The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-24
WITCHCRAFT Nv HAWAII
The Kahuna Stiil Finds Employment Among
the SupcrstitiOus Natives.

WITCHCRAFT IN HAWAII.
The Kahuna stu Finds Employment Among
the SupcrstitiOus Natives.
HONOLULU, May There he's been an
other outbreak of kahunaism in Hawaii
with the result that one OF the sorcerers. or
kahunas, is in prison at Puma, Hawaii,
awaiting trial on charge OF mansiaughter.
As briefly told in previous despatch, ne
is charged with having caused the death
of an old native by beating him over the
head with a Bible in orderto drive tie devils
from his body
This case is one of the most unique in
the annals of kahunaism in the islands:
1t appears from the story told at the trial
in district. court, that native IN the
ment physician, DR.. Holland, was called
in. He was treating the man with some
hope of curing him, when the native called
in kahuna, believing that the physician
was not curing him rapidly enough Inc
! kahuna Immediately threw away he RENE
dies prescribed by the physician and dag
nosed the case for himself. He found that
the man was possessed of red devils, and
after several incanta atoms. in which the
aid Of spirits was invoked, decided that
the only way to drive out the devils was by
liberal application of the Bible to the
head of the patient. The sick man was
compelled to sit upright in his bed and was
then beaten vigorously by the kahuna W Wmn
the kahunas arm tired the mans wife was
forced to continue the treatment, until the
man sank unconscious in bed. A few days
afterward the man was beaten ever, more
vigorously with the Bible and ne dled. 49,,
| The kahuna was arrest ed, FIRST on the
charge of practi sing wi,chcraft, but after
ward the charge was changed to man.
slaughter. The man made. no defenc,.
He said that he had done his best for his
patient, but the devils had conquered. He
testified that the man. eyes were red, that
he was restless and that his hair s. God
on end, and that these were signs hat he
had red devils. The only cure was by the
application of the Bible TO the head, as the
Bible told
The kahuna was asked to point to the
chapter in the Scriptures which provided
for this met hod of getting rid of the devil
but he became confused and refused to
do so. Judge Kamau then he the kahuna
for the Grand Jury on the charge of man
! slaughter. The wife of the man admitted
that she had beat Ell her husband over the
head with the Bible, but said chat she could
no, disobey the inst ruct ions Of the kahuna,
in whom she trust ed implicitly.
| This case has caused an invest cation
to be made of the practice of kahunaism
In the islands. kahunaism is prohibited
! by law. 1t is relic Of ancient Hawai-. ard
| ali the efforts of the missionaries, from
! the day of their arrival, have been in
sufficient to stamp it out. 1t is witchcraft,
| pure and simple, but even some OF the
/ educated people among the Hawaiians
believe in II. There Is something III II
/ akin TO the faith cure.
The younger element IS growing, up
without fear of ii. but among the older
natives it is estimated that there Is one
kahuna to every fifty people. For kahu-
naism is lucrative business. An attempt
: was made AT the last session OF the LegIs-
lature to secure the repeal OF he law pro
4 hibhing the practice OF wilchcrait, but i
/ failed to get through the Senate, though
all the natives voted for It, Al the session
! just closed another effort to legailHe the
! about wav, was made. bill was INT ro-
1 duced to permit the praclice Oh f'euicihe
! without n license, which was meant lot
| the llahuna and no one else
| A few months ago n woman wien doctor
| in Lahaina on Maui was sent 10 prison
for causing the death OF tathcr ana TWO
| sons who. she said, had killed the PIT cat
, of hor favorite niece. All three OF ths
! men became i'll and the kahuna was c2lied
in to cure them. They di as result OF
J her treatment. Sue admitted that she
prncfir0d krhunaiSm She SAID mat
she did her best to save the livss ~ her
patont but the ir great sin IN killlhg
thu cnt had made cure impossible"
what moderniHed, or p1rhops /, Is only
that fakirs have replaced the real thing;
I Many of them are blGcknailers pure ana
! simple. They cl'im power to summon
/ spirits AT will, and nnl IS they receive
! yerything they want in the form OF money
or food, the croduous native is likely TO