Hawaiʻi had many Rules

12/2/2020

By: Mrs. Haupu

Supplies

1. Social Studies Notebook
2. Pencil

Table of Contents

01.

02.

03.

The Kapu System

Spirits of Nature

Social

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Classes

The Forbidden or Sacred

Nā Akua: The major spirits

Nā Kānaka: The People

Spirits of Nature

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Nā Akua: The major spirits

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01.

Spirits of Nature

• Early Hawaiians believed in many natural spirits or “gods”.
• Mana: Power from the gods
• Man flowed from the major spirits to humans
• Each spirit had a name and special powers.
• Hawaiians prayed and gave offerings to them
• Kino Lau: many bodies
• Hawaiians believed they had earthly forms as well.

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Nā Akua:

The Major Spirits

There were 4 major spirits:

1. Kāne
2. Kū
3. Lono
4. Kanaloa

Kāne

• Kāne: man or male
• Called “The leading spirit among the great spirits”.
• The spirit of creating, ancestor of chiefs and makaʻāinana, forests, fresh water, and sunlight
• His Kino Lau were bamboo, kalo, ʻōhia lehua, and sugar cane.

Kū

• Kū: Upright or standing
• The patron spirit of the major works of men (canoe making, farming, fishing, and more)
• Took many forms
• His Kino Lau are breadfruit trees, coconut, ʻōhiʻa, hawk (iʻo)

Lono

• Lono: news or report
• Spirit of fertility, peace, clouds, rain, and winds
• Last great spirit to come from Tahiti
• Was the patron spirit of the Makahiki (Fall harvest festival)
• Lono’s Kino Lau has the features of pigs, gourds, kukui tree, sweet potato, and humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa (Pig snout triggerfish)

Kanaloa

• Kanaloa: secure and firm
• Spirit of ocean and ocean winds
• His Kino Lau were heʻe (octopus) and the herb called ʻuhaloa.

Heiau: Places of Worship

• Heiau: Place of worship
• Some small shrines, some large structures
• Built for special purposes and dedicated to special spirits
• There are 5 types of heiau:
• Luakini - built by high chiefs
• Waihau - made for food crops
• Heiau hoʻōla - treat sick people
• Puʻuhonua - for protection/shelter
• Koʻa - built by fishermen

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