Category: The Rebellion

Premise line: When a carefree young Hawaiian becomes a crown prince after his father kills his uncle, he begins training for the kingship, only to discover his power hungry brother wants to continue the family tradition. Life gets complicated when crops begin to fail and their father has both of them marry a beautiful cousin to re-establish the usurped bloodline. He must pass dangerous kingship tests designed by his brother, overcome his sexual jealousy, and use his new skills to bring the land back to life – Blood Red Rain: The Rebellion.

Act One

Sequence 1: Ordinary World, Meet the Family

1. In an opening image, Pono (po-no), a happy-go-lucky, athletic Hawaiian surfer dude, is running toward us (and away from the Hill of the Jealousy, Pu’u o Kahua) through an early developmental stage of the Kohala Field System, a large garden that feeds the people of Hawaii island in the 17th century. Pono is popular and farmers along his route (who look thin and hungry) stop work to cheer him on.
2. As he enters a coastal village, he grabs Lani (LAW-nee), his childhood sweetheart (stakes character/love interest) and the beautiful granddaughter of the king, and playfully picks her up dives into the surf. Lani is used to getting what she wants and right now she wants to marry Pono and have babies. Lani’s chaperoning aunties are upset by the unsupervised interaction. (Pono is sheltered, naïve, unambitious, not serious. Lani is spoiled, impatient.)
3. Pono’s father, Keawe (kay-AH-vay) plots with other chiefs to kill the king, Keawe’s brother. Keawe convinces his supporters (landless chiefs) he can ramp up food production faster than his brother. Kanaloa (KAH-nah-low-ah), who is Pono’s older half brother and Keawe’s favorite, organizes the assassination.
4. When Pono asks his favorite uncle, the king, for permission to marry Lani, he is told to wait until the king determines whether a political marriage to another noble will be necessary first. He asks Pono if he can afford a wife.
5. Pono seeks career advice from a wizard who tells Pono to become proficient at wrangling (debate and riddling) (the third act solution) and who mysteriously calls Pono “my prince.” The wizard states the theme of the story, a restatement of the Hawaii State Motto: The life of the land is preserved in righteousness, which means the lands will be brought to life again only when all things are correct and proper (pono). (Pono wants to be wealthy enough to marry Lani.)
6. Pono tours an armory with his aunty and expresses his reluctance to become a warrior. (Pono wants to be an athlete and rejects the warrior role, disappointing his father.) The auntie that raised him is show to have two husbands.
7. The progression of the New Year’s Festival (Makahiki) is detailed in a montage: an overseer collects the annual tribute; the Makahiki god is assembled and decorated; the nobles and commoners are dressed in their best; everywhere the cries of people drunk on kava can be heard; at nightfall, nobles and commoners go to bathe together in the ocean and an orgy occurs; the king greets the Makahiki god with ritual tears as the god begins a clockwise circuit of the island; at each district boundary, boxing, wrestling, sledding, rolling stones (maika), foot races and other game are played; hula dancing occurs; Pono wins a race.
8. In the inciting incident/catalyst, without warning Pono, as the king is ritualistically bathing at the end of the festival, Keawe has the king killed and usurps the throne, just as his father (Pono’s grandfather, Umi) killed his brother to usurp the throne. (Pono is “out of the loop,” not respected by his father.)

Sequence 2: The Dramatic Question

9. Commoners and noblemen wail and some knock out a tooth in sorrow. Pono and Lani are devastated and bewildered. As a peaceful guy, Pono does not seek revenge. Kea (KAY-ah), a little person, Pono’s half brother and coach, rebels against the dysfunctional family around them and leaves the court.
10. Keawe’s consolidates his power and his warriors kill a district chief loyal to the old king, whose body is places in an underground oven and cooked. The bones of the chief are put in a basket with the bones of the other previous district chiefs.
11. The dead King’s son is surrounded by beautiful women and food. He is too fat to even move and is apparently accepting the loss of the crown. Keawe feels he is not a threat.
12. Keawe is a womanizer and as the new king he gathers all the beautiful women in the kingdom for his pleasure. He is shown playing the Hawaiian version of “spin the bottle” to select his mate for the night. He has children with low ranking women, angering the nobility.
13. The trade winds fail, reducing the rainfall on and output of the field system, making matters worse. The people are unsatisfied.
14. As the people grumble, Keawe’s health fails as does the health of the island.
15. Naïve Pono is warned by Kea and his high-ranking mother, at a woman’s temple (heiau) in Waimea that she founded, that his marrying Lani would put him in a lethal (fratricidal) competition with Kanaloa (keep this a secret: and his younger brother, Umio) (OO-me-o) for the kingship.
16. On his deathbed, Keawe sees the error of his ways and names Lani as the next queen. He appoints Kanaloa as reagent until Lani is old enough to rule with Pono. An evil schemer to the end, Keawe directs both his highest ranking son, Pono, and his oldest son, Kanaloa, to marry Lani, thereby keeping both his sons in bloodline. Pono accepts from Keawe the offer of the kingship but prudently (from the perspective of self-preservation) asks Keawe for time to learn the skills of warfare before marrying Lani (over her objections to the delay) and taking charge of the kingdom. Keawe agrees and sends Pono off to be trained by Kea, who is an expert at Hawaiian hand-to-hand fighting moves (lua). (Recognizing the danger, Pono makes a commitment to prepare for his destiny as the future king. This is the first turning point.)

Act Two

Sequence 3: Training to Earn the Kingship

17. Over the next year, Pono trains for his future job. Pono arrives at a Hawaiian fighting school. (Pono realizes how hard that job is and how difficult and dangerous his life will be.)
18. A montage of training sessions is presented. In addition to warfare skills, he learns about food production.
19. During Pono’s training, Kanaloa befriends the angry and lonely Lani who is kept in isolation until Pono can return and marry her.
20. Kanaloa seduces Lani.
21. When his training is complete, Pono returns to claim his wife and the throne, but first has to pass tests designed by the queen’s regent, Kanaloa, which almost kill him.
Sequence 4: The Kingship Tests
22. In the boxing contest, Pono is beat up by Kanaloa, but is deemed to have passed the test.
23. In the spear dodging test, Lono dodges a single spear thrown at him by Lanaloa. Pono then dodges 4 spears thrown at him simultaneously by four warriors.
24. On the beach, Pono then dodges 30 and then 80 spears thrown at him simultaneously.
25. Pono wins a riddling contest with a man whose house is surrounded with a wall made of the bones of his previous competitors. (Pono rises to the occasion and avoids being killed by his brother.)
26. Act two midpoint: Pono passes the tests (barely), takes Lani as his wife, and becomes king.
27. The trade winds return, and with them the fog-drip irrigation water needed by the crops. Pono decides it is time to make babies. (Pono is “on top of the world”. He feels confident and everything appears to be going his way.)

Sequence 5: Let’s Try That Again

28. Lani tearfully admits to Pono that she was seduced by Kanaloa while Pono was away in training and that she has already had a male child with him. Pono is angry, but as the higher-ranking husband, Pono decides to have children with Lani, thereby ramping up the same competition for the throne that his family has faced for generations.
29. The traditional white tapa tent is set up, surrounded by praying priests. Pono and Lani enter and try to get Lani pregnant. When he attempts to escape, Pono is shown being dragged back into the tent by Lani who really wants this to work.
30. The first attempt ends in failure. Lani is teased by the other women, one of which Lani knocks out.
31. In a montage, several attempts at impregnating Lani end in failure and Pono gets very frustrated.
32. Pono’s brothers regroup and try to get rid of Pono.
33. Kanaloa again tries to seduce Lani.
34. When that does not work, Kanaloa sets up a situation which makes it appears like Lani has a lover (which might indeed be the case, we will never know for sure). Lani’s surfing teacher, and alleged lover, is introduced.
35. Pono and Kanaloa are supervising the clearing of the Waimea forest and construction of ditches to irrigate the crops that will be grown there (to increase food production)
36. Pono is disappointed in Lani’s not being faithful and is confused by Lani’s possibly having yet another lover.

Sequence 6: It Gets Worse

37. When he thinks he overhears Lani’s lover calling to her, Pono’s sexual jealousy gets the best of him. He hits Lani on the head with a stone Hawaiian checkers board and believes he has killed her. (Pono is angry and violent, maybe for the first time.) Pono is remorseful and contemplates suicide.
38. Lani is alive. She is told that Hea was calling to another Lani.
39. Pono travels alone to the island/kingdom of Oahu, wallowing in regret and mourning his loss.
40. Pono’s brothers hear of the incident and all but Kea raise a rebellion.
41. Lani returns to Hawaii and learns of the rebellion from her mother.
40. Pono gambles with the King of Oahu.
41. Pono is seduced by a chiefess who is on her way to Hawaii to get married. He moves through his jealousy.
42. Lani finds Pono on Oahu and chants his name chant to him. Amazed she is not dead and convinced that she still loves him and that he is the right person to lead his kingdom, they return to Hawaii to put down the rebellion with Kea as their only ally.

Act Three

Sequence 7: Surprise!

43. Pono uses his debating skills to convince some of the Hawaii island chiefs to fight on his side, because he is the correct person to be in charge. Kea acts as Pono’s general.
44. Pono and Kea lose an initial battle, pre-arranged and fought in a typical Hawaiian battle formation.
45. Pono’s side finally prevails.
46. Pono’s mettle is again tested when Lani asks him not to kill Kanaloa, the father of her child.
47. When the war appears to be won, Pono’s younger brother, Umio, who would inherit the throne if Pono died, tries to kill Pono, but fails, as Pono dodges the spear. This time it is Pono’s mother who pleads for the life of her younger son.

Sequence 8: Happy Ending

48. In the final image, Pono is seen walking through a much larger version of the Kohala Field System, this time toward The Hill of the Jealousy with his step son. The (now plumper) farmers cheer him again, this time as their leader.

PROJECT TITLE: Blood Red Rain: The Rebellion
BLAKE SNYDER GENRE: Institutionalized (dysfunctional family type)

Logline: A carefree young Hawaiian, who becomes a crown prince when his father kills his uncle, must learn to defend himself from power hungry brother who wants to continue the family tradition – Blood Red Rain: The Rebellion.

Opening Image (1): Pono running toward us (and away from the Hill of the Jealousy, Pu’u o Kahua) through an early developmental stage of the Kohala Field System, a large garden that feeds the people of Hawaii island in the 17th century. Pono is popular and farmers along his route stop work to cheer him on.

Pono is sheltered, naïve, childish, unambitious, not serious.

Theme Stated (5): The land can feed its people only if a good person is the sovereign. This is another way of stating the Hawaii State Motto: The life of the land is preserved in righteousness OR the sovereignty of the land is preserved in Justice OR the lands will be brought to live again only when all things are correct and proper (pono).

Set-Up (1-10): Pono is a happy-go-lucky, athletic, Hawaiian surfer dude who is in love with Lani, his beautiful second cousin and the granddaughter of the king. Lani is used to getting what she wants and right now she wants to marry Pono and have babies. When Pono asks his uncle, the king, for permission to marry Lani, he is told to wait until his succession was settled. Pono seeks the advice of a wizard who advises Pono to become proficient at wrangling (debate and riddling) and who mysteriously calls Pono “my prince.”

Pono wants to become rich, wants to marry Lani. He rejects the warrior role.

Catalyst (12): Pono’s father, Keawe, convinces his supporters (landless chiefs) he can ramp up food production faster than his brother, the king. Without warning Pono, Keawe, has the king killed and usurps the throne, just as his father (Pono’s grandfather, Umi) killed his brother to usurp the throne. Kanahoa, who is Pono’s older half brother and Keawe’s favorite, sides with their father and organizes the killing.

Pono is “out of the loop”, not respected by his father.

Debate (12-25): Keawe is a womanizer and as the new king he gathers all the beautiful women in the kingdom for his pleasure. He has children with low ranking women, angering the nobility. The trade winds fail, reducing the rainfall on and output of the field system, making matters worse and the people unsatisfied. Kea, a little person, Pono’s half brother and coach, rebels against the dysfunctional family around them and leaves the court. As the people grumble, Keawe’s health fails as does the health of the island. On his deathbed, Keawe sees the error of his ways and names Lani as the next queen. He appoints Kanaloa as reagent until Lani is old enough to rule. An evil schemer to the end, Keawe direct both his highest ranking son, Pono, and his oldest son, Kanaloa, to marry Lani, thereby keeping his sons in bloodline. Naïve Pono is warned by Kea and his high-ranking mother, the founder of a woman’s temple (heiau) in Waimea, that his marrying Lani would put him in a lethal (fratricidal) competition with Kanaloa (keep this a secret: and his younger brother, Umio,) for the kingship.

Pono is afraid to take on the role of crown prince, but really wants Lani.

Break into Two (25): Pono accepts from Keawe the offer of the kingship but prudently asks Keawe for time to learn the skills of warfare before marrying Lani (over her objections to the delay) and taking charge of the kingdom. Keawe agrees and sends Pono off to be trained by Kea, who is an expert at Hawaiian hand-to-hand fighting moves (lua).

Pono makes a commitment to prepare for his destiny as the future king. Pono discovers how hard that is and how difficult and dangerous his life will be.

B Story (30): During Pono’s training, Kanaloa befriends the angry and lonely Lani who is kept in isolation until Pono can return and marry her.

Fun and Games, The Promise of the Premise (30-55): When his training is complete, Pono returns to claim his wife and the throne, but first has to pass tests designed by Kanaloa, which almost kill him. In the spear dodging contest, Pono dodges 80 spears thrown at him simultaneously. Pono wins a riddling contest with a man whose house is surrounded with a wall made of the bones of his previous competitors.

Pono rises to the occasion and avoids being killed by his brother(s).

Midpoint (55): Pono passes the tests (barely), takes Lani as his wife, and becomes king. The trade winds, and with them the fog-drip irrigation water, return. Pono decides it is time to make babies.

Pono is “on top of the world”. He feels confident and everything appears to be going his way.

Bad Guys Close In (55-75): Pono discovers that Lani was seduced by Kanaloa while he was away in training and that she has already had two male children (twins) with him. As the higher-ranking husband, Pono decides to have children with Lani, thereby ramping up the same competition for the throne that his family has faced for generations. A white tapa tent is set up and Pono and Lani enter and try to make a baby, with the tent surrounded by praying priests. Several attempts end in failure and Pono gets very frustrated. Pono’s brothers regroup and try to get rid of Pono. Kanaloa again tries to seduce Lani. When that does not work, he sets up a situation which makes it appears like Lani has a lover (which might indeed be the case, we will never know for sure). Pono and Kanaloa are supervising the clearing of the Waimea forest and construction of ditches to irrigate the crops that will be grown there when Lani’s surfing teacher, and alleged lover, is introduced.

Pono is disappointed in Lani’s not being faithful and confused by Lani’s possibly having another lover.

All Is Lost (75): When he thinks he overhears Lani’s lover calling to her, Pono’s sexual jealousy gets the best of him. He hits Lani on the head with a stone Hawaiian checkers board and believes he has killed her. Pono contemplates suicide. His brothers hear of the incident and raise a rebellion.

Pono is angry and violent, maybe for the first time.

Dark Night of the Soul (75-85): Pono travels alone to Oahu where he wallows in regret and mourns his loss. He gambles with the King of Oahu. He is seduced by a chiefess who is on her way to Hawaii to get married. He moves through his jealousy.

Break into Three (85): Lani finds Pono on Oahu and chants to him. Convinced that she still loves him and that he is the right person to lead his kingdom, they return to Hawaii to put down the rebellion.

Finale (85-110): Pono uses his debating skills to convince some of the Hawaii island chiefs to fight on his side, because he is the correct person to be in charge. Kea acts as Pono’s general. After losing an initial battle, Pono’s side prevails. Pono is again tested when Lani asks him not to kill the father of her children, Kanaloa. When the war appears to be won, Pono’s younger brother, who would inherit the throne in Pono’s absence, tries to kill Pono, but fails. This time it is Pono’s mother who pleads for the life of her other son.

Final Image (110): Pono is seen walking through a much larger version of the Kohala Field System, this time toward The Hill of the Jealousy with his step sons. The farmers cheer him again, this time as their leader.

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.

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. . .

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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).