Ep 284: Nightmarchers of Hawaii

“My family and I might be safe from the Night Marchers because our ancestor was the Kauai ali’i and Kamehameha’s adviser, Chief Kai’iana. Ka’iana died at the Battle of Nu’uanu and may walk with the procession.”

— Tonight's guest, Kamuela Kaneshiro

Description:

Those who have visited Hawaii have experienced its natural beauty, soothing lifestyle, and the charm and friendliness of the inhabitants. However, only a select few may have encountered what the locals know and revere – the supernatural entities and legends that are still active and enduring. Some, like seeing "Madame Pele," can invigorate awe and wonder, while others can be terrifying. One of the latter and seemingly more prevalent is encountering the Night Marchers. They usually appear as a column of warriors floating above the ground along a predetermined path, weapons or torches in hand. Many report only hearing their presence in the form of unexplainable beating drums or the ghostly blowing of a conch shell. And just seeing them, it's said, ensures a disappearance or violent death to the witness if the proper respect isn't paid in their presence. But what is their origin story, and what do they want? Are they soldiers defeated by King Kamehameha I advancing towards a counterattack or seeking revenge? Or are they keepers and enforcers of ancient Hawaiian cultural laws and mores? To help us explore these questions and relay some of his personal experiences, tonight's guest is Kamuela "Kamu" Kaneshiro. As a native Hawaiian, content creator, and podcaster for 20 years, Kamu has extensive knowledge of the lore and heritage of his homeland. His royal lineage might even protect him from these fearsome spectral guardians. Join us for a fascinating discussion as we warily watch for the Night Marchers of Hawaii.

Reference Links:

• Kamuela Kaneshiro’s website, legendsfromthepacific.com

• Kamuela’s episode, “Episode 12 – Hawaii’s Deadly Royal Procession - The Night Marchers”

• Kamuela’s “Episode 11 – Hawaii’s Ultimate Warrior - King Kamehameha the Great”

• Kamuela’s “Episode 1 – Pele - Hawaii’s Goddess of Fire”

• A free bonus episode gift from Kamuela – “Hawaii’s Faceless Ghost – Mujina”

• Kamuela’s newsletter sign-up and free gift

• Kamu’s old neighborhood

• The “Chicken Skin” show’s episode on the Nightmarchers, from Noʻeau Woo-O'Brien’s YouTube channel

• Wikipedia entry on Hawaii

• Nightmarchers on Wikipedia

• “ Mana” – the supernatural force in Oceanian cultures

• “Pō Kāne: When Spirits Haunt the Night” from the Ho‘okahua Hawaiian Cultural Vibrancy Group

• Kamehameha I

• Kaʻiana

• Battle of Nuʻuanu

• “Nu‘uanu Pali Road – 1897: Crossing the Ko‘olau Range” from the Historic Hawai’i Foundation

• Kapu in Hawaiian culture

• Hawaiian religion

• Aliʻi – ancient Hawaiian hereditary nobility

• List of Hawaiian monarchs

• “A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF THE RULERS OF HAWAII” by Jane Smith, from the Hawaii Star

• “When Hawaii’s Monarchy Was Overthrown, With Rogue US Support” on History.com

• Simon Metcalfe

• American sailing vessel, the Fair American

• “Madame Pele”

• Nāmaka, older sister of Pele

• The Wild Hunt

• Harry Dresden

• PUʻUHONUA O HŌNAUNAU NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK from LoveBigIsland.com

• Mujina – The Faceless Woman from AmericanGhostStories.com

• Glen Grant, Hawaiian historian

• The Ti plant – Cordyline fruticosa

• “ Maui Plant of the Month: Monkeypod” – from MauiWebCameras.com

View from Pali Lookout in Oahu, Hawaii. Photo by Jiang.

Tianna, a Prince of Atooi or Ka'iana, lithograph after painting by Spoilum, c. 1787.

Pele by David Howard Hitchcock, c. 1929

Queen Kapiolani defying the goddess Pele, by John Chisholm Lambert (1907)

Asgårdsreien [The Wild Hunt of Odin] (1872) by Peter Nicolai Arbo

"Wodan's Wild Hunt" (1882) by Friedrich Wilhelm Heine

"Odin's Hunt" by August Malmström, 1901

 

Location:

Oʻahu, Hawaii, site of the Battle of Nuʻuanu, where King Kamehameha I’s army forced over 700 opposing warriors off a cliff.

Suggested Listening:

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CREDITS:

Episode 284: Nightmarchers of Hawaii. Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess. Audio Editing by Sarah Vorhees Wendel of VW Sound. Music and Sound Design by Allen Carrescia. Tess Pfeifle, Producer and Lead Researcher. Ed Voccola, Technical Producer. Research Support from The Astonishing Research Corps, or "A.R.C." for short. Copyright 2024 Astonishing Legends Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.