Poliahu
Snow Goddess of Mauna Kea's Eastern Cliffs

This is a love story of Poliahu and the Alii, (chief) Aiwohikupua from Kaua'i, that weathered some miscommunication. As he journeyed from Hana to the big island he sees from afar a beautiful maiden sitting on a cliff, next to her is her white snow mantle. When he approaches her he proclaims his love for her and proposes on the spot. She acknowledges that his mission is to find a wife and she accepts. As a token of their agreement they exchange capes. He gives her the golden feathered one he is wearing and she give him her snow white mantle.

His journey needs to be completed before he can return to marry her and he continues on to Kaua'i. Once on Kaua'i he makes plans for the wedding and sends two messenger birds to Poliahu, to advise her to come to marry him. The birds go to the wrong place and advise another women he had known in Hana. When the 'other woman' shows up for the wedding Poliahu learns of the error, she freezes the ceremony. All is put right and he returns to her.

Patiently she sits on the edge of a cliff looking past the blue waters of the ocean to see a canoe arriving with her love, wearing her white snow mantle. Later they will marry at Waiulaula on the island of Hawaii. In time, together they will return to live in Kauai, making their home above Honopuwai.