This was a place we wanted to see as the original lodge and its coastal sister property, the luxurious Four Seasons Resort was built in an effort to lure guests to an island that was for many years practically ignored.

Previously known as the Lodge at Koele, the resort which opened in 1990 underwent a recent major renovation and just reopened as a wellness resort, the Sensei Lānaʻi.

Situated inland in the cool and misty highlands, this was once a retreat for the true outdoorsman.

Guests could indulge in horseback riding, tennis, archery, hunting, and even a clay shooting range.

Nestled among lush greenery and pines, and backed by a thick misty forest, the estate resembled a grand country hunting-lodge featuring spectacular gardens and fountains.

Though the lodge was beautiful, its English gardens magnificent, there was an eerie feel to the property.

Guests both inside and outside spoke in hushed tones or didn’t speak at all. It was so strikingly quiet; we didn’t even hear the sound of birds.

There was an uncomfortable, almost ominous presence that permeated the resort and its surrounding property. And then a fog rolled in.

We decided it was time for lunch.

Talking Story in Lanai City

Following an islander’s recommendation, we headed to Lanai City, the small geographic and cultural center of the island, the locals call “central town.” Indeed, it’s really Lanai’s one and only town.

We felt a welcoming sense of normalcy at Blue Ginger Café, serving authentic homemade island cuisine, and the official hangout spot of local residents.

The real treat was listening to happy smiling villagers congregated on the sunny porch “talking story.”

It’s a pidgin phrase used by Hawaiians to describe the sharing of local gossip, history, news, and opinions in a storytelling fashion.

Listening in on their conversation was utterly fascinating. Apparently, woodland ghosts and the unusual happenings at the historic Hotel Lanai in town had been occurring.

At this point, we had to share our strange experiences and ask the question. “Is Lanai haunted?”

The locals glanced darkly at one another before one replied “We believe it is. There is a long history of many strange “dis-n-dat” happenings here.”

Then the information began to flow. And we got to see the island through the eyes of its native inhabitants.

Hawaiian Legend and Lore

Located on the eastern shore of Lanai, Keomoku was a sleepy fishing village until the late 1800s, when the Maunalei Sugar Company arrived, turning the quaint village into a bustling sugar plantation town.

In its heyday, the town grew to over 2,000 residents and was the first non-Hawaiian settlement on Lanai.

Approximately 500 workers were brought in to work the fields. Additional housing, a pier, a hospital, various stores, and a railroad were constructed to accommodate the sugar industry.

However, it didn’t last long. In 1900, the Black Plague that began in Honolulu hit the local village.

Many workers died, and when the freshwater sources irrigating the fields turned brackish, the sugar company was forced to shut down its operations in 1901.

The Sugar Company Railroad

Local legend has it, that the sugar company built their railroad near a local temple and damaged heiaus (ancient Hawaiian sites). This reportedly angered the gods, causing water issues and an epidemic.

Pineapple plants once covered nearly 20,000 acres of Lanai—with the most famous, Dole Plantation operating from 1922 to 1992. Today, hardly a pineapple plant can be found on the island.

The simple truth is that every agricultural enterprise on this cursed island has failed for whatever reason—sugar, pineapple, and even cattle ranching.

Keahiakawelo’s Features

As the “talk story” with the locals continued, we learned that according to Hawaiian lore, Keahiakawelo’s windswept features are the result of a contest between two kahuna priests—one living on Lanai, the other on nearby Molokai.

They challenged one another to see who could keep a fire burning the longest. The kahuna from Lanai won, but used up every piece of vegetation in the process, causing the barren moon-like terrain we see today.

Kanoa, the oldest Hawaiian in the group now piped in. “That