Kawaiaha‘o

According to Ethel M. Damon in 1927, Kawaiahao spring was a familiar spot in marshy ground near the corner of our present King and South streets. The children at the mission and many others loved to play there and always spoke of it as “the ponds.” It is said that an old chief named Ha’o first opened the spring in ancient times and it was named after him, Ka wai a Ha‘o, the water of Ha‘o. In olden times, a sacred stone of lava rock was set at the mouth of the spring to raise the water level. Where water flowed over the stone, only chiefs bathed or quenched their thirst. In the pool below, commoners may drink of Ka Wai a Ha‘o. Eventually, the area surrounding the spring became known as Kawaiaha’o by Hawaiians.

Although the area was called Kawaiahao by Hawaiians, the church built near the water of Ha‘o spring in 1842 was, at first, referred to by missionaries and the congregation as the King’s Chapel, or the Native chapel, and later the Stone church. It was not until 1863 did it finally become known officially and generally as Kawaiahao.

A conference of spirits at Kawaiahao Church

12-9-1871 Pacific Commercial Advertiser, A Conference of Spirits

In 1871, a policeman stationed in the neighborhood of Kawaiahao church heard noises inside the building around 2 o’clock in the morning. Thinking he was going to bag some lawbreakers, he approached and listened. The man believed that he heard what appeared to be a conclave... a meeting, of departed spirits of the chiefs, debating upon the affairs of the nation, and distinguished plainly among the voices that of a late prominent member of the House of Nobles.

I wonder... could he have been speaking of John Papa ‘I‘i, the member of the House of Nobles who had passed away just the year before in 1870?

Native soldier discovers a spook in Kawaiahao cemetery

In the year 1900, a Hawaiian soldier on guard duty at the edge of Kawaiahao cemetery screamed wildly for the corporal of the guard. The corporal responded at a full run, assuming the worst, thinking all sorts of bad things but, when he saw the guard with his knees trembling and fear depicted in his every molecule, the man told him that he had seen a ghost rise up from and sink back down into one of the graves five times in quick succession.

“Why don’t you arrest him?” demanded the corporal.

The soldier could only answer with a wide-open mouth and a blank stare. He pleaded to be relieved at once as he was sure there was a ghost in the cemetery. He was relieved... to his relief, I’m sure.

Komba! said the ghost at Kawaiahao Church

7-17-1906 The Hawaiian Star, Komba said the ghost!

In 1906, the ghost of a young woman was reported by some Japanese townsfolk living near a big empty house close to Kawaiahao church. The ghost seemed to appear and disappear and, from time to time, talk about a treasure beneath or about the house. The matter of appearance has been the subject of considerable discussion among the Japanese in the vicinity, and some of them have reported the house as haunted. No one, however, has been able to locate any treasure.

The house in question was said to have been one of the oldest in the islands. It was a two-story structure behind the Kawaiahao church and, in 1906, had been unoccupied for some time. Many years before, it was quite a center of business activity and was a notable building in the city. It was occupied at one time by a former editor of the Independent, who is, however, not thought to have left any spirits (or treasure) in the place when he vacated it.

Cooked Ghost near Kawaiahao Church

9-5-1907 The Hawaiian Star, Cooked ghost

Then, in 1907, the cook of the R.P. Rithet and some others were talked about seeing ghosts in an old house that stands “somewhat back from the village street” near Kawaiahao church on King street. The cook said he chased a ghost one night and when he thought he had hold of it, there was nothing there! In the dark, he said, the ghosts could be plainly seen, but whenever an electric car passed, the spooks suddenly became invisible.

In his book, Honolulu Cop, former police officer Gary Dias wrote about several strange occurrences within the church and on the grounds. One night, Dias and other officers set up a trap to catch the pranksters that were turning on the sprinklers at night. Despite their efforts, no matter how vigilant they were and how close they got, the sprinklers turned on and no one was there. On one particular night, one officer was in direct sight of the main valve that controlled the water.

“I was watching,” he said, “There was no one at the valve. And the water came on.”

Another call for a disturbance at the church in which officers heard music coming from inside the church. When they called the caretaker to open the doors, the music stopped and a thorough search of the building turned up no one.

And then... there’s the graveyard...

Peter Nahola Gregory

Back behind the church, in a small section, next to the preschool, a petite white headstone sits in front of a tall acacia tree. On the headstone is a small black and white photo of a little boy wearing a shirt and bowtie, with the name Peter Gregory Nahola beneath it. According to official records, the boy’s middle name is Nahola, named after his father, Nahola Gregory. His mother was Annie Kauakahi. The family was originally from Kauai but, sadly, Peter spent the last year and a half of his life fighting tuberculous peritonitis and he died while hospitalized on Oahu at just 9 years, 7 months, and 2 days old.

For years, churchgoers customarily left gifts on the children’s graves around Christmas time. One evening, just before Christmas, a new security guard arrived on the grounds. Melvin came across three women placing presents and a lei on Peter’s grave.

Melvin’s retirement from the military left him hardened and bitter. He didn’t need to work right away but, a security job was much easier than sitting at home where your thoughts had a way of creeping up on you. No one told Melvin about any tradition and what all this looked like to him was littering.

As the women greeted him and wished him Merry Christmas, Melvin’s acidic reply was simply, “Get the hell out of this graveyard. Take your presents with you!”

The women’s shock and threats to call Melvin’s supervisor were met with laughter and he shuffled them out the side gate. Nobody was going to mess with his graveyard!

As Melvin turned back toward the playground, he felt a tug on his pants leg. He turned to see a small Hawaiian boy looking at him, bewildered.

“Why?” asked the boy.

“Why what?” mocked the guard, walking away.

Another voice behind him from another direction said, “Why did you do that?”

Melvin looked around to see the same Hawaiian boy. He started backing away, pursued by the same questions... Why? Why did you do that?? Why???

The guard, frightened, ran back the way he came and his eyes caught on the photograph on a headstone. A picture of the same boy. Peter Nahola Gregory.

Now filled with a fear he hadn’t experienced since the war, the old security guard was running. He sprinted across the graveyard toward Punchbowl Street, seeking the safety of the street lights. But the closer he got to the lights, the louder the boy’s voice became...

“WHY DID YOU DO THAT??”

The guard was panicked now, stumbling over himself, skinned knees and hands. Finally, exhausted and in pain, he fell and rolled over on his back in the middle of the asphalt lane. His heart was racing, his breathing labored. He looked over at the rows of headstones. Finally, he said something he hadn’t said much in his adult life...

“I’m sorry! For whatever I did, I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

He closed his eyes and waited for the worst. He heard footsteps approaching and he sat up weakly, it was a policeman walking toward him.

The building across the street housed senior citizens. Many were awoken by the sounds of children screaming and several called the police.

The headstone of Peter Nahola Gregory

The next day, the three women thought they’d finish their graveyard gift-giving early before the new guard showed up. To their surprise, on each child’s grave was a small present with a note.

“In honor of the unbroken traditions.”

On Peter’s headstone was a beautiful lei, also with a note. This one was signed.

“So you may never have to ask why again. Your friend, Melvin.”

King William Charles Lunalilo

William Charles Lunalilo was born January 31, 1835 in a two-story house made of coral brick, in an area known as Pohukaina, now part the grounds of the ‘Iolani Palace. He was the sixth monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, born to High Chiefess Miriam Auhea Kekauluohi and his father, High Chief Charles Kana‘ina. A cousin to Kamehameha V, Kamehameha IV, and Kamamalu, he was of royal descent and a grandnephew of King Kamehameha I. Educated at the Royal School by American missionaries, he was fluent in both English and Hawaiian and was proclaimed eligible for the throne by King Kamehameha III.

Lunalilo wrote Hawaii’s first national anthem, “E Ola Ke Ali‘i ke Akua,” which was Hawaii’s version of “God Save the King.” It is said that he wrote the song in fifteen minutes in a contest hosted by a newspaper publisher in 1862 for the birthday of Kamehameha IV. He won the contest and was awarded ten dollars.

Lunalilo was betrothed to Princess Kamamalu, and there were two attempts of marriage between the two. However, her brothers, Kamehameha IV & Kamehameha IV refused to allow the marriage for had the pair wed, their children would outrank the House of Kamehameha.

In 1865, the mausoleum at Mauna‘ala was completed and the remains of Hawaii’s past monarchs were transferred in a solemn ceremony from the burial vault at Pohukaina to Mauna‘ala. However, Lunalilo took offense that the remains of his mother, Kekauluohi, were left behind. Feeling slighted by the reigning King, Lunalilo had his mother’s remains interred in a secret location out at sea. It is said that this is the likely reason that Lunalilo requested to be buried at Kawaiahao instead of Mauna‘ala.

When the last of the Kamehameha kings, King Kamehameha V died in 1872, he had not named a successor. Under the 1864 constitution, if a successor was not appointed, the legislature was to elect a new king from the eligible Hawaiian royals. The two eligible at the time were Kalakaua and Lunalilo. Many people believed that because Lunalilo was more closely related to Kamehameha V and Bernice Pauahi Bishop made it clear that she did not want the throne, Lunalilo rightly belonged in the seat.

Lunalilo insisted that the constitution be followed and requested a vote. An unofficial popular election was held and Lunalilo won by an overwhelming majority. A week later, the legislature unanimously voted Lunalilo king on January 8, 1873.

Sadly, King Lunalilo’s reign was only one year and twenty-five days and he died from tuberculosis on February 3, 1874, at the age of 39. On his deathbed, he requested to be “entombed among my people, rather than the kings and chiefs.” Lunalilo’s initial funeral included a 21-gun salute and his body lay in state at Mauna‘ala until the completion of his tomb on the grounds of Kawaiahao. On November 23, 1875, his remains were taken from Mauna‘ala to Kawaiahao. A second funeral was held and Lunalilo’s father, Kana‘ina requested another 21-gun salute but Kalakaua, who was the new king, refused. However, during the procession from Nu’uanu valley to downtown Honolulu, eyewitness reports stated that a sudden storm arose and 21 thunderclaps were heard across Honolulu, thus, what the king denied, the heavens approved.

It was also reported in the Pacific Commercial Advertiser that on the same day, in the channel between Oahu and Kauai, several large and perfect water-spouts were seen. Old Hawaiians will tell you that often, ‘aumakua marched in processions, sometimes coming to meet and take away a descendant. The ‘aumakua processions were not confined to the night and are followed by whirlwinds, one after another in columns.

These days, people have claimed to witness the old King, sitting on the steps of his tomb, smoking a rope cigar, the faint smell of smoke wafting towards the gates on the breeze. The doors of the tomb are opened every year on the Sunday closest to the King’s birthday for visitors to pay their respects.

Haunted Kawaiaha‘o Church & Graveyard