Wednesday, August 17, 2016

A legend of Kahuna Falls


Kahuna Falls is the other large falls in Akaka Falls State Park; the one you also see if you take the entire loop, and don’t just go down to Akaka Falls and back. One of the reasons it was called Kahuna Falls (The Priest’s Falls) is that there’s a pool right at the top of the falls that’s supposed to heal ills if you bathe in it. People were supposed to take their sick family members to it in stretchers and everything so they could bathe in the pool and be healed.

Sounds a lot like a lot of healing springs and pools around the globe, right? There’s just one little difference. They won’t let me embed from Google Maps, so here’s a link to the best picture Google Maps' street view seems to have of it.



 
If you’re have trouble figuring out the picture, the falls comes from about 5/6ths the way up that cliff, where slightly gentler cliffs up to the top of the ridge from there. I think most healing pools and springs are a little more accessible, especially since you really were supposed to climb up from the bottom of the falls. {pause}

My first impression is that anyone who can climb up there didn’t need much healing, but it’s not that simple. Especially not with stretchers and lots of relatives with good, strong backs to make that climb, and help pull their sick relative up it. Because in Lilo and Stitch, Disney understated the importance of family in Hawaiian culture. If Auntie is sick, they’ll get her there. It may take a lot of amicable bickering while arranging the ropes and the stretcher and all, but they’ll do it for Auntie.

P.S. I’m sorry this one doesn’t have more of a story, but this is what I had time for after making the last chair cover and fighting a suddenly difficult mouse (unsuccessfully so far). {half-smile}

10 comments:

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    1. You're most welcome, Lizl {BIG GRIN, REALLY BIG GRIN}

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  3. Ok, my picture and name are responding now.
    I do enjoy all of your writings that you share and this one is interesting as always. Thank you for sharing :)

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    1. Gorgeous pictures also. I cannot imagine how to start to get anyone up there to get well.

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    2. Thanks, Denise. I did need that encouragement. This is one of those family-heirloom hobbies that went down from Grandma to Dad to me that I never see non-family doing. So as fascinating as I fine it, I can't help wondering if we're the only ones interested. It's good to hear that you are, too. {SMILE}

      A.E.B.

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    3. And exactly on not knowing how to got someone up there, especially someone too sick to climb. It had to involve a stretcher and lots of rope, but there are so many trees and bushes to get hung up in... But family was everything in ancient Hawai'i, so they'd do it for Auntie, even if I can't imagine how. {SMILE, wink, BIG SMILE}

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  4. That is a beautiful falls. You had to get all the way to the top to bathe in the healing water? Wow. That show a lot of commitment.I wonder why the water is less healing at the bottom of the falls? :)

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    1. That's what the legend says; bathe in the pool at the top. {REALLY BIG GRIN}

      You're right; that does show a lot of commitment. Esepcially when a stretcher is involved; it would try to get caught in every single bush and tree... and that's a lot of greenery to contend with. {Chuckle, BIG GRIN}

      A.E.B.

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