Kahuna of Light: The World of Hawaiian Spirituality
Get an old-timer going, and stories of the past will come tumbling out for hours on end. These are really the stories ofourpast in that they tie us to our tradition. InKahunas of Light: The World of Hawaiian SpiritualityMoke Kupihea tells stories like an old-timer but with more polish. The stories of his past are the stories of his spirituality--of his ancestors on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, of his deep relationship with the land, and of the kahunas of his youth who shared their wisdom. Stories are the way Kupihea reconstructs the crumbling edifice of Hawaiian religiousness, linking generations through the ancient notion of theaumakua, or ancestral spirit. Although plodding at times, and often lacking a vigorous narrative movement, Kupihea reveals the meaningful days of his youth spent exploring cliff-side caves, rowing canoes in secluded streams, and coming face to face with the luminous spirit guides. He says that we can reclaim our past and our spirit--and shares how he has done just that.--Brian Bruya