HAWAIIAN FOLKLORE – ENCOUNTERS WITH THE SU-PERNATURAL - Review

Hawaiian Folklore – Encounters with the Supernatural, Timothy Befus, Photography Nicole Stone, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd, Atglen, PA, 2015, 80pp, $9.99.

I was really looking forward to this book. I’ve read so much Hawaiian folklore, and hoped Hawaiian Folklore – Encounters with the Supernatural would offer something new, exciting and different. I was not disappointed!

     Timothy has lived on Oahu for 13 years and enjoys researching Hawaiian history and collecting stories of the supernatural. There’s a lot of history, and even more supernatural, in Hawaiian Folklore – Encounters with the Supernatural. He set out to collect first-hand stories, and not FOAF (friend of a friend) tales, which makes his book unique among many I’ve read. Yes, we’ve read about Pele, the Nightmarchers and the Menehune in other books, but these tales are different because the people Tim met are relating their own experiences of meeting the goddess Pele or being surrounded by the Nightmarchers (an experience I never hope to have).

        Hawaii has a rich history, and Tim covers a lot of it in a laid back style that makes you feel as if you’re sitting around a fire on a night-time beach, with the waves lapping the shore and who-knows-what lurking just beyond the firelight. Some of the experiences defy even historical events, such as the story of the Hanging Tree of Pokai Bay, where two children saw… Oh, but I don’t want to spoil it because it’s such a wonderfully nerve-jangling story!

       I’d love to share more with you, but I’m afraid I’ll give away too much. This is something you have to experience yourself. Each story is more exciting—and unnerving—than the last. These are stories that you won’t read about in other books. Natives and tourists were thrilled to share their experiences with Tim, and I was chilled to read them. I certainly hope he’s still gathering first-hand accounts and planning another book. After reading Hawaiian Folklore, I wonder if any part of Hawaii isn’t haunted!

      Nicole Stone is a local Oahu photographer, and Tim used her photos to great effect, adding another dimension to his spooky tales. If you’re interested in Nancy’s photography, Tim gives her contact information in the book.

      You don’t have to have visited Hawaii to enjoy Tim’s book, but I’ll bet you’d like to start planning a trip once you finish reading these stories. If you’re looking for new spooky tales that will make you keep the lights on, I highly recommend Hawaiian Folklore – Encounters with the Supernatural.

      There are only two negative things I have about Hawaiian Folklore – Encounters with the Supernatural. One is that the print is a bit small for my tired old eyes. I hope the next edition has larger print. The second is: the book is way too short—I was hooked from page one and wanted more, more, more! Hopefully, we won’t have too long to wait for Lots More Encounters with the Supernatural.

        - Karen Howard