Research source

Mahana's elder brother was a kahuna, or witch-doctor, of great celebrity

Date of account: Published 1915
Source: Legends of Gods and Ghosts (Hawaiian Mythology) Collected and Translated from the Hawaiian
Reference: Legends of Gods and Ghosts (Hawaiian Mythology) Collected and Translated from the Hawaiian · selected passage 48
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-25

Record summary

Published source text

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Source passage

Source text · mention only

Mahana's elder brother was a kahuna, or witch-doctor, of great celebrity. He was called at once to pronounce the prayers and invocations necessary for influencing the spirit and the body to reunite. Long and earnestly the kahuna practised all the arts with which he was acquainted and yet completely failed. In his anxiety he called upon the spirits of two sisters who, as aumakuas, watched over the welfare of Mahana's clan. These spirit-sisters brought the spirit of the rainbow-maiden to the bruised body and induced it to enter the feet. Then, by using the forces of spirit-land, while the kahuna chanted and used his charms, they pushed the spirit of Kahala slowly up the body until "the soul was once more restored to its beautiful tenement."

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

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