Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 10, 1 October 2021 — TALES OF THE SUPERNATURAL [ARTICLE]

TALES OF THE SUPERNATURAL

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The NightMarchers "In ancient times, wherever high-ranking ali'i went, they were protected by warriors. Every month, the ghosts of those warriors still march on specific paths from the mountains to the sea. Known as the night marchers, they appear during the last four Hawaiian moon phases, when the sky is the darkest and on the one night of the month when there is no moon. "There are many paths on every island, and they don't change, no matter what has been built on them. The procession of night marchers will go through houses, hotels, schools, office buildings, golf courses and shopping malls. There are signs that tell you they are coming and you should get out of their way. You'll hear drumming and chanting, and you'll see a line of torchlights. By the time you smell sulfur and hear a eoneh shell blowing, it's too late. You'll have to strip naked and lie face-down without moving until they pass. If you look, they will kill you. "Years ago, I was taking q.o people on

one of Glen Grant's tours. We stopped at Kionaole Road near Ko'olau Golf Club in Kāne'ohe, whieh is known as a haunted plaee. It was pitch-black, and we were walking around with flashlights. Suddenly, we all heard drumming and chanting. I immediately told the group to get back on the bus because night marchers were coming, and we had to leave. We got out of there fast. The bus driver was so scared, he almost left without us." Nu'uanuPali "By 17 95-, Kamehameha had conquered Hawai'i, Maui, Moloka'i and Lāna'i in his quest to unite the islands under his rule. His army landed at Wai'alae and Waikīkī in May that year to fight the warriors of 0'ahu's king, Kalanikūpule, and gain control of that island. Kalanikūpule's men were pushed from the southeast coast north to Nu'uanu, where they were cornered at what is now the Pali Lookout. Before them were Kamehameha's formidable forces; behind them were sheer cliffs that dropped more than a thousand feet.

"About q.oo of Kalanikūpule's soldiers either jumped or were driven over the Pali to their deaths. Kalanikūpule escaped, but he was eventually captured in the mountains and sacrificed to Kamehameha's war god, Kūka'ilimoku. "Today, some people swear they've heard the commotion of combat - muskets, cannons, spears clashing, moans and shouts - at the Pali Lookout. Could it be a ghostly re-enactment of the bloody battle that happened there more than two centuries ago? Perhaps... "It's well known that you're not supposed to carry pork over the Pali. Legend says Pele, the fire goddess, and Kamapua'a, who is half man, half pig, were onee lovers. Their relationship ended on not-so-good terms, so they agreed to leave eaeh other alone. [i "Pali Highway connects Honolulu with the windward side where Kamapua'a lives. If you bring pork over the highway from the windward side, it's like bringing him to a plaee Pele doesn't want him to :. be. Something will happen that'll prevent

you from going on; fbr example, your car might stall. After you throw the pork away, your car will start, and you'll be able to eominue on to your destination." Mānoa Chinese Cemetery "At Mānoa Chinese Cemetery, a banyan at the top of a hill is supposedly a portal to the underworld. It's charred inside because an energy from there passes through it and scorches it. "I've seen apparitions wandering by the graves, including an old, stooped woman who always has her hands behind her back. I think she's curious about who's visiting because she lingers fbr a few minutes, r listening and observing. When she's satisfied, she turns and fades away, leaving behind the distinct aroma of violet candy. "The ghosts of children often play in the trees. They're mischievous; they enjoy shaking branches like the wind is blowing them. If you're there on a day when there's not even a hint of a breeze but the branches are moving, you'll know the children are teasing you."