Hawaiian Gods And Goddesses: Sacred And Powerful

How many of the gods of Hawaii are there? Where do these gods come from? What powers do they have? Let’s find out via our post “Hawaiian gods and goddesses: Sacred and powerful”.

The Origin Of Hawaiian Religion

It all started when Pa’ao, a Samoan from Tahiti arrived. It was from 1,100 to 1,200 AD. He was the one bringing the concept of gods and religious beliefs to the islands.

In fact, Pa’ao was a priest and a conqueror. He conquered Hawaii and created an age of war in the region. It’s because he didn’t agree with the way the Hawaii Loa’s descendants run the islands.

As a result, Pa’ao presented new gods to the native Hawaiians. He called it the kapu system. It’s a code of conduct of regulations and laws as well as human sacrifice.

Since then, the Hawaiian religion has had a combination of indigenous religious beliefs and native Hawaiian practices. The core belief is that spirits are everywhere. They could be in, animals or natural elements such as volcanoes, waves, the sky, etc.

In 1978, the US Congress enacted the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (AIRFA). This is a national law that protects the conventional religious practices of American Indians, Native Hawaiians, Aleuts, and Eskimos.

Now, let’s take a look at some Hawaiian gods and goddesses due to their myths.

Hina – Hawaiian Gods And Goddesses

Hina is the most well-known goddess across the Polynesian islands. According to Hawaiian mythology gods, Hina was the sister-wife of Ku. She is revered as the ancestral goddess of all the heavens and earth. Hina was also believed to be the foremost to appear on the island before the gods Lono and Kane. She was the guardian of sightseers at night.

In Hawaiian beliefs, Hina is relevant to female fertility. Meanwhile, her husband Ku is relevant to male fertility.

In other Polynesian islands, Hina’s other names are Sina, Hine, or Ina.

Kane

In Hawaiian mythology gods, Kane is the god of Creation and the Sky. He is the most powerful god of all. Kane leads all the gods and goddesses. 

He made Kanaloa which is his opposite. Whilst Kane symbolizes light and life, Kanaloa symbolizes darkness and dark.

He also created Lono to look after the land as well as its fertility.

If the Hawaiians wanted help in giving birth, they would give offerings to Kane and pray for his help. And when they wanted to generate something new, such as a building, they had to give offerings to Kane as well. He then gave his blessing to the new creation of his people.

Ku – Hawaiian Gods And Goddesses

Ku is Hina’s husband and he is the god of war. He is an extremely fierce god. 

Not like other gods of Hawaii, he is the only one that demands human sacrifices. To Ku, the most sacred gift is a human being that had been killed on his altar.

Ku handles for about eight months of the year. During this period, the age of war would begin. People attacked each other to take over other’s land.

Kanaloa

According to Hawaiian mythology gods, Kanaloa is the god of the underworld and the ocean. He was the one that creates Ku, who married his beloved daughter Hina.

The Hawaiians implored Kanaloa for anything that was relevant to the ocean. For example, if they wanted to sail a boat, they would come to Kanaloa and bring him presents at his temple.

Lono – Hawaiian Gods And Goddesses

Lono might be one of the most favored gods of Hawaii. is the god that represents peace, fecundity, and agriculture. He brings rain, wind, and sun to make the land productive again.

Lono handles around four months of the year. This is the period that Ku isn’t in charge of. 

When Lono rules the time, there will be no war. It’s a peaceful period with feasting, dancing, and fun.

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