Charles M. Ross Jr.
Ms. Lisa Lamkin
English II, Period: 2
13 November, 2017
Hawaiian Mythology Research Paper
Hawaiian mythology is both animistic and polytheistic. Animism is the religious belief that objects, places and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence and polytheism is the belief of multiple deities in one religion (Hawaiian Folk Tales). Hawaiian religion also believes that passed away souls exist as non-human beings like animals and abiotic objects (Hawaiian Folk Tales). The mythology encompasses the vast Polynesia region (See Figure 1 for map), and really centers around nature as opposed to other cultures; most deities are associated with the surrounding environment such as Pele-honua-mea (Pele), Goddess of Volcanoes, and creator of the Hawaiian islands (Beckwith). Another example is would be Nā-maka-o-Kahaʻi (Nāmaka), sister of Pele and the two are often known to clash. Nāmaka is associated with the seas (Beckwith). (See Figure 2 for Visual of Deities) Figure 1 shows the region encompassed by Hawaiian mythology
Figure 2: A collection of a few major Hawaiian deities
Robin Wylie has provided a possible explanation for the immense use of nature in Hawaiian mythology; he suggests it could be because of the influence of their environment. The early Polynesian sailors to first discover the Hawaiian islands must’ve been astonished. The discovery of new land prompted the need for an explanation, but without the tools of modern science, the early
The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom was the end of the Hawaiian monarchy and officially became part of the U.S. territory in the 1900s. The people who had overthrown the kingdom were originally called the Hawaiian League. They were a group of planters and businessmen who wanted to control the Hawaiian Kingdom they eventually changed their names to the Annexation Club then to the Committee of Public of Safety. After they had overthrown the Hawaiian monarchy, they created a provisional government to lead the Hawaiian kingdom. Afterwards, on January 12, 1898, Hawaii was officially annexed to the United States. The overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom negatively impacted the Hawaiian Kingdom because it made Queen Liliuokalani give up her throne, took the independence of Hawaii, and changed the voting
A goddess named Nohealani is a hawaiian goddess for heaven's and fire she was born in March 28, 1669 . If you get her mad she can burn 20 acres of land. She is nice pretty much the whole time. She was born from an erupting volcano and raised by the heavens. Her volcano erupts and makes islands then a turtle goddess Rosie, comes and picks up the islands and carries it. As Nohealani takes care of her island she also is being taken care by her big sister Leilani. Leilani is the goddess of waves. One day Nohealani went down in the valleys to a secret cave. And there it was she witnessed britney stealing secret gems. She chanted for Rosie and Leilani to come, “come to me come come quick to help meeeeee”. As the goddess use their powers to make
One of the most important myths of the Huichols Indians is about the creation of the world. These types of myths are categorized as origin myths which “are typically the most sacred of a culture’s myths and provide the foundation upon which other myths are built” (Lindell “Professor’s Notes 4” 2). The article “Journey of Grandmother Rain” by Jack Eidt tells the story about the first humans, the creation of the land, and the creation of the sun. From a structuralist perspective, the binary opposition that shapes the worldview of the Huichol Indians is apparent in this origin myth. According to Eidt, in the Huichol origin myth the first human, named Watacame, and his black female dog, Tziku Mayuri, had to “withstand five days of monsoons, wind, waves, flooding and storming” (Eidt). After Watacame had successfully survived the storm, the Goddess Takutzi Nakawe (Grandmother Rain)
Creation myths have similar aspects involving the importance of issues allowed by the gods, nature, duality, and creation songs that all relate to the beginning of life, that are expressed in different ways. The Iroquois cultures in “The World on the Turtle’s Back” and the Hopi cultures in“The Four Kingdoms” both explore these different aspects specifically. They show how life can be created and maintained in different ways.
The Hawaiian Islands are well known for their beauty, tranquility, and unique culture that have shaped this state into what we see today. The special bond that the natives have formed between themselves and nature is not exactly one of a kind, but it is something that can truly be admired. Around approximately 300 AD, Hawaii was discovered by Polynesians who arrived by canoe from Tahiti. These migrants brought their polytheistic spirituality and formed a large intricate society with hierarchies consisting of many chiefs. Alongside the ruling of the chiefs, the newborn Hawaiians followed a strict belief system known as Kapu akua otherwise known as the “law of the gods”. The Kapu was a strict set of rules and restraints that dictated all
In Hawaii, the major shark god is Kamahoali’i. The Hawaiian culture that surrounds Kamahoali’i is rich with his Legends, duties, aspects, and genealogy. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these parts of Kamohoali’i in greater detail, which will be done, in the following paragraphs.
Myths are of great importance in the Navajo community because it is believed that it was a way to connect to the Holy People. The myth helps recognize symbolized supernatural in chants, translates the meaning of songs, and explains the importance of the ritual objects (Lamphere 1969). For example, there is myth of the two heroes who had gone through some misfortunes but thanks to the supernatural’s aid, the two heroes created a
How do historical Native Hawaiians, and Japanese view death and dying? In modern day Hawaii the rituals and practices of death, dying, and bereavement are greatly influenced by multiple cultures due to Hawaii being a melting pot of different ethnicities. Some cultures/ethnicities include the following: Hawaiians, Filipinos, Japanese, Chinese, and Puerto Ricans just to name a few. Today majority of the family’s in Hawaii are of mixed religion, ethnicities and cultures their beliefs regarding death and dying are influenced by multiple cultures and not just one; thus they might incorporate Hawaiian and Filipino and Japanese rituals when someone passes away.
After the European influence upon indigenous Hawaiian culture, “Hawaiians radically reinterpreted and transformed their culture… part of this transformation was the abandonment of the kapu system in 1819.” The meaning of the organization of architecture no longer reflects upon ideology of the Hawaiians, but the adaptation of more technological advanced living space. As a result, “many temples were dismantled or destroyed, leaving only he foundation stones” (Ladegoged, #).
The motifs found in the creation myths are undoubtedly different from those found in any other type of myth. Contrary to popular belief, the purpose of the creation myths is much greater than a primitive attempt to explain the mysteries of creation. Behind each creation myth is a vast variety of symbolism along with a number of motives which are often shared between cultures, despite vast geographical differences. My intention here is not only to discuss the purpose of the creation myths, but also to compare and contrast common themes which can be found in three selected works. These being, an Eskimo creation myth, the Ongwe creation myth and the Navajo creation myth.
Spiritualism is a form of worship that believes in both a world of matter and material things, such as people, animals, etc., and a world of spirits or metaphysical beings and happenings. The religion of Hawaii was partially spiritualism and also polytheistic. Polytheism is the belief in many gods. (Imagine) Their gods ruled over the natural occurrences of the world such as the seas, volcanoes, earth, and sky. (Got Religion) One major volcano that was particularly precious to them was Mauna Kea. Mauna Kea was believed to be the place where the sky god met the god of earth; also it was where the other deities met. Basically, Mauna Kea was the Hawaiian Mount Olympus. James "Kimo" Kealii Pihana, a Mauna Kea Ranger mentions that Hawaiians go
Hawaiian is unique among the fifty states, especially in regards to its native music form, which is still preformed, and captivates audiences even today. Hawaiian chanting, music, and dance are not only key parts of life on the island, but have also become cultural icons as well as profound symbols of nature and religion in Hawaii. Hawaii has a rich history, beginning with the early settlers from Polynesia who brought their traditions and religions to Hawaii. Over the years, the inhabitants took those traditions and adapted them to their new home, creating the definitive culture that, even with Western influences, still is a captivating force within the society.
Have you ever wonder how the world was created from another culture’s perspective? Native Americans used creation myths to explained to their people how the world was developed overtime. Creation myths are a big part of the Native American culture. they have been passed down from generation to generation. In the creation myths, harmony with nature, rituals, and strong social values are shown in each myths. The purpose of having strong social value in these myths is to teach younger Native Americans valuable lesson if they ever do something bad. These myths reveals how the rituals were created and their intentions for doing it. Creation myths has harmony with nature in it to show a very close kinship between them
Myth And The Environment Belief systems and the myths, stories of early history that explain natural or social phenomena, connected to that belief system are major shaping forces of a culture. The environment of a given culture can drive and shape these early myths as a people's need to understand and pass on the information to survive is tailored to their surroundings, both in an environmental and social sense. At the same time, the myths created can have in an impact on their environment, establishing a circular pattern between myths, environment, and its people. Looking at the indigenous people of Irala, commonly known as the Yami, in particular, and their unique belief system that combines a functional mythology with a genealogical history, one has the rare opportunity to not only note where these two subjects interacted in the past,
The following paper examines the history and religion of the ancient Maori people. It is my belief that exploration of traditional belief systems and ritualistic practices will lead to a greater understanding of the Maori culture in present-day New Zealand. The objective of the paper is to illustrate the Maoris’ unique perception and spiritual connection with their natural environment.