Last night, I headed out with Joe Punohu from Hawaiian Hauntings to spend some time exploring the infamous Makua Cave, aka Kaneana Cave. This is said to be the home of the underground shark God Nanaue, the son of Kamohoali‘i or the King of Sharks, the most sacred brother of the fire goddess Pele. Nanaue had an appetite for human flesh and disguised himself as a man to trick humans. It’s said that weary travellers visiting Mākua Cave at night are sometimes invited to join an old, wrinkled Hawaiian man tending to meat sizzling over a fire. As soon as the tired traveller becomes lethargic from eating the meat, the old man transforms into a shark. Nanaue kills the traveller and leaves the body to rot for three weeks before consuming the meat. Mākua Cave is supposedly an active hotspot for the spirits of those who died there.
An incredible natural formation that really did have an “otherworldly” feel to it. Also, that unnerving feeling of being watched. Like there was someone, or something, hiding up in the higher rocky crevices.
It was great to hang out with Joe again. It’s been ten years to the week since I was last over and we investigated together. – Mark
