Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui
For more than 25 years, I’ve been sharing Hawai‘i’s haunted history, weaving together folklore, history, and firsthand accounts to bring our ghost stories to life. As a Native Hawaiian born and raised on O‘ahu, I grew up listening to traditional mo‘olelo from my kūpuna, stories that shaped my passion for preserving our Islands’ supernatural and cultural heritage. That passion has led me to a lifetime of storytelling, earning a special citation from the Hawai‘i State Legislature for my work in keeping these legends alive.
My wife, Tanya, and I run Mysteries of Hawai‘i, a locally owned ghost tour company dedicated to exploring the eerie and unexplained. Tanya, a lifelong horror enthusiast and researcher of hauntings and native legends, and I have co-authored "Hawaiʻi’s Night Marchers: A History of the Huaka‘i Po" and "Kahuna," our first full-length novel.
As weekly columnists, we are thrilled to share our love for Hawaii’s history, haunted and otherwise, with Aloha State Daily readers. Hawai‘i has some of the most chilling and fascinating supernatural tales in the world, and we can’t wait to bring them to you.
Latest from Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya Kapanui
Night Marchers at the Naniloa
Babe Ruth and President Franklin D. Roosevelt are among the Mainland luminaries who planted banyan trees along Banyan Drive. The history of the Hilo area surrounding the Naniloa Hotel goes back to ancient times, and as hotel staff tell it, on some nights the old days come marching through in a mist.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJuly 22, 2026
Silent Spirits at the Hilo Hawaiian
Life thrived along Hilo Bay and Waiākea Peninsula, with abundant taro lo‘i, fish ponds, for centuries before Western contact. Spiritual life was ever-present and the landscape was dominated by the towering Kūakaʻananuʻu heiau, where men were sacrificed in elaborate ceremonies. Now the site is home to Hilo Hawaiian Hotel, and guests share stories of spectral visitors from long ago.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJuly 15, 2026
Huaka‘i Pō at Pu‘ukoholā
It is said that Kamehameha himself helped build the Pu‘ukoholā heiau, a massive undertaking that involved a human chain 20 miles long passing stones from Pololu Valley to Puʻukoholā. Once completed and consecrated, Kamehameha's kahuna had said, the heiau would mean the successful end to Kamehameha's wars of conquest. Naturally, tales of night marchers — Huaka‘i Pō — still haunt the area.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJuly 08, 2026
Moanalua’s Haunting History
If an old Hawaiian woman asks you to cut a cord for her in Moanalua Valley, be very, very careful what you do next. That's just once of the eerie tales of this part of O‘ahu where many battles have raged, from the invasion of Kahekili from Maui to the dispute over the route of H3.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJuly 01, 2026
Legends and Spirits of Polihale
At the end of an unpaved, 5-mile road on Kaua‘i's west side is Polihale Beach. It is many things — a treasured local hangout, a visitor attraction that's gaining popularity, and, in ancient Hawaiian tradition, it is a jumping-off place for souls seeking the afterlife. Eerie stories abound about it.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 24, 2026
The Choking Ghost at OCCC
As if prison wasn't scary enough, prisoners and guards alike at O‘ahu Community Correctional Center have many tales of a choking ghost stalking the facility, as well as other apparitions.
Lopaka Kapanui and Tanya KapanuiJune 17, 2026
