hill called Hoku’ula. Kea will be Pono’s general. Hauna and Loli are given instructions. Lani and Pono’s new second wife get into a dust up. Loli make defense arrangements with the leader of a village of outcasts. Kea trains his warriors. Hauna makes defense arrangements with the chiefess/goddess, WAO, who lives on the hill called Lae Lae on the route to the battlefield.
  9. Midpoint (55): Pono rallies his troops with a great speech (again, like in the previous film, but better). (Henry V parallel.) This is the high point.
  10. Bad Guys Close In (55-75): As the Maui canoes land, Hauna and Loli pretend to be supporters of the Maui King and convince him to have his warriors disassemble their canoes and take a position on the top of a hill above the Waimea plain called Hoku’ula.Kanaloa, who happens to be living in Waimea below the planned battlefield, is awaken by villagers who point out that the channel between Maui and Hawaii is black with invading canoes. He organizes a small band of villagers to sweep down to the coast and put up a delaying defense. OR he tries to make a deal with the Maui King that would put him back in power. Maybe he approaches the Maui forces under a flag of truce. Before he leaves Waimea, he sends word to Pono of the invasion. Kanaloa is captured and his eyes are burned out. He is then killed by the Maui General and sacrificed on a temple alter by the Maui King. This represents a loss of a member of the Hawaii royal family. Lani hears of her co-husband’s death and is devastated. She is consoled by Pono and Pono’s second wife. They are a family. Pono may feel ambiguous about his rival’s death. The Maui King finds himself and his vanguard in a village of outcasts that are considered unclean. The army must stop and the nobles must go through a cleansing ceremony before they can fight. His Son gets in trouble for leading the army into the village. Some of the Maui warriors are crushed by stones rolling down from Lae Lae. The stones are an alternative embodiment of the servants of Wao.
  11. All Is Lost (75): Maui forces interact somehow with the temple run by Pono’s mother on the route to the battlefield which is staffed by virgins. They kill her and them (Hawaii’s geneally took no prisoners). First they killed his half-brother; then they kill his Mom. It is raining, of course: blood red rain.
  12. Dark Night of the Soul (75-85): Pono makes a decision to fight to the death. Maui forces interact somehow with Wao’s husband, who can fly, maybe for some comic relief. Maybe Lani’s nephew (who becomes a king later) is captured but convinces his captors that the gods want them to release him.
    Maui forces are in position on the top of Hoku’ula. The warriors begin to notice that all the available sling stones are made of soft pumice. They begin to grumble. Torches held by Pono’s warriors are seen by Maui forces spreading out on the Waimea plain below Hoku’ula.When the sun rises, the Maui King sees Pono’s forces arrayed before them for miles. The Maui forces are outnumbered. The Maui King turns to his son, asks him how this could happen if the coastal villages were empty, and notes that they are all going to die.
  13. Break into Three (85): In accordance with custom, Pono approaches the Maui King under a flag of truce to negotiate the place and time of battle. It is agreed that the generals from both sides will first fight to the death, risking Kea’s life.Kea and the Maui General approach one another and fight. Kea is wounded. Just before the Maui General kills him, Kea recovers and kills the Maui General.
  14. Finale (85-110): The armies charge toward one another in the customary formations, with Pono and Lani leading the charge, surrounded by their closest supporters, including Hauna and Loli. Pono slices and dices. Lani is wounded. Kea breaks the backs of six Maui chiefs using a famous Hawaiian fighting (lua) move. The Maui forces are routed and run for the coast. Their canoes having been disassembled, the Maui forces are trapped on the beach and slaughtered. One of Pono’s nieces helps the Son of the Maui King to escape and return to Maui. The dead are seen marching single file to one of the leaping off places to the underworld. Pono sacrifices the Maui King to his war god. His warriors cheer.
  15. Final Image (110): Maybe a scene showing Pono’s and his Political Wife’s children along with Lani’s older children playing with their royal parents, as a family.

The Battle of Hōkū‘ula

Here is the story of the Battle of Hōkū‘ula, a turning point in the history of the nation of Hawai‘i:

Lonoikamakahiki (Lono), the Mo‘i (King) of Hawai‘i, was playing kōnane (Hawaiian checkers) with his wife, Kaikilani-Ali‘i-Wahine-o-Puna (Kaikilani) at Kalaupapa on Moloka‘i when he overheard a message from his wife’s lover being called down from the cliffs above. Lono became enraged, and struck his wife on the head with the stone kōnane board, vowing never to live with her again. Upon hearing that Kaikilani had almost been killed, all of Lono’s brothers and all the district chiefs of Hawai‘i except one half brother, Pupuakea, joined Lono’s oldest brother, Kanaloakua‘ana, who had been Lono’s regent when Lono was young, in a revolt.

Kaikilani traveled to O‘ahu where Lono was visiting its king to warn Lono of the revolt. There she sat outside the walls of the king’s dwelling and chanted Lono’s mele inoa (name chant), causing Lono to forgive her. They returned to Hawai‘i and joining with his half brother, Pupuakea, put down the revolt in battles at Wailea, at the pu‘u called Puupā on the plains of Waimea (a few miles to the west of the present-day airport), at Kahuā (the battle of Kai‘ōpae), at Halelua in Kohala (the battle of Kai‘opihi) and at Pu‘umaneo above Pololū. Three of Lono’s half brothers were slain and sacrificed, but two other half-brothers Kanaloakua‘ana and ‘Umiokalani escaped. Within a few years, Lono had reconciled with his half brothers and they returned to his service.

With the family reunited, Lono visited to the Mo‘i of Maui, Kamalālāwalu, in Hana where he held court. Lono was sumptuously entertained by Kamalālāwalu, who was very advanced in years. Not long after Lono’s return to Hawai‘i, however, Kamalālāwalu, driven by ambition, decided to invade and conquer the nation of Hawai‘i. When Lanikaula, a high priest from Moloka‘i, warned Kamalālāwalu of the dangers of the enterprise (in a prophesy that survives today), an irate Kama replied “when I return, I will burn you alive.”

Kamalālāwalu’s fleet landed in Puakō and met no opposition. Lono’s oldest brother, Kanaloakua‘ana, was in residence Waimea at the time, and, upon hearing of the invasion, marched toward Puakō with what forces he had at hand. A battle ensued at Kauno‘oa (Kauna‘oa, near the present-day Mauna Kea Resort?), and Kanaloakua‘ana’s forces were utterly defeated, with Kanaloakua‘ana himself being taken prisoner. In what was considered an act of wanton cruelty that was memorialized in a famous mele (chant), Kanaloakua‘ana’s eyes were burned out and he was killed.

After this initial success, Kamalālāwalu and his Maui warriors marched boldly inland and took up a position above Waimea on top of the pu‘u called Hōkū‘ula and Pu‘uoaoaka (spelled Puu Owaowaka on USGS maps), following false advice given by Lono’s agents. During the night, Lono’s warriors from Kona arrived and occupied a position extending from Pu‘upā to Haleapala. His warriors from Ka‘u (led by its high chief and Lono’s half brother, Pupuakea) and Puna were stationed from the pu‘u called Holoholoku (located a few miles southeast of the airport) to Waikoloa, those from Hilo and Hāmākua were stationed from Mahiki to the pu‘u called Pu‘ukanikanihia, and those from Kohala were stationed from Momoualoa to Waihaka.

That morning, from his position atop Hōkū‘ula, Kamalālāwalu could see that the lowlands were literally covered with the countless warriors of Lono, and realized that he was outnumbered. For three days the armies skirmished, with the actions of the Maui warriors being dominated by Kamalālāwalu’s nephew and general, Makakuikalani. Then, the battle began with Makakuikalani “positioning his warriors at the front below Hōkū‘ula and Pu‘uoaoaka” where they were confronted by Pupuakea and his men. Initially, the two high chiefs battled alone, using war clubs, and Makakuikalani was slain. After Makakuikalani fell, the Maui forces were rapidly routed and Kamalālāwalu, the Moi of Maui, was also slain. The killing lasted for three days and ended in Puakō. “So ended the first of the major wars between the nations of Maui and Hawai‘i.”

Notes: The above events occurred during the period A.D. 1640-1660. The story is paraphrased from versions presented in the following books: Ancient History of the Hawaiian People to the Times of Kamehameha by Abraham Fornander, Exalted Sits the Chief: The Ancient History of Hawai‘i Island by Ross Cordy and Place Names of Hawai‘i by Mary Pukui, Samuel Elbert & Ester Mookini.

Lono’s Dark Side

Many screenwriting experts point out that a movie’s main character need not be lovable. The audience must, however, be able to understand his or her point of view, that is, the audience must be able to see the world through the main character’s eyes.

John Locke, in his book Into the Woods, points out that “the audience has to relate to your characters, but they don’t need to approve of them. . . . Niceness tends to kill characters — if there is nothing wrong with them, nothing to offend us, then there’s almost certainly nothing to attract out attention either. Much more interesting are the rough edges, the darkness — and we love these things because though we may not consciously want to admit is, they touch something deep inside us.”

Robert McKee, in his book Story points out that “the protagonist must be empathetic; he may or may not be sympathetic. . . . Empathetic means ‘like me.’ Deep within the protagonist the audience recognizes a shared humanity. . . . A protagonist may or may not be pleasant. . . . Macbeth is a breathtaking display of the godlike power of the writer to find an empathetic center in an otherwise contemptible character.”

For example, in Shakespeare’s Henry V, the main character has his cousin beheaded when his cousin is caught plotting to assassinate him. He does not spare one of his old drinking buddies from being hanged after being caught looting. The play is preceded by Richard II, Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2. The original audiences would thus have already been familiar with the title character, who was depicted in the Henry IV plays as a wild, undisciplined lad known as “Prince Harry” and by Falstaff as “Hal”. In Henry V, the young prince has become a mature man and embarks on a successful conquest of France. Sound familiar?

How, then, in the oral histories, has Lono exhibited his unsympathetic side?

One example is the young Lono’s immature and haughty dismissal of his father’s game pieces and weapons. Fornander, in his Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore, describes Lono’s reaction to his retainer’s explanation of the purpose of the items. Concerning pahee spears, Lono responded: “These things are worthless and have very little use; the great objection I have against them is that they are used by men for the purpose of making wagers, even to the extent of their bones, on the result of their skill after heated arguments. That is the reason they are worthless.” Concerning an olohubowling ball, Lono responded: “Throw it away; it is also worthless.” Concerning an arrow made from a sugarcane top, Lono responded “It, too, is worthless; you had better break it up and throw it away.” Concerning a wooden war club, Lono responded: “That thing is also without value. Its only use would be for a stick to turn over the stones in an imu.” “After this incident (his father) Keawenuiaumi for some time thought over the future of this boy and wondered what would become of him after he had grown up.”

Another example is Lono’s hitting Lani on the head with a stone konane (Hawaiian checkers) board when he comes to believe she has taken a lover. Fornander, in his Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore, describes the incident as follows:

After Lonoikiamakahiki had made out the calls, he then asked his cousin, his wife: ‘Say! Your lover Heakekoa sends you his love, I hear.’ Kaikilani did not make answer to the question put by her husband, however, but continued in her deception, by saying: ‘This here is won; that is on the run, steady progress, the top is falling, the blacks are indistinct; the whites have won.’ At this, Lonoikamakahiki took up the konane board and struck his wife on the head, inflicting painful wounds, but not severe enough, however, to kill her. Because of this, the anger of Lonoikamakahiki was aroused and his mind was greatly troubled; he then made an oath that he would never again live with Kaikilani.

Yet another example is Lono’s forsaking a good friend based on rumors within his court. He changes his mind later. Samuel Manaiakalani Kamakau in his book Ruling Chiefs described the incident as follow:

Lono made a favorite of Kapa-‘ihi-a-hilina, a person of importance before the chiefs and other members of the court, Kapa-‘ihi was made steward over all the property of the chief, but tattlers who were jealous of his being a favorite went to the chief to find fault. When Kapa-‘ihi was no longer a favorite to the chief he reminded him of their life of poverty in the wilderness of Kauai, where they wandered about hungry. Therefore great affection welled up in the chief, and Kapa-‘ihi-a-hilina became a greater favorite than he was before. Kapa-‘ihi-a-hilina composed a chant of affection for the chief, recounting their wanderings in the wilderness of Kauai. . .

.
Another example is Lono’s sleeping on the beach with a noblewoman who is on the way to the island of Hawaii to get meet her future husband after Lono thinks he has killed his wife. (One following oral history “protests too much, methinks” when it argues that he didn’t sleep with her.) Fornander, in his Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore, describes the incident as follows:

On the next day Ohaikawiliula arrived. She was a chiefess from Kauai, and because of the great cunning and learning displayed by Lonoikamakahiki he won Ohaikawiliula and was allowed the honor of entertaining her that night, thereby giving him further subjects with which to carry on in the game of hoopapa. After having won Ohaikawiliula for the one night, without ever having an idea of committing any sin with the chiefess from Kauai, only wishing to procure further subjects for his test with Kakuhihewa, they removed themselves to the end of the house set apart for the use of Lonoikamakahiki.

Another example is Lono’s killing members of the king of Oahu’s household when Lono wins the “inside” of the king’s house in a bet about whether Lono can recite a chant (given to him in secret by the aforementioned noblewoman). Lono thereby exhibits his skill at gambling and convinces the king of Oahu that he can be ruthless. Fornander, in his Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore, describes the incident as follows:
After Kakuhihewa was beaten by Lonoikamakahiki, Kakuhihewa ordered all the people to get out of the house and thus leave the house to Lonoikamakahiki, the king of Hawaii, who had won. When the order was given Lonoikamakahiki was standing just outside of the door with a war club in his hands. As soon as the order was given to vacate the house the men immediately proceeded to go out; but as soon as the first party started out they were killed by Lonoikamakahiki.

Yet another example is Lono’s allowing two of this half brothers (Kanaloakapulehu and Kanaloakaukawaiea) to be killed after they act as rebel generals during the revolt against Lono. Fornander, in his Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore, describes the incidents as follows:
This battle of Lonoikamakahiki at Puukohola was named the Kawaluna, because of the night strategy successfully executed by him on that occasion. Kanaloapulehu, having been made a prisoner, was killed and laid upon the alter (lele). So, died the general of the rebels.

The conquerors gave chase, meeting them on the beach at Kahua, when Pupuakea slaughtered them on the pili grass as well as on the beach, their repluse having scattered them in every direction. As for Kanaloakuakawaiea, her fled to the canoe landing and ordered the men to cover him with pebbles; the covering was only partial, however. Lonoikamakahiki and his men soon arrived upon the scene and Kanaloakuakawaiea was there slain.

A further example is Lono’s treating his younger half brother (and general!) Pupuakea or Pupukea like a servant during a trip to visit the king of Maui, Kamalalawalu, (and then slapping Pupuakea for not preparing his lunch on time). (Of course, that incident occurred before the invasion of Hawaii by the Maui king and may have been a performance to trick the Maui king that Lono was a poor ruler and the kingdom of Hawaii was vulnerable after Lono quelled the revolt by his other brothers.) Fornander, in his Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore, describes the incident as follows:
During this retirement, Kamalalawalu’s stewarts prepared food, meat, awa, and a water basin. Wherefore, Lonoikamakahiki asked Pupukea: ‘Where is our food and fish; and where is our awa?’ Pupukea answered: ‘They are near by. The meat is chicken, but it is not cooked. And as to the awa, it has not been masticated.’ Whereat, Lonoikamakahiki, infuriated by Pupukea, sprang forward and slapped his cheek. Pupukea then took the awa and chewed it. Again Lonoikamakahiki sprang forward and struck Pupukea’s cheek. Pupukea said to Lonoikamakahiki: “What! is the striking first? Why not first speak, and when the narrow openings of the ear hear the charge, then it will be just to slap?”

Counterbalancing these “there but for the grace of God go I” faults, is Lono’s allowing his older half brother (Kanaloakuaana) to live after Kanaloa leads the revolt against Lono. Lono also allowed his youngest and only full brother (Umiokalani), who fought against Lono during the revolt, to live. The oral histories do not explain how this happened. Maybe Kanaloa and Umio reached a puuhonua, or sacred place of refuge and was absolved of his crimes. Or maybe Lono could not kill his only little brother or the father of the punalua sons he shared with Kanaloa. Or maybe his older brother was so politically powerful he was “too big to flail” (pardon the pun).