A Heiau Story

This is something I've posted elsewhere on the Net, and I thought that you folks in particular would appreciate it...it may also, to a degree, explain why I take this stuff somewhat seriously...

The events described might just have been a coincidence, by the way, so please take the following story only as an anecdote:

When I was much younger, ten years old to be exact, I visited some relatives in Hawaii. With my relatives, I went on a tour of some historic sites, including a sacred burial ground (these are called "heiaus"). This heiau was many hundreds of years old, and royalty was buried there. The tour guide explained that we must disturb nothing on the site, and that we must act respectfully at all times during our visit. He also explained that--as is also apparently true of many historic sites throughout the world--strange things tended to happen to people who tried to take anything from the site (rocks, etc.).

To be more specific, he said that people who tried to take things from the site were not allowed to leave. The site was watched over by guardian spirits. He was very serious about this, and said that people coming in using cars or bicycles, for example, would experience mechanical problems that would persist, and prevent them from leaving, until they put back whatever it was they had taken.

Being young, I thought it would be a good idea to try to test this. So while we were looking around, I picked up a very small pebble from the path, very tiny, and put it in my pocket. I thought I was being really clever.

When the tour was over, we all got in the car to leave. My aunt turned the key in the ignition, but the engine wouldn't start--it made only a squeaking, whining sound. After this went on for a few moments, I figured I knew what was happening, and started shouting for someone to roll a window down. I almost got hysterical. They didn't know what I was shouting about, but someone did roll a window down. I reached into my pocket and threw the pebble out the window. And at that very moment, the car engine roared to life. We drove out of there, and I never did anything like that again.

Once again, this might easily have been just a coincidence. But it sure made an impression on me. Was something trying to put the fear into me that day? I don't know, but I believe a good scare can often be a useful learning experience.

Hope you like my story! Thanks for reading.

[ Edited by: procinema29 on 2003-08-06 11:00 ]

That's a beautiful story procinema29, thanks for sharing it...

aloha,
emspace.

when you visit the visitor center at the volcano on the big island - there a large display of many stories like these and artifacts (pieces of lava, etc.) that people have sent back in the mail - it's fascinating...

Glad you enjoyed the story. I have read some strange tales of things that happen to people the take things from historic sites...fascinating is indeed the word for this sort of thing.

I've been to places in my life where the heavy energy is just overwhelming...around Chickamagua, for example..it just talks to you, screams it's past. It is an indescribable heavy feeling, and by God, you KNOW that you're on sacred ground. Andersonville is the same way. My dad said he felt the same thing while touring Auschwitz...you keep your hands folded in front of you.

The mana is strong in the 'aina.

[ Edited by: christiki295 on 2004-05-23 22:30 ]

That's a great story. If you'd like to read more similar experiences and other investigations into Hawaii's supernatural, then check out Glen Grant's "Obake" books. Good stuff for some real chicken skin!

-Weird Unc

Wow, the same kind of thing happened to me on our family trip to Hawaii. I found this small carved TIKI idol and made a necklace out of it. Then I went surfing and wiped out really really bad, then...wait a minute...that wasn't me...that was Greg Brady. I'm thinking of a Brady Bunch episode. Sorry, my mistake. Carry on.

reminds me of the time i met pele & other stories:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=927&forum=1&start=0

mahalo for sharing your story, procinema

On 2004-05-05 19:07, christiki295 wrote:
The mana is strong in the 'ahina.

the spiritual power is strong in the gray?!