Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Volume XXXV, Number 22, 25 September 1940 — NOTES ON THE KAHUNA AND SOCIAL WORK CHARLES W. KENN [ARTICLE]

NOTES ON THE KAHUNA AND SOCIAL WORK CHARLES W. KENN

Courtesy, Social Process in Hawaii

The Hawaiian terin kahuna ia one of a uumber of words in thfi venacular that are oftenlimes misunderetood and therefore misiiBed today by many people. There is perhaps little wonder that it does confuse people, for the Ilawaiiane themBelves say: He ala iii ke kahuna, aole e loaa i ka- hookolo ia (the path of the Kahuna is so narrow, it camxot be followed)> The aoeial worker commonly refers to kahunaism as a mass of Buperstitions, and to the kahuna as "one variety of the prieet in the old Hawaiian culture. The practice of magic, particularly of the type involviug the curse, has survived as a rather ehaolie set of euperstitionB, including elements of Christianity and probably other religions".' . ~ . i In order best to understand the word, we should study it ■from the point of view of its usage in ancient Hawaii and nir>nng tlie aborigines themselves. Hawaiian tradition suggests the appearance of the kahuna even before the chiefly elaaa. 2 The philological derivation of the word itself a£fords eome insight as to| its meaning. E. Tregear gives some interesting compariaons of j the word in eight other Polynesian dialects, the basic form of whieh is Tohunga meaning a skilled person. 3 Tregear also indicates that in the Hawaiian meaniug, "If no qualifying word followa, Knhuna means priest, or penaon who offers sacnnces; to be or act tlie pneel." Religion is the all important elemenl īn every activity and phase of life of a Polynesian, and so it must be embraced in any definition of the word kahuna, Mana or power ia also an importānt quality that one practicing kahunahm must posseBB. 4 H. Kehahuna of Honolulu states that kahuna fundamentally refers to "one who is initiated into the secret, Iore; ka refers to a genea!ogical line, and huna refers to the secrets within one'a elan." Professor F. Beckley believes that "it pertains to the au-j eient order of priesthood tlirough whom the ancient wiadom waa perpetuated." The late Professor J. Wise refers to the kahuna aa an order of experts whose wisdoin has been gained through divine gttidance. H A. Piianaia states tliat "in ancient Hjdwaii, religion atid life were synonymous and the expert in religion was also the expert in certain life situations. M Long dcfines the word kahuna as keeper of the secret." 5 According to eommon usage among the Hawaiians, kahuna refere to a' definite class oF people who were experts in all matter pertaining to life and religion. There were various kinds of experts specializing in certain occupations or practices, and they i were designated'according lo their individual arts. There were, I in ancient Hawaii, two distinct groups of kahuna, depending upon whether their practioes (oihana) M r ere white or hlaek magic. s T'ie performer of white niagic represented the positive aud construcīive occupations, such as, Lapaau (herbalist), Lawaia (fishing), Kukuluhale (house-buildingT, MaAiai (farming), Kaīai'Waa (canoe*carving) , 7 and many otliers. These occupations were life-?ustaining. Thr cerond general group, known as the practitioners of black iuagic or soreery, indulged iu negative or destructive activities. They were Anaana (praying people to death), Hoopiopio (desipnating a spot on the ground, whieh, if traversed jby the intended victim, will cause liis death), Ēoounauna (keeping and feeding a foetus for de?tructive euds). 8 There were innumerable other destruetive forms. In order to designate a epeeial kind of| kahnnn. such i one who prays people to deatli, it is necessary to sperify kahui a ananna. These groups of kahuna were assoeiated wilh different kinds of temples, s

Aftor the arrivat «f the wliito tra<ler& and nu»eionarie« an<3 wilh t?i~ roruing of large numl>crs of other foreiguerfi to Hawaii, the position of the Hawaiian hahuna was unqueslionaLly tlireateneil niul the practiee of the hahuna «as i4entified by the foroigner with sorcery and superetition. Moreover, xt wae natur;'l t!u't fcre:gn ;Jeology and interpretations should be applied to native practice and tliat some l)orrowmg of foreign practice and ritual fcy the native kahuna shou!d occur. Misunderstand* ings as to what is indigenous and whal is horrowed ia the socalled kahunaism have naturally occurred and frequently eoeial workers classify Hawaiian folkways as kahunaism whieli have nothing to do with the practice a« underetood bj T the old Hawaiians. For example tlie idcntification of the vacant cbair at the tahle during meali? at many a Hawaiian liome with an attempt to esorcise thc spirit of a departed membcr of the houaehold is obviouslv a misinterpretatiou of the acquired cuetom among many Hawaiian Christians of regarding Jesus Clirist as the unseen guest at every Cliristian table. Unquestionahly there is still considerablc confidence iu tlie ancient art of tl»e Hawaiian experte aud ilie social worker iii particular encounters cases in whieh tlie clieut inakes use of the native practitioner. A very eonimon practice aiuong Hawaiians of today is to attend a fra/iunti-fa/wau whencvcr tliey receive a «erious injury, ep|»eciany if it is a broken hone. They believe in the niethod of treating knowu laau kahea, a system of liealiug without the usc of herbs or mediciue of auy kind. The kahuua would ask his patient queslions to be an&wered in Uie affirmative such as; "Do you believe I ean cure you? Do you feel that the pain is going away?, etc." The primary empliasis ifi upon the patient*« faitli and confidence. Oee elieal during a druuken siege. fell into tlfe river n.ear Aala Park !d Honolulu, an<3 was Sshed out by observers, wh.o found that he' had an irt.lured back. Instead of being confiued to a liospīlal, ke souih.t the servlces of a Hawaiian herbal d<x;tor who trealed Mm bjr the taau kahee. He recovered frota lus iiijury t aud bclieved that a doctOr v.ould not have beeu able to accomplisli the same thing. that he would be presented \vith a large bill. :

In thi? oasc, it i« hiteresting to nole tlie effect oT the treatment uj»on tho nniul of this» IlaMaiiau elieul, A varirty of pnH ti< r? ol»sorveil amoug tlu llanaiiau» eau t»e, tracpd haok to aneient aml are eonunoul) aB6oeiated wiiK frnhnnai,vm. T!ie Ha>vaiiau> of oIJ generallj ljaJ no famUj* namea in thc «eneo of our modom sumame Hke Joiies, Smilli» or Brov»«,, Tlirir ehi!<!ren were nameJ to eertain well de£uetit rules whieh liave e\isted from antiquilj . Iu lhis» the> were like. the anrient Oreek? vho he!ieve<! tliat "not everyone eaa glve a name." Naniw of persoii(= meanl a greal «leal to ihe aueleul Hawaiians, and their meaniugs were ver) iuiporlaut, TUe Olohe Hah. or eomposer \vas a very imj)ortant pemui iu eoiwieeliou, with a naming eeren!on\ , a» he lia<3 to compose a uaiue c3xaut (nu'le inoa) for the ehihl, iu whieh there uiust uot 4, ®3tigle wor<! havitvg a negati\e , a uamc-giv-ing eeremony >vas an e\eut* autl llie uame eould W, a eurse or a hle*sing. Chihlren >vere uameJ iu y£ ; p«me outstantUn§ event, or after some fanious ainetkir % or evqu, referriu£ to eome notal>le eharaeteristic \vlikh tlic pareuU Moull wieli the ehihl to Svimetinß> t thc uauie $heu has a <lou!>le nieaning, one of wliieh alludes to a negati>c cliaracteri<!tie. Tf anothor very solenm eenunon) is not perfotmei2 to ofif*et the negative reaction, the ehild Mill meet >vitli troul>le dm> his lifetinie. a? illustrated iu tlie followiu£ Ciises; , The name of a eeilain cheut meau( 'ihe ihiei", lle waa coavictM, on s c!is?ge of burgl*a\ "H is o:ily natur&l lor aie lo eomaiil sucii aja he said. "a» mj- fate *m sealed tlie d&y lwm u%oied." , j An(vth<>r riient h&s a aame tae&niug "oue lodged īn i'sis<ui," «id U is hi.-i belief that his n&mi> if his downf&U,

S:ill »nother cii«ns'ji uame reter« lo "th« h&M&om? 1 youo4 lo\«r." ltis main d'.friculty js thr wa? he īs bv>iliero<i h} inu womea trieud&. h»s JiHivieiJ Ssjto the wunirj* (o W fi\\;u vKom. hy{ tfesy «p]y fol!ow him ]q h* 1 &tu th« vicliffi ol au a«Q3P*iver; I, Thi? elnm h" er "thp pr*y<T" u th« 11 al ( &&&taui>n o( Wic>User ctiē«rs bu». ln i » a» the r®a»imlag |s "i£ my u*m« fe«d &ot ia i« sa u a cfeurch or piujer, 1 *ouid &ai h«T« feeett to tht® 4tfftaulty.'

*» *u fcat ojt <Ju»lru.-t of Uh* f,i\ oiaWe * aanie Uie oftco $i\< tU«ir v]uUixh\ « iuuu ha>iu* a uc*«dm, eouuol&Uoii m th«t Uie oppoMU nid> l>c alkhu. « in\>u»S one" Ceii sauj t<n «u<i, vfc*l * <&;%c 4 oa fcis Mvw. ke £*&&&. fet iuvwi>i mype. Af HlWāiiau» Acxc i> *l«o tk*i if a 4uW, ft« htxa. 4Ī\cu * UAMe* 4ud H i» l«U i ll»c cluid vmll Ik% cumd (ot Ufc* lu llie (i>llo«<U£ UK, ihe vlivuubl4uucd lut UUvk , fui kū mi«i vti(uac. I i

After iny parents had fiyea me a nsjne, w Eaele visited g t aūd I ? e l t^J®t L fce d»ftßge4. Hi» fiaaiU' won «w orer the belter |udg:ment of my parenls t&s they did aol vt&at to •®tod hlm), Since then, I bave alwgja luilueki.'e The day« an<! monllie ui wliieh U*ey art Lom eLo Lavc nome 6ffect« npou l!ie Hawaiiaii people: r **D»e o!ō Ha-waHan c!ient, «ho rega.rōa3 his lieaJth &s bfcia£ his h»wsateßt faandicap, had been born om Uie night of muku £last algbi in [ * Hawaiian month). Ii waa the time when the moon waa at its iow eei, ao waa considered uuiucky. The Hawaiians beiieve to bt born btlow fuil moon 13 a good «ign; to be born after full moon, is & bsd sign. to be born oa tfae very last day of the aaonlh ig very imfortuaate. Tlie chiid would be weak and eickly. , , very Interesūng cuttom conunoa3y asBod.ated witli **iiunmsm that scem= lo have died hard k kaov,u amoM iLe HaWaUans f« aookmhua, Ln wlikl» there k a beiief lhat *hen a womwi become« pregnant and «uddenly acquires a *Uont> axid Mimual desire for some kind of food, her de«ire muM l>e fcati*7=**' M(1 lte kind uf food *hich she crave* thc iiaturt (eao) oi the child may be detcri«ined. 1& Uie e&ee of a client whos« moLh«r wm wiih a siraag and d«wve lor waier helore he wm bym, B uted th&t hj» pre*exu waa du« u> Um grwi craving, «4 tfeal he diā noī h*v € W> «wr ahoui n, »0 ahould be b«ld reapon»ibk' for hus 4&%Vlqm lelon#. Hawaiian? believe ihal if a pregnant woman con&Uuitlv v lk®l her chiid would be an.i that **lies would lo* ifl»a aū mouth Kke w^r,** , lu,olher I >P «f ««Uve «kill nho*e pem*te»ce ta d a y x. re*juetttly a9SOCJ^ ed b oWnd in ihe (olio*«*«eut llawa». holh Ik»>> and girl* of the f?enlr> *ere «iwea *ii the nece«fcary iu»tructioui pcrtaiiū«|s lo the uatuxe of |«e* aud «e* hygiene, The> >»ere «he art of holdia« iii« love of the otherparUie* ipili ke that they mTLZy fiupreme happiuea*. *hen either part,»er failed in hk i£ part, the otl»er forced tu «eek some one else, A few cases of }vf are «"«im»tered today and interpreted as adulter V . UiUaUiaeā, v»e hear the sUteiueot that a kahuna hana aloha (eipert m love transCereacej had heea at uork, and had «ucceeded 4» UrausplanOa£ liie love in a nami Woni 4 puli nu*nv haaa) io that of anothex." k ~ <*"?* f il f d «veal the «mhd of ottUiK>ded iu wiueh, ho*evet. ihe ald naū>e ka/iuiu* *ull pr<mde. an ' iW»iUul «ource ot morak lo mam Ha*aii«w todiv. Mauy af 4fee «m, however, reveal ma*tcal pracāee* uiueh ai* demed Hauauaa sou*ce« and whieh «houW not bc eoatwsed HUh thc AWi«Aa ur hi» pracUce, kakun*utn «e hoaor M||oi««ou u* aweieul liawaii, e#pevUll> m ihe pracu#e o( ihe - P«*«Uve »rt«, «nd thc A»Auna hcld 4 %erv P W-4« «& U

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