Hawaiian Myth

Spanning several centuries of history in the Pacific, The Legends and Myths of Hawaiʻi: Fables and Folk-Lore of a Strange People is a collection of Hawaiian stories that were preserved through the ages by oral tradition and documented for posterity by King David Kalākaua in 1887. This massive tome recalls the tales of chiefs and kings, explorers and pirates, prophets, sorceresses, and renegades. This is the first in a series of 22 parts.

Rediscover the magic, mystery, and wonder of Hawaii's legendary past with Hawaiian Mythology Collection II. Immerse yourself in the ancient stories that have been passed down through generations and experience the timeless appeal of these enchanting tales.

Of all the noteworthy groups of islands of fire rock in the Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian islands are usually considered to be the most stupendous. The early Hawaiians incorporated in their legends various theories to explain these great phenomena of nature, many of which are included in this volume, especially those legends which cluster around Pele, the great goddess of fire.

Dive into the captivating realm of The Legends and Myths of Hawaii, where the mystical allure of the Pacific islands comes alive through the mesmerizing fables and folk-lore shared by none other than the esteemed King David Kalakaua. Prepare to be transported to a time when oral traditions were the heart of Hawaiian culture, as the illustrious monarch weaves a tapestry of enchanting stories that have been cherished for generations.

Spanning several centuries of history in the Pacific, The Legends and Myths of Hawaiʻi: Fables and Folk-Lore of a Strange People is a collection of Hawaiian stories that were preserved through the ages by oral tradition and documented for posterity by King David Kalākaua in 1887. This massive tome recalls the tales of chiefs and kings, explorers and pirates, prophets, sorceresses, and renegades. This is the second in a series of 22 parts.

King David Kalākaua introduces us to the people upon whom the legend of the Pele family is based. They departed Samoa as war refugees in the 12th century, settling in the foothills of Mauna Loa. As earthquakes and eruptions occurred during their interactions with the Hawaiians, this family of kahuna were accorded what the king described as “unique sanctity and power”. Pele was as mighty as she was beautiful. The tales of the volcano goddess earned the attention of Kamapuaa, the outcast son of the chief of Oahu who terrorized the island with his band of renegades.

Be ready to immerse yourself into the myths and long forgotten stories of the Hawaiian people. The traditional name of the Hawaiian people is Kānaka Maoli. Hawaii was settled at least 800 years ago with the voyage of Polynesians from the Society Islands. They have a rich and colorful culture as well as vibrant stories which emerged from the volcanoes and planted their roots to inspire their descendants for generations.

Kamehameha the Great became the sovereign monarch during a time of rapid transition for his islands. His rivals were no longer limited to the kings of Hawaii, Maui, Oahu and Kauai. Ambitious men had arrived from America, England, France, Portugal and Spain, either offering their war material and service personnel to the highest bidder or staking a claim of the islands for themselves and their masters.

Talking-Stories is a snapshot of life in Hawaii in the 1960’s and 70’s captured in conversation with seven friends at The Watering Hole in a remote section of Kauai. Try to imagine yourself in a tropical paradise enjoying happy hour in a remote eatery consisting of two small rooms and a long lanai separated from the ocean by a three-foot stone wall. The wall was supposedly built eons earlier by the first settlers of the Hawaiian Islands, the menehunes. Several contemporary guests reported actually seeing these small Islanders still scurrying around the underbrush guarding both sides of ...

Five centuries before Kamehameha the Great, Kalaunui was the first person to attempt uniting all the islands under one rule. He led an army of 12,000 warriors in conquest, capturing the kings of Maui, Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. This war campaign became a rescue operation when the army of Kauaʻi defeated the invaders and took King Kalaunui hostage. Queen Kaheka ordered a second invasion to free her husband, but the prophetess Waahia suggested another option.

Hawaiian Shapeshifters, or Kupua, were demigods that lived among the Hawaiians. They had families and children who carried the shapeshifting abilities in their genes. Some of these traits have disappeared over the generations, but a new Kupua is occasionally born. Our story is of a Kupua born to a family unprepared to receive him. Abandoned at birth, a family of shapeshifters adopts him. Can love and patience teach the young Kupua to overcome his craving for human flesh?

In book #1, A Man Eater Is Born, you met Aunty Momi, who adopts several shapeshifters, which include a dolphin, a frigate bird, an owl, and a baby shark. Aunty Momi and her two sons, Martin and Paul, are shapeshifting eels. When Aunty Momi takes the baby shark to the ocean for the first time, Leila, the shapeshifting dolphin, searches for her mother, Misty. What Leila finds changes her life forever.

High Chief Nanaula discovered Hawai'i in the sixth century. As King Kalākaua recounts it, the chief's expedition brought the first settlers to the island chain from either the Samoan or Society Islands. Five hundred years later, Hawaiian chiefs Moikeha, Olopana, and Laa-Mai-Kahiki—deep sea voyagers from the House of Nanaula—would renew ties with Tahiti and Samoa amidst a second migration from the south. Equipped with little more than barges and canoes, the Polynesians of yesteryear carved out their place in history on the planet's largest ocean.

For the last nine centuries, Hawaiian tradition has used the wickedness of the Maui king Hua to depict the consequences of sacrificing righteousness for superficial political gains. His reign was known for its pointless warfare, waste of resources, and corruption. Condemning his dutiful high priest to death under false pretenses, Hua and his subjects finally earn the wrath of the gods. Drought and famine decimate Maui. The lush countryside of Hana becomes a wasteland. As they flee, the curse follows. Atonement resides with the sons of the murdered priest. If they can be found.

Fitted with a bionic tail and prosthetic feet, our shapeshifting dolphin Misty must choose between a life on land with her billionaire lover and remaining in the ocean as a dolphin. While visiting her family on Kaua'i, Misty encounters the shark that bit off her tail. Following this deadly encounter, Misty makes a choice that changes her life forever.

A chief from a southern province seeks an audience in the palace of Kanipahu, the king of the island of Hawaiʻi. Wronged by one of the kingʻs military advisors, Chief Kamaiole kills the man once he is in the presence of the sovereign. He escapes and begins a campaign of revenge that eventually ousts Kanipahu from the throne. The king is exiled to Molokaʻi and replaced by his challenger. But the cruel reign of Kamaiole extracts a toll from the Hawaiian people.

After healing her wounds, our shapeshifting dolphin, Misty, has no feet or a tail. She must rely on her daughter's father, Chris, to help her. Chris is a billionaire who owns a company specializing in prosthetic limbs. While creating new feet and a tail for Misty helps heal Misty physically, it also allows Chris and Misty's estranged relationship to heal.

Momi and her family of shapeshifters must help Flynn, the shapeshifting shark, discover his human side. When Flynn shifts into a shark and bites Momi's son, Paul, Momi adopts a tougher stand with the young shark. Flynn faces the choice of being more human or having his skin being sold to drum makers.

世界の神話を収めた「世界の神話」シリーズ。
今回紹介するのは、ハワイ神話です。