This is a pūhi kauwila or Dragon Moray. The scientific name is Enchelycore Pardalis. It is because of my relationship with pūhi that this paper will incorporate multiple schools of knowledge such as oli (chants), moʻolelo (stories), and scientific information that will bring a holistic scope about pūhi in multiple arenas. It is important to include all types of information to allow a connection between our observations of kai (ocean) and our stories about pūhi in the papakūmakawalu method to understand how kupuna (Hawaiian Elders) organized the world around them.
The pūhi lives in two divisions of kai. The first kai is the kai-hele-kū, which is the part of the water that one could stand or shallow water. Another name of this kai division is kai-ohua. The next division that the pūhi can live in is right after the kai-hele-kū which is called, the kai-au or kai-o-kilo-heʻe. This part of the kai is when a person is able to swim deep or a place to go spearing for squid. Some islands even use this area as a surfing spot. Kai-o-kilo-heʻe literally means, a place for spearing squid. Since pūhi like to eat squid. It would be common to find pūhi in this kai. Pūhi are mostly known for living in the nooks and holes in the reefs however, an ʻŌlelo Noʻeau (wise saying) mentions a different behavior that pūhi have. “He pūhi kumu one, he iʻa ʻino,” in literal translation this means, an eel of the sand and bank is a dangerous creature. This is said of eels who can travel up to the sand and rocks making it dangerous for the people on the beach. Some stories are told about eels climbing up the pandanus trees and dropping on people when they are resting or sleeping under them. This explains that pūhi although mysterious and likes to hide can also be social creatures. In fact, the restless mind that people have when they are in love with someone is described like the writhing of an eel. “He pūhi ke aloha, he iʻa noho I ke ale.” Which means, love is like an eel, the creature that dwells in the sea cavern. |