The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-07-24
THE MYSTERY Of DEATH BROODS
OVER BEAUTIFUL PALOLO VALLEY
THE HAwATANs THERE LISTENING FOR THE Rustic
OF AZRAEIIs WINGS; ADORN DESERTED
CHARMS OF tt LEAF WORN

occurred is fully a mile away on the
Eva side of the valley, and farther |
down. Its situation and surrounding |
conditions are much the same as at the
other two. Drinking water was obtain
ed from the rain water from the roof or
from a stream at some distance from
the house.
While the sanitary conditions of all
these kuleanas was much the same,
they did not differ essentially from the
conditions surrounding Chinese and
Japanese taro cultivators in close proX-
unity to them.
From all that can be learned regard
ing those who died. they had nearly all
been born in this valley, but had been
away from it residing on Hawaii until
about eight years ago. Then they came
back to the valley and lived an Isolated,
primitive life. They cultivated little
taro and a few sweet potatoes, and were
occasionally employed by other lana
owners in the valley
The idea is strongly but covertly con-
veyed by other people residing In the
valley. that the distillation and con-
sumption of okolehao and swipes was
actively carried on by some of those In
the death visited kuleanas but of this
there. was no direct proof, except that
the post mortems held by the Board OF
Health in some cases revealed alcohol
ism. 1t is said that employment at
wages mas DeGn UlOIG premium anu IL
cratiVe lately, since the Palolo valley
Improvement Company began opera
tions, and the ability to indulge in alco-
holic drinks has been greater than FOR
merly.
1t is probable that the six deaths,
which coming so close together, Seem
ed like the visitation of some evil spirit,
were all due to general conditions of a
low tone of vitality due to "a low and
unwholesome plane of living together
with insanitary conditions of life, and
in some of the victims, insanitary nab
it's Such indeed though not expressed
in the same way, is the opinion of most
of the Hawaiians who were their neigh
bors, and still live in the same valley
But the survivors hold an entirely diff
ferent belief. To them it is undoubted-
" the work of the kahuna, and the
result of anaana. Indeed, the kahuna
is pointed out. He points himself out
as the one who is charged with being a
= kahuna, denying at the same time the
fact and his belief in kahunaism,
though the narrow necklace OF u LEAR
r which he wears, hardly corroborates his
unbelief. He is an Hawaiian of fifty
= or more, who evidently once had COM
handing figure and carriage, though
f age is beginning to show in his stopped
! shoulders, and in the gray of his hair
z and beard He is a tenant of Liliuoka-
I lani. and looks after the pasturage OF
+ stock on the land she leases from the
t Government. He lives with his wife, a
. comely and much younger Hawallan II
t a little cottage at the edge OF the pas
p ture land, in a tagle of guava and Ian
: tana brush.
a when those people got sick" he sait
: Sunday, Il told them to go to the
v Queens Hospital. But they were afraiC
a to go. and then they got worse anc
;, died. They said / was kahuna, sup
q pose because l am getting old and have
:, gray hairs. People say that of any
a one when he gets old.
- Nearly the whole of Palolo Valley wa
a once owned by Pauahi an aged Hawaii
an who still lives near the middle OF II
q 1t came to him as an inheritance from
- his first wife, a woman of chiefly rank
n whose grave is pointed out, hover GOV
n cred and surrounded by neat ston
curbing, a short distance in front of tn
e house where Pauahi lives. Pauahl ION
n ago sold the property, retaining a SINAI
,r parcel near the main road that runs u
~ the valley, and an annuity for life. q
\ this reservation there are seVera
~ houses. in one of which Pauahi lives
At surrouned by relatives and retainers
No Since the visitation of death to the val
"a ley, the survivors from the stricke
4 kuleanas are living temporarily In
NJ house a short distance from Pauah
70 and nearer the Eva side of the valley
10 Pauahi and his kinsmen are their near
Is est neighbors The mystery of thes
is deaths is the chief topic of converse
10 ton in the little community. The aw
% of it has evidently impressed them, &c
10 everyone wears the ii necklace charm
though in the case of some of tn
a younger people it's dimensions are re
To- duced to a mere thread, as though the
1e were wearing it rather in Difference :
- the sentiment of the community l
l. which they live, than from any belle
as in it's efficacy. Yet notwithstandln
III these charms are worn, the idea thf
40 kahunaism or anaana had anything
10 do with the deaths is secuted by all
an Pauahi's encourage.
ne But over in the house where the SUI
II vivors live there is the most profoun
In belief in the kahuna hypothesis. a
In first a little reserved about speaking
n it. if once they become interested, al
or sertions of the malign influence of II
he kahuna comes in voluble sentences, bl
g. subdued utterance. They thorough
he believe that their friends were praye
s. to death.
Sc Palolo is a pretty valley. 1t has III
ed waiian legends by the score connectt
with it, 1t is the. fit scene for such
his mystery as broods over it now.