Hawaii
Spirit of the Islands:
Past and Present
Spirit of the Islands
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Hawaiian tradition
regards the land
(‘aina) as mother
‘Aina means “that
which feeds”
Land does not
belong to the
Hawaiians, rather
Hawaiians belong
to the land and are
a part of the land

Hawaiians regard
themselves as
“kanaka maoli”
Spirit of the Islands
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Hawaiian tradition
involved constant
communication with
other living things,
the land, the rocks,
the ocean, and the
spirits of the
ancestors
All parts of the island,
living and nonliving,
had a special
meaning and
purpose
Spirit of the Islands
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Because the land
belonged to no one,
anything coming
from the land was
shared
Fishermen, farmers,
and woodsmen did
not tend their own
“property” but did
their jobs for
everyone’s benefit
Ahupua’a
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Spirit of the Islands
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The only parts of the
island that were off limits
were those considered
kapu.
 These areas were
reserved for Hawaiian
gods.
Sharing was a lifestyle
 Ahupua’a
 Large wedges of
land, divided by the
chiefs or kings, that
started at the
mountain peaks and
continued into the
water beyond
 This division made a
Spirit of the Islands
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Most all of the people living
within an ahupua’a were
family
 Both blood relatives, and
extended family were
‘ohana
 ‘Ohana encompasses
many generations
 Elders- kupuna
 Parents/middle
generation- makua
 Children- kamali‘i
There was no difference
between cousin, aunt,
uncle, or parents. All
members of the same
generation were
considered siblings.
Spirit of the Islands
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Kanaka maoli believe
that on earth they are in
human form, but came
from other forms and will
return in other forms
before and after this life.
Time in the human form
is short
After this life, kanaka
maoli come back to earth
in spiritual form as
‘aumakua
 Protect the family by
warning, guiding and
informing them
 In the form of an animal
(bird, fish, turtle, shark)
tree, rock, breeze,
cloud, or even a new
Hawaiian Gods

Kanaka maoli
believe in many
gods that take form
in nature
 Taro, sweet
potato, breadfruit,
coconut, banana
 When eating
taro, one is
eating Kane and
taking in his
mana or godly
power
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rg/hawaiig.html
Hawaiian Gods

Kane- the
supreme god,
god of sunlight,
fresh water, and
forests, ancestor
of all chiefs and
commoners, took
the form of an
owl

Ku-patron god of
war, brought
about rain,
growth,
successful
fishing

Kanaloa- god
of the ocean,
companion of
Kane, took
form in an
octopus or
squid
Hawaiian Gods

Lono god of thunder,
clouds, wind, sea,
agriculture, and
fertility
 took on many
forms
 fish
 man-dog
 Honored during
the annual
makahiki harvest
festival
 James Cook
Hawaiian Gods
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Pele
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fire goddess
responsible for
current eruptians of
Kilauea
She traveled from
island to island
looking for a home
and found her home
on the Big Island
where she built a
palace of fire (the
Kilauea volcano).
She is a lesser god in
Hawaiian beliefs.
Talking Story
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“Talking story” is
how kanaka maoli
passed on their oral
traditions and beliefs.
By locals taking time
to sit and tell stories,
ancient Hawaiian
beliefs and traditions
have been passed on
through many
generations without
written record.
Personal Power
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Everything the kanaka maoli
did was for a reason and a
purpose.
 Preparing and eating a meal
had a certain process.
 Caring for the sick had to
be done at a certain time of
day with certain prayers
and thoughts.
 Dances, chants, and rituals
had to be done perfectly.
 By doing these actions
deliberately, the Hawaiians
believed it gave them a
direct communication line
Personal Power
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Gods “responded” by
patterns in the fire, images
in a dream, wind, thunder,
or even a thought that
comes out of nowhere.
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These responses were
interpreted as signs
from the gods and
answers to their
prayers.
Everything happens
and exists for a reason
in this belief system.
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Kanaka Maoli Today
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From the moment
Westerners first
arrived in Hawaii, the
kanaka maoli have
been losing their true
culture and heritage a
little more each day.
Hawaiian’s sense of
balance is deeply
rooted in the natural
environment.
Kanaka Maoli Today
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As land has been
lost, so too have the
traditions of the
kanaka maoli.
As well as losing
land, the kanaka
maoli population has
been declining due to
diseases introduced
by Westerners and
inter-racial mixing.
Kanaka Maoli Today
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Kanaka maoli (native
Hawaiians)
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Shortest life
expectancy
Highest mortality
rates
 Heart disease
 Stroke
 Cancer
 Diabetes
 Infant mortality
 Suicide
 Accidents
 Substance abuse

They are at the bottom of
the heap in their own
homeland due to their
disconnect with their land
and tradition.
Kanaka Maoli Today
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Most Hawaiians today are
not full-blooded Hawaiian
due to the many other
ethnic groups on the
island and racial mixing.
Those who are partHawaiian usually claim
their Hawaiian heritage
first as a point of pride.
Six other ethnic groups
have made their place on
the island.
Hawaii’s Ethnic Blend
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Chinese

one of Hawaii’s
most prominent,
influential, and
financially
successful groups
Japanese
 After the bombing of Pearl
Harbor
 Japanese language
schools and radio
stations were shut down.
 Religious temples were
closed.
 Japanese newspapers
were censored.
 Despite some JapaneseAmericans being forced
into internment camps,
AJAS remained loyal
 442nd Infantry
Regiment became the
most highly decorated
unit in the American
military during World
War II. Their casualty
rate was over 3x the
military’s average.
Hawaii’s Ethnic Blend

Filipinos

first group to
come were
acrobats and
musicians

Koreans

overall education and
income levels are the
highest of any ethnic
group in Hawaii per
capita, but they are
less than 3% of the
population
Hawaii’s Ethnic Blend

Samoans
 early immigrants came
after World War I to join
the growing Mormon
community
 brought with them the
laid back lifestyle of old
Hawaii and had difficulty
adapting at first
 have been able to retain
much of their culture
Hawaii’s Ethnic Blend

Caucasians
 Known as “haole”
 Comes from ancient Hawaiians believing those
with pale skin could not possibly be alive
 Means “without life”
 Sometimes used in a negative light.
 This phrase originated at the arrival of James Cook.
 Caucasians are the fastest growing ethnic group.
 The negativity stems from the fact that newcomers
to the island often want to exploit the island’s
resources for tourism purposes rather than
protecting the land.
Kanaka Maoli Making a
Comeback
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The Hawaii Department of
Education has established
Hawaiian language immersion
in schools promoting kanaka
maoli pride and the continued
use of proper Hawaiian
language.
Children and parents now
take classes and are taught
the native language.
Hawaiian is not a written
language and historians still
have not determined all of the
details of the origin of the
language.
Language
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Most local Hawaiians speak a mixture of
English and Hawaiian called “pidgin”
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Example: “Hey, pau hana like go my hale for grind? Get
plenty ‘ono pupu-even pipikaula and poke in da fridge.”
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Translation: “Hey after work would you like to go to my
house to eat? We’ve got plenty of tasty appetizers, even
some beef jerky and raw fish marinated with seaweed in
the refrigerator.”
Common Hawaiian Words
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aloha- love,
farewell, greetings
mahalo- thank you
malihini- newcomer
to the island (us)
‘ohana-family
haole-a foreigner,
usually Caucasian
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‘aina--land
wahine- woman
heiau- traditional
Hawaiian temple
kapu-taboo
Music and Hula
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Music was an important part of
ancient Hawaiian ritual.
Religious songs and chants
helped connect the kanaka maoli
with their gods.
Hula with song was used as a
spiritual tool, a teaching tool,
and entertainment.
Every move and word has a
deep meaning and must be done
correctly.
It was believed that “practicing”
the action you could control that
action in the future.
Music and Hula
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There were
specific hulas done
for successful
hunts, fertility, and
other desired
successes.
Going to hula
school for
Hawaiians could
be compared to
someone going to
a monastery to
Lei
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Lei’s can be made of
flowers, leaves, shells,
and paper.
Special symbol or gift
given as a sign of respect
and were used in dances
and chants
Lei’s are draped over
statues or images of
important people.
Each island has its own
special material for
making leis.
Food and Lu’au
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The many ethnic groups
in Hawaii have each
contributed in their own
way to island cuisine.
Hawaii is one of the
world’s most diverse
culinary places.
An example: Expect sticky
white rice with every meal
at Hawaii Preparatory
Academy due to the heavy
Asian influence…even
with your eggs at
breakfast:)
Food and Lu’au
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Lu’aus were generally family “get togethers” but have since
been commercialized for tourism purposes.
Most foods at lu’aus are authentic, including kaluha pig
cooked in an underground rock oven, poi, sweet potatoes,
‘opihi (shellfish), and salmon.
In ancient times, women were not allowed to eat with men at
a lu’au. When kapu was abolished, the lu’au became a time
of celebration for special events.
Food and Lu’au
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Now lu’aus
are highly
dramatized
for the tourist
with flashy
hula and
stories of
Hawaiian
legends.