Key Info

- Deadly ghosts of ancient Hawaiian warriors who march en masse

Brief Bio

In Hawaiian mythology, Nightmarchers (huakaʻi pō) or Spirit Ranks (ʻoiʻo) are the deadly ghosts of ancient tribal Hawaiian warriors. The nightmarchers are the vanguard for a sacred king, chief, or chiefess.

On the nights honoring the Hawaiian gods Kāne, Kū, Lono, or on the nights of Kanaloa, they are said to come forth from their burial sites or to rise up from the ocean, and to march in a large group to ancient Hawaiian battle sites or other sacred places. The legend says the night marchers are normal-size warriors, dressed for battle, carrying spears, clubs, and some are beating war drums and blowing tones from conch shells, to announce the advancing of their march. According to the myth, they are suspended in air; their feet do not touch water or ground as they traverse through the night, and they leave no evidence of their visitations.

They march in darkness after sunset and march as a group continuously until just before sunrise. Anyone living along their path may hear chanting, sounds of blown conch shell tones, and marching noises in the night. The following signs are a foul and musky “death-like” odor, and torches getting brighter and brighter as the night marchers get closer. Nightmarchers might appear during the day if they are to escort a dying relative to the spirit.