You might have seen the following story in and Associated Press about the discovery of a miniature race of people who once lived on a remote Indonesian island. In our new book we feature a story of a legendary race of small people known as the Menehune who once inhabited the islands of the South Pacific. Coincidence? Many legends do have their foundations in fact. Who knows, perhaps one day we may yet find the one true Midgetville.
By JOSEPH B. VERRENGIA, AP Science Writer
In an astonishing discovery that could rewrite the history of human evolution, scientists say they have found the skeleton of a new human species, a dwarf, marooned for eons in a tropical Lost World while modern man rapidly colonized the rest of the planet.
The finding on a remote Indonesian island has stunned anthropologists like no other in recent memory. It is a fundamentally new creature that bears more of a resemblance to fictional, barefooted hobbits than modern humans.
When the first modern Hawaiians reached the islands in the third century AD they found evidence that others had been there before them. They called these people Menehunes, and attributed the dams and small viaducts, such as the Menehune Ditch (which carries water for irrigation from the Waimea River) to their great strength and prowess as master builders.
Menehune are usually described as playful and even mischievous. They have distended bellies. They are hairy, muscular and two or three feet tall, with bushy eyebrows over large eyes. They have short noses. Their diet was said to have consist of puddings made of squash, sweet potatoes, and taro leaves. They sleep in caves by day and work all night, and love racing and wrestling sports. When they speak it is the sound of a low hum so as not to attract attention to themselves.
One site in Hawaii often credit to skills of the Menehune is the Alekoko Fishpond in Nawiliwili. The 1600 year old dammed holding pen is said to have been constructed by the Menehune at the request of Chief Ali’I, and was built in a single night. Menehune would only work at night and only if they were not watched. Menehune are thought to be notoriously shy creatures and would abandon a construction project in the middle if they heard so much as a dog barking. This seems to have been the case at the Alekoko pond, as one of the retaining walls was finished at a later date using different stone.
The Menehune used lava rock because it is very strong. They are said to have been carried to the fishpond from Kalaheo, employing a sort of bucket brigade of thousands of Menehune passing the stones by hand.
According to legend, the Menehune inherited the islands after their war with the Nawao, who are said to have been full sized wild men who inhabited the islands before them. When modern Hawaiian’s arrived at the islands they began to interbreed with the Menehune. Soon though, the newcomers began to enslave and even kill the smaller islanders and force them into the hard labor projects of quarrying stone and building. The Menehune began to retreat into the mountains and forests to escape their oppressors. Over time they developed a lifestyle in which they could survive in their environment without being detected.
Some historians believe the Menehune to be more than just a quaint island legend. They say that there did, and perhaps still does exist a race of small Pigmy-like people who did and may still inhabit the furthest reaches of Hawaii’s forested mountains and ancient volcanoes. As proof they have cited the small burial chambers and undersized graves found in remote caves throughout the islands. Still others claim that the Menehune might actually be some species of undiscovered Hawaiian primate. One thin is for sure though: Whether they are fact or fantasy, people or primates, the Menehune have left an indelible mark on the legends and the landscape of the Hawaii islands.
The folklore of many nations around the world includes stories of magical little people. The most famous of course, are the leprechauns of Ireland. In Hawaii, it is the mischievous Menehune who are said to haunt the deep forests or the mountains of Pu'ukapele ("Hills of Pele"). They come out mostly at night to play tricks on people, or to serve them if they feel that way inclined.
The mythology of the Menehune is as old as the beginnings of Polynesian history. Some say that the great god Maui himself, was one of the tiny creatures. When the first Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they found dams, fishponds, and even Heiaus (temples), all presumably built by the Menehune who were already there, living in caves.
The creatures are said to be about two feet high, although some have been seen as small as six inches, capable of fitting in the palm of someone's hand. They are always naked, but the long straight hair that falls to their knees keeps them warm and discreet. Apparently no two of them are the same, and they can be so moody as to be malicious and dangerous one day, and simply harmless the next. But they are always tricky, and therefore should be avoided, unless a special favor is absolutely needed of them.
In the old times, some Hawaiians married Menehune girls, who were said to be quite fair, but needed to be shown how to make a fire and eat cooked food, because their own diet consisted only of starchy raw vegetables. The services of Menehune expert builders and craftsmen can be requested. This is especially so, if you can trace your family tree back to one of them. They then act like benevolent godparents. Many a major project, such as the preparation of a wedding feast, has been completed in a single night by the super strong little gods, while all humans slept.
Menehune are afraid of owls. On the island of Kauai, the Menehune sometimes sneak in among the people there and pull too many tricks. That is when the owl god of Paupueo (owl hill) summons all the owls of Kauai to chase the Menehune back into the forest.
The little ones are fond of dancing, and singing, and of sports, such as shooting arrows. Sometimes they use magic arrows, to pierce the heart of angry persons, and make them feel love instead. They also truly enjoy diving off cliffs into the surf. If you hear splashes in the night at Kaanapali, it is possibly a Menehune diving off Black Rock! But you would have to move impossibly quickly to ever see one.
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/m/menehune.html
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