Table of Contents
Artreii tours Hawaiian mythical beings, a people’s lore, not a story about racial origins. Belief is polytheistic, with spirits in persons and objects, specialists called kahuna, a purity rule named kapu until 1819, and mana as spiritual power. Four gods lead. Kane is the greatest, tied to procreation and the sun, and in one telling he pulls himself from the dark called Po. Lono covers farming, peace, and music. Ku is linked to war and to human sacrifice. Kanaloa, often Kane’s brother, has the octopus as his sign. Pele is credited with making the islands and with living at Kilauea. Kihawahine once lived as a person, sometimes as a great lizard, and fought fertility goddess Haumea. Papa gives life and healing. Her husband Wakea is the sky father, and they are among the ancestors of rulers. Namaka, Pele’s older sister, is a sea goddess. Hiiaka watches the islands, hula, and medicine, and sends owls. Aumakua are family dead who remain as guardians and may show up as a shark, an octopus, or a stone.
Key points
- The talk frames Hawaiian belief as polytheistic, with kahuna, kapu, and mana as the basic terms.
- Kane, Lono, Ku, and Kanaloa are the four major gods, with Kane placed first.
- Pele is credited with forming the islands and with Kilauea, while Kihawahine is a former person who fought Haumea.
- Papa and Wakea are mother and sky father, ancestors of rulers, and Namaka is Pele’s sea sister.
- Hiiaka watches the islands, dance, and medicine, and aumakua are family guardians in animal or stone form.
- Cook’s spelling Owhyhee is only a note on the name Hawaii, not an origin story for the people.
Short quotes
This is Kāne, widely considered as the most important deity.
Artreii, Artreii on Hawaiian mythical beings
Kane is introduced as the leading god before the other three major deities. Watch at 1:01
Hiʻiaka was the patron of the Hawaiian islands.
Artreii, Artreii on Hawaiian mythical beings
Hiiaka is named as a guardian of the islands, apart from the four high gods. Watch at 4:52
Video by Artreii. Watch on YouTube.