100 Ghost Stories Counting Down To Halloween! 55 Nights Left! "One Cup of 'Awa"

The table was filled with bowls of raw onion, raw corned beef and pa’akai. On the larger plate sat a succulent piece of pork and butter fish wrapped in five kalo leafs which made the lau lau massive; the size of it seemed to be a bit unusual. However, the steaming of it helped keep all of the juices inside so that once it was taken apart to be consumed, the meat would instantly melt on the tongue. There were varieties of other kinds of fish and limpets or ‘opihi that filled the smaller bowls and in the middle of the table was a large wooden bowl filled with freshly pounded poi. Pua’a kalua and ha’uke’uke sat side by side while inamona and kulolo caused the mouths of those seated around the table to water feverishly. Rather than coolers filled with beer and bottles of straight liquor occupying a separate table, there was a large mixing bowl filled with ‘awa, it was a variety which was mixed with coconut water but was quite potent none the less.

Everyone joined hands as the eldest in the family offered prayers of thanks and blessings, once completed, all who were in attendance sat and began to partake.

A plate of food and a single bowl of ‘awa was set aside on a smaller table which was placed in front of an ahu or stone altar in the corner of the garage. It was covered with white

Kapa and decorated with ferns all around. One of the children curiously asked of the Kupuna in regards to the food and ‘awa. The elder simply explained that it was for the ancestors of their ‘ohana and that since the food was blessed, those deceased family members would soon come and partake of the meal.

The children began to laugh and make fun of what the elder had told them; until they witnessed for themselves that the ‘awa was slowly disappearing from the small niu cup. There also seemed to be less food than there was on the plate from merely a second ago; but what scared them the most was that everything went quiet. Suddenly they could hear the lip smacking sounds of someone, or something enjoying their meal. Of course, there was no one near the food offerings. No one that could be seen that is.