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006 - The Ghost of Wahuala Temple - Hawaiian · Myths and Legends Around the World - Collection 05

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  Speaker 1: The Ghosts of Wahaoula Temple by William Drake Westerveldt. This
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  Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
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  Speaker 1: public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox dot org. The Ghosts of Wahaoula Temple. Hawaiian temples
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  Speaker 1: were never works of art. Broken lava was always near
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  Speaker 1: the site upon which a temple was to be built.
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  Speaker 1: Rough unhewn stones were easily piled into massive walls and
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  Speaker 1: laid in terraces for altar and floors. Water Worn pebbles
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  Speaker 1: were carried from the nearest beach and strewn over the
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  Speaker 1: uneven floor, making a comparatively smooth place over which the
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  Speaker 1: naked feet of the temple dwellers passed without the injuries
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  Speaker 1: which would otherwise frequently come from the sharp edged lava.
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  Speaker 1: Rude grass huts built on terraces where the abodes of
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  Speaker 1: the priests and of the high chiefs who sometimes visited
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  Speaker 1: the places of sacrifice elevated. Flat top piles of stones
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  Speaker 1: were usually built at one end of the temple for them,
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  Speaker 1: the chief idols and the sacrifices placed before them. Simplicity
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  Speaker 1: of detail marked every step of temple erection. No hewn
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  Speaker 1: pillars or arched gateways of even the most primitive designs
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  Speaker 1: can be found in any of the temples, whether of
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  Speaker 1: recent date or belonging to remote antiquity. There was no
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  Speaker 1: attempt at ornamentation even in the images of the great
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  Speaker 1: gods which they worshipped. Crude, uncouth, and hideous were the
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  Speaker 1: images before which they offered sacrifice and prayer in themselves.
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  Speaker 1: The hayus or temples of the Hawaiian Islands have but
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  Speaker 1: little attraction to day. They see more like massive walled
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  Speaker 1: cattle pens than places which had ever been used for
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  Speaker 1: sacred worship. On the southeast coast of the island of Hawaii,
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  Speaker 1: near Kalapana is one of the largest, oldest and best
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  Speaker 1: prisoner of hayus or temples in the Hawaiian Islands. It
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  Speaker 1: is no exception to the architectural rule for Hawaiian temples,
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  Speaker 1: and is worthy of the name of temple only as
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  Speaker 1: it is intimately associated with the religious customs of the Hawaiians.
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  Speaker 1: Its wall are several feet thick and in places ten
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  Speaker 1: to twelve feet high. It is divided into rooms or pens,
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  Speaker 1: and one of which still lies a huge sacrificial stone
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  Speaker 1: upon which victims sometimes human, were slain, before the bodies
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  Speaker 1: placed as offerings in front of the hideous idols leaning
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  Speaker 1: against the stone walls. This hayu now bears the name
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  Speaker 1: Wahaula or Redmouth. In ancient times it was known as
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  Speaker 1: Ahaula or the red Assembly, possibly denoting that at times
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  Speaker 1: the priests and their attendants wore red mantles and their
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  Speaker 1: processions or during some part of their sacred ceremonies. This
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  Speaker 1: temple is said to be the oldest of all Hawaiian hayus,
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  Speaker 1: except possibly the hayu at Kohala on the northern coast
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  Speaker 1: of the same island. These two hayus day back in
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  Speaker 1: tradition to the time of Pau, the priest of Upolu Samoa,
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  Speaker 1: who was said to have built them. He was a
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  Speaker 1: traditional father of the priestly line, which ran parallel to
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  Speaker 1: the royal genealogy of the Kamehamehas. During several centuries into
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  Speaker 1: the last high priest Hewaihwa became a follower of Jesus Christ,
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  Speaker 1: the Savior of the world. This was the last hayou
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  Speaker 1: destroyed when the ancient taboos and ceremonial rites were overthrown
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  Speaker 1: by the chiefs just before the coming of Christian missionaries.
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  Speaker 1: At that time, the grass houses of the priests were burned,
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  Speaker 1: and in these raging flames were thrown the wooden idols
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  Speaker 1: back of the altars, and the bamboo huts of the soothsayers,
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  Speaker 1: and the rude images on the walls, with everything combustible
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  Speaker 1: which belonged to the ancient order of worship. Only the
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  Speaker 1: walls and rough stone floors were left in the temple,
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  Speaker 1: and the outer temple court was the most noted sacred
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  Speaker 1: grave in all the islands. Earth had been carried from
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  Speaker 1: the mountain side inland leaves and decaying trees added to
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  Speaker 1: the permanency of the soil. Here, in a most unlikely place,
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  Speaker 1: it was said that all varieties of trees then found
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  Speaker 1: in the islands had been gathered by the priests, the
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  Speaker 1: descendants of pow To this day, the grave stands by
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  Speaker 1: the temple walls, an object of superstitious awe among the natives.
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  Speaker 1: Many of the varieties of trees there planted have died,
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  Speaker 1: leaving only those which more hardy and needed less priestly
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  Speaker 1: care than they received. A hundred years or more ago.
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  Speaker 1: The temple is built near the coasts on the rough,
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  Speaker 1: sharp broken rocks of an ancient lava flow, and many
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  Speaker 1: places in and around the temple the lava was sugout,
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  Speaker 1: making holes three or four feet across and from one
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  Speaker 1: to two feet deep. These, in the days of the
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  Speaker 1: priesthood had been filled with earth brought in baskets from
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  Speaker 1: the mountains. Here they raised sweet potatoes and taro and bananas.
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  Speaker 1: Now the rains have washed the soil away, and to
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  Speaker 1: the unknowing there is no sign of previous agriculture. Near
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  Speaker 1: these depressions and along the paths leading to Wahaoula, other
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  Speaker 1: holes were sometimes cut out of the hard, fine grained lava.
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  Speaker 1: When heavy rains fell, little grooves carried the drops of
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  Speaker 1: water to these holes, and they became small cisterns. Here
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  Speaker 1: the thirsty messengers running from one priestly clan to another,
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  Speaker 1: where the travelers or worshippers coming to the sacred place
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  Speaker 1: could almost always find a few drops of water to
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  Speaker 1: quench their thirst. Usually these water holes were c covered
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  Speaker 1: with a large flat stone under which the water ran
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  Speaker 1: to the cistern. To this day, these small water places
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  Speaker 1: border the path across the Pahoho lava field, which lies
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  Speaker 1: adjacent to the broken a' A lava upon which the
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  Speaker 1: Wahau La Hayu is built. Many of them are still
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  Speaker 1: covered as in the days long ago. It is not
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  Speaker 1: strange that legends have developed through the mists of the
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  Speaker 1: centuries around this rude old temple. Wahaula was a tabu
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  Speaker 1: temple of the very highest rank. The native chance said
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  Speaker 1: no keya heyu oh ya kee kapu in Ayena concerning
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  Speaker 1: this hayu is the burning Tabu in Ayena means burning
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  Speaker 1: with the red hot rage. The hayu was so thoroughly
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  Speaker 1: tabu or kapu that the smoke of its fires falling
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  Speaker 1: upon any of the people, or even upon any one
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  Speaker 1: of the chiefs, was sufficient cause for punishment by death,
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  Speaker 1: with the body as a sacrifice to the gods of
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  Speaker 1: the temple. These gods were of the very highest rank
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  Speaker 1: among the Hawaiian deities. Certain days were Tabu Tallona Orongo,
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  Speaker 1: as he was known in other island groups of the
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  Speaker 1: Pacific Ocean. Other days belonged to Ku, who was also
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  Speaker 1: worshiped from New Zealand to Tahiti. At other times, Khane,
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  Speaker 1: known as Tanae by many Polynesians, was helped supreme. Then again,
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  Speaker 1: kana Loa or Tanaroa, sometimes worshiped in Samoa and other
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  Speaker 1: island groups, as the greatest of all their gods, had
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  Speaker 1: his days especially set apart for sacrifice and chant. The
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  Speaker 1: mu her body catcher of this Hayu, with his assistance,
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  Speaker 1: seemed to have been continuously on the watch for human victims.
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  Speaker 1: And woe to the unfortunate man who carelessly or ignorantly
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  Speaker 1: walked where the wind blew the smoke from the temple fires.
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  Speaker 1: No one dared rescue him from the hands of the
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  Speaker 1: hunter of men, for then the wrath of all the
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  Speaker 1: gods was sure to follow him all the days of
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  Speaker 1: his life. The people of the districts around Wahaula always
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  Speaker 1: watched the course of the winds with great anxiety, carefully
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  Speaker 1: noting the direction taken by the smoke. This smoke was
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  Speaker 1: the shadow cast by the deity worship, and was far
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  Speaker 1: more sacred than the shadow of the highest chief or
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  Speaker 1: king in all the islands. It was always sufficient cause
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  Speaker 1: for death if a common man allowed his shadow to
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  Speaker 1: fall upon any tabu chief, i e. A chief of
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  Speaker 1: especially high rank. But in this burning tabu. If any
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  Speaker 1: man permitted the smoke or shadow of the God who
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  Speaker 1: was being worshiped in this temple to come near to
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  Speaker 1: him or overshadow him, it was a mark of such
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  Speaker 1: great disrespect that the God was supposed to be in
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  Speaker 1: Nyena a red hot with rage. Many ages ago, a
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  Speaker 1: young chief whom we shall know by the name Kahelee,
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  Speaker 1: determined to take an especial journey around the island, visiting
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  Speaker 1: all the noted and sacred places, and becoming acquainted with
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  Speaker 1: Ali or chief of the other districts. He passed from
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  Speaker 1: place to place, taking part with the chiefs who entertained him,
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  Speaker 1: sometimes in the use of papa he or surfboard, riding
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  Speaker 1: the white cap serf as a majestically swept shoreward, sometimes
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  Speaker 1: spending night after night in the innumerable gambling contests which
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  Speaker 1: passed under the name pili wai Wai, and sometimes writing
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  Speaker 1: the narrow sled ier holua with which Hawaiian chiefs raced
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  Speaker 1: down the steep grass lanes. Then again, with a deep
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  Speaker 1: sense of the solemnity of sacred things, he visited the
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  Speaker 1: most noted of the hayus and made contributions to the
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  Speaker 1: offerings before the gods. Thus the days passed, and the
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  Speaker 1: slow journey was very pleasant to Kahele. In time he
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  Speaker 1: came to Puna district, in which was located the temple Wahaula.
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  Speaker 1: But alas in the midst of the many stories of
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  Speaker 1: the past which he had heard, and the many pleasures
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  Speaker 1: he had enjoyed while on his journey, Kahele forgot the
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  Speaker 1: peculiar power of the taboo of the smoke of Wahaula.
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  Speaker 1: The fierce winds of the south were blowing and changing
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  Speaker 1: from point to point. The young man saw the sacred grove,
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  Speaker 1: in the edge of which the temple walls could be discerned.
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  Speaker 1: Thin wreaths of smoke were tossed here and there from
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  Speaker 1: the temple fires. Kahele hastened toward the temple. The MoU
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  Speaker 1: was watching his coming and joyfully marking him as a victim.
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  Speaker 1: The altars of the gods were desolate, and if but
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  Speaker 1: a particle of smoke fell upon the young man, no
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  Speaker 1: one could keep him from the hands of the executioner.
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  Speaker 1: The perilous moment came. The warm breath of one of
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  Speaker 1: the fires touched the young chief's cheek. Soon a blow
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  Speaker 1: from the club of the Moo laid him senseless on
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  Speaker 1: the rough stones of the outer court of the temple.
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  Speaker 1: The smoke of the wrath of the gods had fallen
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  Speaker 1: upon him, and it was well that he should lie
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  Speaker 1: as a sacrifice upon their altars. Soon the body, with
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  Speaker 1: a life still in it, was thrown across the sacrificial stone.
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  Speaker 1: Sharp knives made from the strong wood on the bamboo
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  Speaker 1: let his life blood flow down from the depressions across
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  Speaker 1: the face of the stone. Quickly the body was dismembered
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  Speaker 1: and offered as a sacrifice. For some reason, the priests,
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  Speaker 1: after the flesh had decayed, set apart the bones for
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  Speaker 1: some special purpose. The legends imply that the bones were
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  Speaker 1: to be treated dishonorably. It may have been that the
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  Speaker 1: bones were folded together, and the shape known as uni
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  Speaker 1: ibili or grasshopper bones i e. Folded and laid away
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  Speaker 1: for purposes of incanta. Such bundles of bones were put
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  Speaker 1: through a process of prayers and charms, until at last
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  Speaker 1: it was thought that a new spirit was created, which
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  Speaker 1: dwelt in that bundle and gave the possessor a peculiar
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  Speaker 1: power in deeds of witchcraft. The spirit of Kahele rebelled
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  Speaker 1: against his disposition of all that remained in his body.
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  Speaker 1: He wanted to be back in his native district, that
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  Speaker 1: he might enjoy the pleasures of the underworld with his
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  Speaker 1: own chosen companions. Restlessly, the spirit haunted the dark corners
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  Speaker 1: of the temple, watching the priests as they handled his
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  Speaker 1: bones helplessly. The ghosts fumed and fretted against its condition.
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  Speaker 1: It did all that a disembodied spirit could do to
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  Speaker 1: attract the attention of the priests. At last, the spirit
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  Speaker 1: fled by night from this place of torment to the
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  Speaker 1: home which he had so joyfully left a short time before.
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  Speaker 1: Kahilah's father was a high chief of Kaou. Surrounded by retainers,
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  Speaker 1: he passed his days in quietness and peace, waiting for
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  Speaker 1: the return of his son. One night, a strange dream
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  Speaker 1: came to him. He heard a voice calling from the
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  Speaker 1: mysterious confines of the spirit land. As he listened, a
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  Speaker 1: spirit form stood by his side. The ghost was that
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  Speaker 1: of his son Kahele. By means of the dream, the
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  Speaker 1: ghosts revealed to the father that he had been put
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  Speaker 1: to death, and that his bones were in great danger
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  Speaker 1: of dishonorable treatment. The father awoke, benumbed with fear, realizing
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  Speaker 1: that his son was calling upon him for immediate help.
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  Speaker 1: At once he left his people and journeyed from place
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  Speaker 1: to place, secretly, not knowing where or when Kahele had died,
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  Speaker 1: but fully sure that the spirit of his vision was
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  Speaker 1: that of his son. It was not difficult to trace
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  Speaker 1: the young man. He had left his footprints openly all
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  Speaker 1: along the way. There was nothing of shame or dishonor,
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  Speaker 1: and the father's heart filled with pride as he hastened on.
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  Speaker 1: From time to time, however, he heard the spirit voice
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  Speaker 1: calling him to save the bones of the body of
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  Speaker 1: his dead son. At last, he felt that his journey
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  Speaker 1: was nearly done. He had followed the footsteps of Kahelee
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  Speaker 1: almost entirely around the island, and had come to Puna,
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  Speaker 1: the last district before his own land of Kaou would
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  Speaker 1: welcome his return. The spirit voice could be heard now
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  Speaker 1: in the dream which nightly came to him. Warnings and
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  Speaker 1: directions were frequently given. Then the chief came to the
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  Speaker 1: LoVa fields of Waha'u'llah and lay down to rest. The
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  Speaker 1: ghost came to him again in a dream, telling him
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  Speaker 1: that great personal danger was nearly at hand. The chief
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  Speaker 1: was a very strong man, excelling in athletic and brave deeds.
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  Speaker 1: But in obedience to the speared voice, he rose early
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  Speaker 1: in the morning, secured oily nuts from a kukui tree,
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  Speaker 1: beat out the oil, and anointed himself thoroughly. Walking along
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  Speaker 1: carelessly as if to avoid suspicion, he drew near to
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  Speaker 1: the lands of the temple Wahaullah. Soon a man came
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  Speaker 1: out to meet him. This man was an Alohe, a
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  Speaker 1: beardless man belonging to a lawless robber clan which infested
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  Speaker 1: the district, possibly assisting the man hunters of the temple
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  Speaker 1: and securing victims for the temple altars. This Olohe was
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  Speaker 1: very strong and self confident, and thought he would have
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  Speaker 1: but little difficulty in destroying this stranger, who journeyed along
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  Speaker 1: through Buna almost all day. The battle raged between the
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  Speaker 1: two men. Back and forth they force each other over
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  Speaker 1: the lava beds. The chief's well oiled body was very
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  Speaker 1: difficult for the Yolohe to grasp. Bruised and bleeding from
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  Speaker 1: repeated falls on the rough lava, both of the combatants
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  Speaker 1: were becoming very weary. Then the chief made a new
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  Speaker 1: attack forcing the olohe into a narrow place from which
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  Speaker 1: there was no escape, and at last seizing him, breaking
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  Speaker 1: his bones, and then killing him. As the shadows of
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  Speaker 1: night rested over the temple and its sacred grave, the
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  Speaker 1: Chief crept closer to the dreaded taboo walls. Concealing himself.
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  Speaker 1: He waited for the ghost to reveal to him the
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  Speaker 1: best plan for action. The ghost came, but was compelled
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  Speaker 1: to bid the Father wait patiently for a fit time
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  Speaker 1: when the secret place in which the bones were hidden
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  Speaker 1: could be safely visited. For several days and nights, the
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  Speaker 1: Chief hid himself near the temple. He secretly uttered the
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  Speaker 1: prayers and incantations needed to secure the protections of his
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  Speaker 1: family gods. One night, the darkness was very great, and
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  Speaker 1: the priests and watchmen of the temple felt sure that
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  Speaker 1: no one would attempt to enter the sacred precincts. Deep
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  Speaker 1: sleep rested upon all the temple dwellers. Then the ghosts
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  Speaker 1: of Kahele hastened to the place where the Father was
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  Speaker 1: sleeping and aroused him for the dangerous task before him.
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  Speaker 1: As the Father arose, he saw this ghost outlined in
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  Speaker 1: the darkness, beckoning him to follow step by step, he
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  Speaker 1: felt his way cautiously over the rough path and along
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  Speaker 1: the temple walls, until he saw the ghost standing near
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  Speaker 1: a great rock pointing at a part of the wall.
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  Speaker 1: The father seized a stone which seemed to be the
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  Speaker 1: one most directly in line of the ghosts, pointing. To
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  Speaker 1: his surprise, it very easily was removed from the wall.
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  Speaker 1: Back of it was a hollow place in which lay
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  Speaker 1: a bundle of folded bones. The ghosts urged the Chief
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  Speaker 1: to take these bones and depart quickly. The father obeyed
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  Speaker 1: and followed the spirit guide until safely away from the
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  Speaker 1: temple of the burning wrath of the gods. He carried
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  Speaker 1: the bones to kaou and placed them in his own
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  Speaker 1: secret family burial cave. The ghosts of Wahaoulah went down
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  Speaker 1: to the spirit world in great joy. Death had come,
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  Speaker 1: the life of the young chief had been taken for
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  Speaker 1: temple service, and yet there had at last been nothing
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  Speaker 1: dishonorable connected with the destruction of the body. In The
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  Speaker 1: Passing Away of the Spirit and of the Ghost of
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  Speaker 1: Wahouala Temple by William Drake Westerveldt