Local Man Performs Offerings and Chants to Floodwaters in Hawaii

A man was seen performing an offering and singing chants to floodwaters in Haleiwa, Hawaii, as flash flooding struck the island of Oahu on March 9.

This video taken by Daniel Oliveira shows the man performing an “oli”, or chant, a pule (prayer), and ha’a (dance), and thanking the deity Kāne for the flow of the waters and asking for no injuries or catastrophic accidents.

“In this ho’okupu (offering), the inspiration from my ancestors was to send good mana (life force) to the waters of Kāne (Creator spirit), and mana of Lono (Peace/Healing Spirit),” Elijah Kalā McShane, who delivered the offering, told Storyful.

Hawaii Gov David Ige declared a state of emergency due to the heavy flooding. Credit: Daniel Oliveira via Storyful