Recovering the Ancient Magic – Max Freedom Long

Hopii was a fairly well educated Hawaiian. He was married. He owned and operated a big " rent " car.

Hopii's wife was jealous, very jealous, and not without cause. He loved another woman and was loved by her in turn. Because of this woman there was much trouble between husband and wife - although Hopii also loved his wife, very dearly - paradoxical as polygamous instincts may seem.

This trouble went on for over a year before it came to a head for the first time. When the wife made life so unbearable for Hopii that he could no longer stand it, he agreed to give up the other woman if only for the sake of peace.

But like many other men of good intentions, he had not reckoned with his lady love. She had made no agreement, so she insisted on seeing him from time to time. He held out against her for a few weeks, then gave in. He used all precautions lest he be found out a second time.

All went well for a few months, then Hopii came down with the " flu." Influenza is bad for Hawaiians at any time, and for Hopii it proved very bad indeed. A white doctor did all he could for him, but he grew rapidly worse. One night the physician took the wife aside and told her that her husband was dying - would unquestionably be dead before dawn. Hopii was burned out and his resistance gone.

There were in the house by then a sister of the wife and a brother of the sick man. When told of the situation, the brother rushed out to get a kahuna - a thing Hopii had fought against from the first.

The kahuna was old and wrinkled, but very active and alert. He went immediately into the sick-room and stood for a moment with closed eyes beside the bed.

" He is dead ! " cried the brother.

" Not yet," said the kahuna. " I will pour my mana in to make him strong. Then I will have time to kala big thing that eats him inside. "

The kahuna took from his bag four carved wooden " markers." He held them in his hands while he chanted " god-talk." He laid them at the " four corners " of the unconscious man and then placed his hands over his solar plexus and continued to chant.  Some five minutes later, Hopii opened his eyes and began breathing heavily.

" Go way ! " he whispered.

The kahuna turned to the brother. " Go way."

" I mean you ! " said Hopii.

The kahuna hurried the brother through the door and came back to replace his hands on Hopii's stomach.

" Lay still and listen to me ! I am going to tell your wife you sorry for go back to other woman sometimes. She going forgive you. Then I kala sin out of insides of you and you get well."

" No ! " said Hopii wildly. " I rather die first ! "

" No good," said the kahuna gently. " You got stay here and earn money so she can eat. She forgive and l kala, then you going be all right." He went out and closed the door after him.  When Hopii revived again he found the hands once more on his stomach and his wife weeping beside him. Again she was ready to forgive. Hopii also wept. It was good to be forgiven. He took fresh courage. 

The kala was done with firm words and water splashed generously over the bare body of the sick man. The water was partly brushed and mopped back into the gourd bowl.  " See ! " commanded the kahuna. " All your hala (sin guilt) is in water. Water wash out and pick up every bit.  Now watch ! I throw water on ground through window.  There ! All your kala gone ! Nothing left to eat you inside.  You all clean again ! Now you get well quick because I can use high mana."

The old man sighed and wiped his hands while the wife dried and covered Hopii. With eves uplifted and his face radiant, the kahuna made a very short invocation.  " You are well," he said quietly after the invocation was finished. " I have talked to the aumakuas and called down the rain for you. Now sleep and rest. After you sleep little while you wake up so well you only need eat and lay around few days to get fat back on bones. No tell anyone and not to remember. If you tell or remember old eating inside, you pray please forgive for."

In the morning when the doctor came to sign the death certificate he found Hopii sitting up in bed eating a huge breakfast.  " Kahuna ? " asked the doctor after recovering from his surprise.

Hopii grinned.

" I wish I knew how thev do it," was the physician's sorrowful remark as he took his departure.

Recovering the Ancient Magic – Max Freedom Long

Henry nodded. He had been convinced that the old kahuna knew his business.

" Good ! That fine ! All you need is be good in faith in me.  Now I tell you something. In me is power from gods to forgive you for hurt girl and for everything bad you ever do, I going forgive you in kahuna way what lots more better than church way. Kahuna way forgive both spirits in you.  Now I take this raw egg. I hold it over cup. When I do that, both of us hold breath. I put cleaning mana into egg. I break in cup. I give to you, you swallow quick and all at once. Then we breathe again. You understand ? "

Henry understood. He obeyed orders. The egg was poised over the cup. Henry held his breath. He was nearly bursting when the egg was finally broken and handed to him.  The moment he had gulped it down, the kahuna seized him and rubbed his stomach violently, at the same time panting out compelling words:

" Egg and mana is inside ! It clean away all your sin !  You clean like baby now ! You not need shame for anything ! You all clean now ! No one can punish ! You no can punish yourself ! You never go black and fall down some more ! You all new and clean and happy and well ! "

The kahuna smilingly declared the cure complete and permanent. He collected his modest fee, and Henry went back to his work. Never did the fainting spells return.