Huna, as many of you know, was created by Max Freedom Long after being initiated by Dr. William Tufts Brigham, the first curator of the Bishop Museum in Honolulu who was unintentionally initiated into the lineage of the last volcano kahunas in the late 19th century.
The story I've heard is that the kahunas spent a few days drinking awa also called kava kava. During this time they tested a recent flow of lava to see if it had crusted over enough to walk on it. When a large enough rock did not break through, they decided it was time to walk and started tying ti leaves on their feet. They did their sacred chant and told Dr. Brigham it was time to walk. He had not removed his hobnail boots as they had instructed him. My guess is that he probably did not intend to walk. However, one of the kahunas snuck up behind him and pushed him onto the lava flow. His boots were on fire as he ran across it. By the time he arrived at the other side his boots had vaporised except for the flaps that burned the tops of his feet. Upon examining the bottoms of his feet, he found them unharmed and cool to the touch. This fueled his curiosity quite a bit. Many years later, Max Freedom Long arrived at his door. Brigham took one look at him and asked him why it had taken him so long to find him as he had dreamed of his coming years before.
This story outlines Huna's roots in native practices though it is important to emphasize that Huna has never been a Hawaiian religion. The archaic Hawaiian language had no concept of ownership. You could not say "Huna is my religion". Therefore, the word "huna" could not have been used in that fashion. As I understand it, the Hawaiian people named things for their qualities or an action being taken. When native Hawaiians were asked about their religious practices they would use the word "ho'omana" which means "to make power" through breathing. When they saw the missionaries praying without breathing they laughed at them and called them "ha'ole" which means "without breath". They still use that term today and although it is usually derogatory, it is still true. Gods bless us all. Aloha, Lamaku.
The story I've heard is that the kahunas spent a few days drinking awa also called kava kava. During this time they tested a recent flow of lava to see if it had crusted over enough to walk on it. When a large enough rock did not break through, they decided it was time to walk and started tying ti leaves on their feet. They did their sacred chant and told Dr. Brigham it was time to walk. He had not removed his hobnail boots as they had instructed him. My guess is that he probably did not intend to walk. However, one of the kahunas snuck up behind him and pushed him onto the lava flow. His boots were on fire as he ran across it. By the time he arrived at the other side his boots had vaporised except for the flaps that burned the tops of his feet. Upon examining the bottoms of his feet, he found them unharmed and cool to the touch. This fueled his curiosity quite a bit. Many years later, Max Freedom Long arrived at his door. Brigham took one look at him and asked him why it had taken him so long to find him as he had dreamed of his coming years before.
This story outlines Huna's roots in native practices though it is important to emphasize that Huna has never been a Hawaiian religion. The archaic Hawaiian language had no concept of ownership. You could not say "Huna is my religion". Therefore, the word "huna" could not have been used in that fashion. As I understand it, the Hawaiian people named things for their qualities or an action being taken. When native Hawaiians were asked about their religious practices they would use the word "ho'omana" which means "to make power" through breathing. When they saw the missionaries praying without breathing they laughed at them and called them "ha'ole" which means "without breath". They still use that term today and although it is usually derogatory, it is still true. Gods bless us all. Aloha, Lamaku.
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