In the spirit of Halloween I thought I would share a tale with you. There are many ghost or "chicken skin" stories told on Kauai. One of the oldest and most feared is the Night Marchers or Huaka'i Po. Legend states that these ancient Hawaiian warriors march along sacred paths near the Wailua river. Along their route they loudly pound drums, chant and carry torches to light their way. If you see or sense that the spirit warriors are near, do not disturb their procession or meet their eyes. Legend tells that these angry warriors have the power to take your soul! If they come upon you, lay motionless, face down on the ground until they pass. The Night Marchers are said to be traveling to avenge a battle or heading to Polihale to leap into the next world. Sightings are popular along the highway between Wailua and Lihue...the most dangerous stretch of road on the island and the scene of many accidents. Spooky!
Other, less grim stories speak of the Menehune. Said to be short, people-like beings with great work ethics and mischievous senses of humor! According to legend the hard working Menehune built the Alekoko fishpond in just one night! They worked through the night, passing lava stones hand-to-hand from Makaweli village 25 miles away. The stones were carefully stacked, for the fishpond has withstood the test of time. It's 1000 years old! The often called Menehune fishpond is 900 feet long and 5 feet high and was built as a gift to a princess and her brother. You can easily see the fishpond today, it's about a half mile from Nawiliwili harbor on Nawiliwili road near Lihue. The photo above was taken last October.
Thanks for reading my diary and as always if you have any questions or comments...feel free to reply! Have a great week friends!