Hello my friends. Today it is my distinct pleasure to introduce you to an absolutely fascinating person that I met on Facebook. He can be found
HERE.
He is also quickly becoming a good friend with an interesting job.
Upon finding out what he does and his experiences, I asked him if he would be willing to do an interview with me as part of my Halloween month.
He has been more than gracious. Here is that interview with Obake Hunter, Paranormal Explorer.
~Naila Moon
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Hello Obake and welcome to my blog, Just The Stuff Ya Know.
We are here to discuss you and your unusual profession of paranormal research.
Aloha, Naila Moon and a pleasure to be here and to answer your questions about myself and what I do in beautiful but very haunted Hawaii.
What is your specific area of expertise?
Just to start things off and answer your first question I am what I call a paranormal explorer. Although I took the title of ghost hunter early on my respect for this topic has lead me to a personal revelation. In all due respect for anyone working in this challenging field I do not endorse the coined phrase "ghost hunter" and it is because I do not believe anyone can hunt something or someone *I.E.Ghosts* since they can do a much better of job of hunting us if we are not both respectful and very cautious in how we handle ourselves overall in haunted locations and scenarios.
How long have you been doing paranormal work? What was your first encounter with the paranormal?
I have been working in the paranormal for going on 6 years now and because of the many different kinds of experiences I have encountered and most of them very scary it does seem at times twice as long!
I started doing so because of a terrible time in my life when I was very young. I had endured a lot of dark spirit attacks and possibly much worse. Because it had scarred me to the core I lost the better part of my childhood and more things just as important into my adult life. In essence so much of me was lost that it took a lot to find myself again and thankfully all through God.
Tell me about a more memorable investigation. What was one of your most frightening experiences?
One of the most incredible things I had witnessed that was truly of a ghostly nature happened in the beginning when I first started exploring the homes of ghosts. There were these two buildings that were defiled in ways I will not mention here.
I will take your word for that one!
Added to that, the location was near an old cave to a cannibal dog spirit here in Hawaii. So much stuff happened at that location and I'm just scratching the surface. Suffice it to say though the sheer amount of activity and the scary intensity of it eventually made me and my partner at the time back off and wave the white flag!
No regrets there...
A lot has happened in the amount of time I have visited places here in the islands, from sacred Hawaiian temples to old and haunted roads to work up in the mountains at night. Yet with all these locations and their own kind of spirit activity, the most horrific event that happened to me personally had to do with a demonic attack that lasted for a few days. It is my hope to be able to some how educate people about what is out there and what tries to get into us and take over our very lives as a result of doing paranormal work. I am just so grateful that I did learn from all of that!
I hope that people can take that under your advisement.
Are there other people in the field you greatly respect or are mentors? If so, tell me about them and why they are.
As for mentors and people I respect it would depend on what I am looking at paranormally speaking but I have the highest and deepest respect and regards for
Ed and Lorraine Warren so they would be my mentors I would seek out. It is just a shame that Ed has gone on to join that highest mystery on the other side.
(side note to my readers: Ed Warren passed away in 2006. Lorraine Warren still does investigations, one of which is the subject for the recent movie, The Conjuring.)
Are there books you have read that help you study or deal with the paranormal? If so, what are they?
I find my mind so filled with doing new projects with what I have learned working with ghosts here in Hawaii that I do more writing than reading even if I suck at it. lol.
I do however admire a writer named
Fiona Broome her book on haunted cemeteries was a real eye opener to me. Not only because of its incredible wealth of understanding, but all you need to know about ghosts and why they haunt graveyards but, even the possible psychology that ghosts experience themselves. She is definitely an amazing author in so many ways!
Do you or have you lived in a haunted house? What do you do to protect yourself?
Living in at least two haunted houses has been another education of sorts. The first time though I was just a child so the only thing I can see I learned was you need to cope with the unexplained as best you can and to be opened minded enough that an answer you need will eventually come to your aid. *God is the answer by the way*.
Protecting yourself is high on the list, I should say, for anyone co-existing in such extraordinary circumstances such as living with ghosts. As I have heard a guide for a local ghost tour company say before starting out on their nightly journey, "Protect your mind and protect your heart!" which I think is great advice!
For me my Catholic upbringing which was and is very strong at times is what saves me. I have my moments when my faith is not as strong but God saved me before including from the demonic attacks I faced earlier this year and I praise and glorify His name without reservation for doing so!
Whoa!
So yes, above all else faith in God, always and I mean always, has worked for me even in paranormal locations. Example given one night I felt me and another person were being drained of our energy and even had stuff playing with my head. But the moment I stopped before leaving and made the sign of the cross with my bottle of holy water I started to feel so much better, it was as if a cloud of confusing spirit attacks were lifted from me.
What is your opinion of TV shows like Ghost Hunters, Paranormal Investigators, etc? ( side note to my readers: those being off the top of my head)
How would you suggest an inspiring investigator break into the field?
On paranormal programs I have seen some not so nice things happen to the stars of the shows. I would never condone how they got great evidence as a end result. I could go on and on about this particular subject matter. I do love these people, don't get me wrong and to some degree have a fondness for them, but I feel that we have yet to find all the methods or I should say better ones than the techniques I see being done currently.
I say this with a lot of respect for these tv stars as well because, they have worked hard and for many years to reach the pinnacle of their success. I just feel we can do it in a better light and light is where all good answers are truly found. Together as a community we can accomplish great ideas in the future if we adhere to soul freeing philosophies and not daunting ones.
Which leads me to say in conclusion that if there are people wanting to do this type of work I ask them to stop and reconsider and take a good long look at your heart and ask yourself why do you feel the need to do it?
That makes a lot of sense!
Ultimately, the risks can far outweigh the rewards and more so depending on what your life is outside of the paranormal and I'm sure right off the bat practical reasoning comes to play. A good example is, if you are married and have children. and if so do you really want to risk having spirits follow you home? And worse affect your children? I guess I am a very real and extreme advocate when it comes to children being hurt by spirits and yes, it is tied in to what happened to me when I was so young and altered by it.
A very good point indeed.
Once you have decided to go ahead and be in the field, be smart, read not only books on the subject but also philosophy and even religion and let all of that knowledge guide you. After all that and contacting reputable paranormal people in your community, hear them out as well, if you do decide to pursue,then remember to be safe at all times because your life will more than likely change forever and not always in good ways because of your choice you made.
Anything you would like to add?
In closing, I would like to wish everyone out there a good and safe *there's that word safe again* Halloween. Have fun and cherish life even on such a spooky night. Make good decisions too because if you do believe in the afterlife, then you should already understand how important our decisions are that we make while on this side of the earthly veil.
Who knows maybe you might meet someone interesting some Halloween.
I always try to lighten an interview a bit with some fun questions. Ready?
If you could possibly meet anyone on one of your jobs, whom would you like to meet and have a conversation with? Why?
I myself would like to meet The Great Pumpkin! Now that is something to smile about!
Ha! Linus would be happy about that too!
Did you dress up for Halloween? What was your favorite costume?
Ah the memories of wearing costumes. One of the best ones I ever wore was when I was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Ninja turtles makes me think of pizza and pizza makes me think of food and food tells me its time to head on out and get me a bite to eat.
*chuckles* Enjoy that pizza!
Thank you Obake for your time and for the work you do.
I have found your field of employment and you to be quite interesting. You have been most gracious.
Aloha to all
Obake.
