A Giant at Pier 12
In 1916, the front page of the Honolulu Star Bulletin featured a startling headline: “FIND OF BONES EXCITES PEOPLE ON WATERFRONT!” The discovery was made on a Wednesday afternoon near Pier 12, where workers unearthed what seemed to be a human thigh bone. But this was no ordinary bone—it measured a staggering 24 inches in length and 8 inches in diameter at its widest point.
Local scientists quickly dismissed the find as nothing more than a whale bone, but others whispered of a different origin. Their suspicions were rooted in an ancient legend that spoke of a giant who once roamed the land before the arrival of Westerners. This giant, known as Holokahiki Nui, was said to be as tall as a man standing atop the shoulders of another. His immense size and fierce nature struck fear into the hearts of those who crossed his path. He was so feared that when he traveled from his home in Nuuanu Valley to the shore, villagers would scatter to avoid his wrath.
Holokahiki Nui had a particular fondness for the ocean, often swimming in the waters where Pier 12 now lies. The villagers, always on edge around him, would keep their distance whenever he was near. Then, one day, the giant vanished without a trace. Days later, as villagers gathered at his usual bathing spot, they spotted a colossal he‘e, or octopus, lurking in the waters. The mystery of Holokahiki Nui’s disappearance was revealed—the great giant had been captured and devoured by the octopus, dragged into its underwater lair.
Could the bone unearthed near Pier 12 have been the remains of the legendary Holokahiki Nui? The possibility intrigued many, adding an air of mystery to the already eerie discovery.
Captain Charles J. Campbell, port steward of the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company, reportedly kept the bone at the Inter-Island ship chandlery office on Queen Street. Whether it was truly the bone of a giant or merely a whale’s, the story of Holokahiki Nui and the bone found at Pier 12 remains a captivating tale of Hawaiian legend, leaving one to wonder what other secrets the land and sea might hold.
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