David Kawika Eyre was captivated when storyteller Laura Green told his fourth-grade class the legend of the famous runner Makoa.

He sat wide-eyed with mouth wide open as he listened to the ancient Hawaiian tale.

"She told us about Makoa running the fish from Hilo to Kawaihae under the orders of Kamehameha that they be presented to him alive and still gasping for breath," he said.

Nearly 60 years later Eyre is finally able to bring the stories that inspired him to the next generation of keiki with the publishing of his book "Kamehameha: The Rise of a King."

"Every piece of this land has stories, many lost, many still enshrined in the language," he said. "Teachers know the powerful educational tool that is the story. But today’s technology has replaced storytelling. These kids are missing out on the stories.

"The trend today in classrooms is away from the enlivening power of the story to the deadening worksheet, the anesthetizing test, the mindless reliance on computers that import an outside curriculum to our young."

The book highlights various events and people that helped shape Kamehameha’s life. Although carefully researched and filled with facts, it’s considered historical fiction because Eyre was required to fill in the blanks, dramatizing some scenarios that were undocumented.

On Kamehameha Day, Wednesday, fragrant lei will be draped on the King Kamehameha statue to honor the alii responsible for the unification of the islands under his rule in 1795, and a floral parade will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday. But Eyre says that although these celebrations occur annually, most people don’t know much about Kamehameha the Great.

The book has been a work in progress for nearly 20 years. The 68-year-old Volcano resident originally planned to write the tales as a series of 12 books, and six books were released this way from 2007 to 2010 through Kamehameha Publishing, but the project wasn’t cost-effective.

"Each book was $14.95 and teachers required more storage space," he said. "Families came to us saying that they loved the books but couldn’t afford them."

The final product, a 215-page, 12-chapter book geared toward fourth-graders, includes the stories from all 12 books, covering Kamehameha’s life from birth to death.

The glossary includes a listing of historical gods, people, places and Hawaiian words and phrases.

On April 24, Eyre received the Award of Excellence in Children’s Hawaiian Culture at the Hawaii Book Publishers Association’s Ka Palapala Po’okela Awards.

It’s an acknowledgement for the passion project that was conceived so many years ago.

Eyre said he’s relieved and grateful that the entire project was finally published. "Most of us are familiar with the statue, the holiday and the parade. None of my students seemed to know much more, and I wanted them to hear these stories," he said. "Kamehameha was essentially the hero unknown."

Though Eyre retired from teaching Hawaiian language at Kamehameha Schools Kapalama in 2012, he continues to work as a substitute teacher and tell stories of ancient Hawaii at the Kamehameha campus in Keaau on the Big Island.

And he tells the stories to his five children and eight grandchildren, keeping the legend of Makoa from fading away.

"Kamehameha: The Rise of a King" can be purchased at kamehamehapublishing.org; $12 softcover, $18 hardcover.

EXCERPT FROM ‘KAMEHAMEHA: THE RISE OF A KING’

Keawema’uhili ordered the kahu of his fishpond to take two of the sweet-tasting mullet and two of the fat awa. The keeper went to the warm pond where the fish were kept like pigs. He felt the fish with his hands. He pulled plump ones to the water’s edge, packed them in wet limu kala, and bundled them in soaked kapa. 

Makoa clasped the bundle in his big fists. 

Then Keawema’uhili folded ti leaves, wrapping together two white coral pebbles. He handed them to Makoa: "Here are my words: Take the sweet fish and the white stones to my keiki Kamehameha. The bundles shall be for him. No other hand shall hold them. He will know of my aloha for him." 

Makoa ran and the breezes pressed him on. He passed up through the rain-drenched lehua forests. Then he turned on the path over the mountains, the mountains that were moist from the mist on them. Running. His black hair blew back, his body glistened with sweat, and his fists clamped the damp bundles to his side as he ran. In the distance loomed the great swell of Mauna Loa.

Flocks of nene rose around Makoa. They were heavy. As he ran, he watched the slow flapping of their wide wings.

Makoa stopped to soak the bundled fish in a cold stream. The water rushed in the rocks. Makoa drank the quick water and ate small shrimp that strengthened him. Then he was off. Running.

His legs traced long strides across the lava flats. His toughened feet sank into the cinder stones with a crunching sound. His chest heaved from the thin high air of Mauna Kea. Running.

Makoa reached the great plain that stretches flat and far to the hills of Waimea. The rain of Waimea would moisten and cool the bundles pressed against his hot body. From there he could see down to the distant bay at Kawaihae where the sea whispered and Kamehameha waited. 

The pili grass leaned as Makoa raced downhill, then lifted upright.

Kamehameha greeted his runner with aloha. "E Makoa e, we have waited for you as the day darkened. What words do you bring on your chest?"

Makoa was silent, his eyes downcast in respect. He held out the bundles to his chief. 

Kamehameha unfolded the ti leaf wrapping. He knew the meaning of the white pebbles. "These are the two ali’i, Keawema’uhili and myself," he said. "Our thoughts are white from the inside to the outside. They are of peace." 

Kamehameha looked at the eyes of his chiefs and said: "E na ali’i! Here are my words to you: I do not want this war journey of yours." 

Their eyes turned away.

Kamehameha looked straight at Ke’eaumoku and said: "O my chief, you who would have me speak blunt words to my elder Keawema’uhili. E ho’olohe mai! Hear me! Hear these words, Ke’eaumoku! The anger in you is a hunger. Leave off your work of war. It is a place of restlessness for our people. Put it in the sea so the canoe can go forward!"

Kamehameha opened the kapa bundle. He pulled back the limu matting from the fat silver fish. They were soft and they shone freshly. Their mouths gasped and their gills flexed against Kamehameha’s hand. 

The fish from the middle of the famous pond in Hilo were eaten that night by Kamehameha. They were succulent and sweet, tasting of the broad waters of Waiakea. 

And Makoa, the astonishing runner of Kamehameha, fell deep asleep beneath the starry darkness of Kawaihae. Land of the whispering sea. Stars white as coral.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

"Kamehameha: The Rise of a King" is brought to life with illustrations created by Brook Kapukuniahi Parker, a Native Hawaiian artist who lives in Kahaluu. 

Parker is a descendant of John Palmer Parker, founder of the Parker Ranch on Hawaii island, and Rachael Keli’ikipikanekaolohaka Ohiaku, great-granddaughter of Kamehameha the Great and his wife Kanekapolei. 

Brook Parker’s love of Hawaiian history and genealogical lines provide an abundance of inspiration: "I like to do my research and get things as authentic as possible."

Parker was inspired by his father, a self-taught artist and painter, Hawaiian historian, genealogist and writer. "My father had a lot of art and Hawaiian history books lying around that became my teachers."

His recent work includes commissions from the University of Hawaii and Aulani Disney Resort.