Two legends of old Hawaii, read whole and as printed. In "A Visit to the King of Ghosts," the spirit of Ka-ilio-hae, who lies as one asleep in Lahaina, journeys through the spirit-land of the island of Maui — past the sports and dances of the ghosts and the three watchmen of the narrow way — stands before Walia, the king of ghosts, and is brought back by his sister to his waiting body, to tell his people all he has seen. In "Maui's Kite Flying," the demi-god Maui makes the birds of Hawaii visible to all who had only heard their songs, and flies his great kite, whose string is the strong olona fibre, over the islands, calling the winds out of the calabash of the priest of Waipio.
Disclosure: this performance is narrated by AI-generated voices.
From "Legends of Gods and Ghosts" (1915) and "Legends of Ma-ui" (1910) — legends of Hawaii collected and translated from the Hawaiian by W. D. Westervelt. Read as printed in the 1915 and 1910 texts.
Notes on the reading, at the weight the tales themselves give them: in "A Visit to the King of Ghosts," the third watchman of the king's passage stands with a raised spear, which is never used — the traveller passes by naming the spear; the ghost-sister guides her newly-dead brother with slaps and pushes, as the tale says a new ghost can only move as it is directed; and the games of the ghosts include boxing and wrestling among their sports, named in a list and not fought out. In "Maui's Kite Flying," Maui's earlier feats, such as the snaring of the sun, are named in a few summary lines as background and are not told here; the chapter closes with the demi-god's death in one summary line, with no manner and no act.
Other chapters of these books are not read here. Excluded by name from "Legends of Gods and Ghosts": "The Ghost of Wahaula Temple," "Maluae and the Under-World," "A Giant's Rock-Throwing" and "Legendary Canoe-Making." Excluded by name from "Legends of Ma-ui": all chapters except "Maui's Kite Flying," including "Maui Snaring the Sun" and "Maui Finding Fire" — each turns on killing, on beating or on human sacrifice, which this programme does not carry. No completeness claim is made for either collection.
Narrated by Violetta. Music: opening and closing theme, "La Rive des Esprits".
Chapters:
00:00 Opening theme — "La Rive des Esprits"
01:10 A Visit to the King of Ghosts
10:57 Maui's Kite Flying
🎧 Podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/kachelitv/
