The mural was created by artists Roy Venters and
Maile Yawata and features images of old Mo'ili'ili.

Mo‘ili‘ili neighbors share
rich past of feuds and fun

In old Mo'ili'ili, angry kahuna communicated via fireball, and it made for quite a light show.

Writer/storyteller Glen Grant, master collector of tales of the dark side, picked up stories of the akualele, or flying god fireballs, from Mo'ili'ili, residents who were children in the 1920s. They told of an area where the kahuna lived -- now a little lane that cuts into King Street near Kokua Market. Its modern name is Kahuna Lane.

"The way the old-timers told it, there were families back in Manoa who had grudges against families in Mo'ili'ili, and they'd hurl these fireballs back and forth at each other," Grant says.

Stories like this will be the focus of several events at Saturday's Discover Mo'ili'ili, Festival. Sponsored by the Mo'ili'ili, Community Center, the day includes the usual food and craft fairs, but its focus is the neighborhood's heritage, as captured in its oral history.

The day's highlights:

Craft Fair: Stadium Park, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Shinnyo-en Hawaii: Taiko drummers, 9 a.m. Stadium Park

Legends of Mo'ili'ili: Storytelling by Glen Grant, 10 a.m. and noon, Stadium Park. Tickets: 50 cents adults, 25 cents children.

Tales of Old Mo'ili'ili: More storytelling, 10:30 a.m., McCully-Mo'ili'ili Library

Old-Time Obake Movie Night: Includes storytelling contest, 5:30 p.m., Church of the Crossroads. Tickets: $2 adults, $1 children.

Food Fair: Puck's Alley, all day.

Parking is available at Kuhio Elementary School near the top of King Street (free) and the Japanese Cultural Center ($2). Shuttles will run to Stadium Park.

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