Kahuna Power

The fascination began with the knowledge that the Kahuna were among the most magical people who have ever walked the face of this planet. Their understanding of human nature and herbs, plus their magical prayers and chants made them as one with the gods who were willing to do their bidding.

Excerpt:

WHO ARE THE KAHUNA?

The mere mention of the word "Kahuna" strikes fear in the hearts and minds of many otherwise rational people. Why? Mainly because the Kahuna were thought to be witch doctors who could literally will a person to die even if they were many miles away. And while it is true that some Kahuna practiced a type of "black magic," the word Kahuna has, in reality, a very sacred and spiritual meaning.

"Kahuna" simply means "keeper of the secret," or "heart lore."

A Kahuna was a priest, a minister, a sorcerer, or an expert in a profession. He might have been a doctor, surgeon, scientist, herbalist, navigator or musician. The secrets of the Kahuna's trade were carefully guarded so that they did not fall into the wrong hands. A high priest would only pass on his knowledge shortly before death, usually by whispering into the ear of his successor who he had personally chosen to carry on his work. Nobody knows for sure how many Hawaiians still follow the "old religion." Most of what was known has either died out totally or has gone underground because of the religious fanaticism of the Christian missionaries who tried their best to erase all that had gone before and replace it with their brand of God and religion.

As Maria and I were to find out, however, the Kahuna have not all passed away. A handful (again, nobody really knows how many) still continue on with the work of their ancestors, practicing powerful ceremonial magic when the moon and the tide is "just right," just as their fathers and grandfathers before taught them the ways of the ancient gods.

KINDS OF KAHUNA

There are various types of Kahuna. The dreaded one is the "Kahuna 'ana 'ana," who was the power to pray a person to death.

The medical Kahuna is skilled in combining religion and psychology. He has a knowledge of diet, herbs and health. He knows, for instance, that the aloe plant is the perfect balm for burns. The "awa" is an extract of a shrub that is used as a narcotic drink. The medical Kahuna uses it as a sedative when he must set broken bones. The extract also figured in ceremonies conducted by the Kahuna to exorcise evil spirits and to placate the gods. Scientists today are probing into an anti-cancer serum concocted from a certain sea worm-a possible cancer cure used by the Kahuna for centuries.