#akua process

[waikikimamua]

Ka honua nui a Kāne i hōʻīnana a ʻahu kīnohinohi.

Kāne, the god of fresh water and life. (Pukui’s ʻŌlelo Noʻeau #1316)

[waikikimamua]

Kāne Weather systems

Akua Processes

Kāne

Kāne is a source of sunlight and energy, watching over environmental activities that occur due to the relationship of the earth and the sun.

water cycle

formation of clouds

the deepening of roots, and the growing of plants

natural phenomena such as lightning, thunder, rainbows

Kinolau of Kāne

Each form of Kāne provides something that we need as kānaka. These kinolau would be mea that give us sustenance, medicine, building materials, and ceremonial objects.

lāʻau, such as kalo, and kumu kukui

puaʻa, both for eating and ceremonial purposes

in some families, the pueo is a kinolau of Kāne

spring water, fresh water, brackish water

sunlight

coral

Kāne Systems in Waikīkī

In many different moʻolelo across the pae ʻāina of Hawaiʻi, two akua who went on countless adventures together are Kāne and Kanaloa. It is known that they had toured Hawaiʻi, swimming, eating and drinking ʻawa, and spouting up springs in different areas of each island; springs that are similar to those deeply connected to the meaning of Waikīkī’s name as a place of spouting waters. As the akua of fresh water, Kāne is connected to all the forces of nature that give us breath. Where Waikīkī was once a chiefly favorite for agriculture and fishing, Kāne is found in the sunlight, the agriculture, and the force that brings forth and sustains human life.

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sources

Kamehameha Publishing. “Kāne.” Kumukahi. Kamehameha Schools. Accessed November 9, 2020. http://www.kumukahi.org/units/ke_ao_akua/akua/kane.

Kanakaʻole Kanahele, Pualani. “Naoli.” Hilo: Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation, 2017.

Puniwai, Noelani, and Leimana Puʻu. Lecture. Akua Processes. Presented by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 2020.

[waikikimamua]

Nalowale kānaka i loko o kā kākou kalo lā

The kalo shall grow big enough to conceal a man (from a prayer to Kūkeolowalu, the Kū of wetland farming)

[waikikimamua]

Kū Weather Systems

Akua Processes

Kū

Kū is the akua that guards over the earthbound powers, and energy that rises out of the earth, pulling down the atmosphere. There are different forms of Kū for fishing, farming, and caring for family. He watches over time and change.

Shifts occur through time, which separates one change from the next.

While Kū does not “move”, he will change over time with nature.

Kū weather systems will “pull down” the lani ʻōhia, or the top of the forest canopy, “where the heavens meet the earth”.

Kinolau of Kū

Kū’s forms preside over the works of bird-catchers and carvers, so he appears in various kinolau, both in animal forms and plant forms.

Kū can be found as a kanaka

different manu, such as the ʻio

and animals like ʻīlio, and moa

Plant forms of Kū are niu, ʻulu, noni

and ʻōhiʻa lehua

Additional forms of Kū

Kūmauna—Kū of the mountain, a rain akua of Kaʻū, Hawaiʻi

Kūkaʻōʻō—Kū of the digging stick, akua of farming

Kūkeolowalu—Kū of wetland farming

Kūʻulakai—Kū of the abundant sea, akua of fishing

Finding Kū systems in Waikīkī

As Waikīkī was once a narrow ribbon of sand that lay between wetlands, fishponds, and a reef that stretched a few thousand feet wide, Kū was intertwined in the canopy above the old marsh, as a guardian of the wetland farming, and protector of many lokoiʻa. 

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sources

Kamehameha Publishing. “Kū.” Kumukahi. Kamehameha Schools. Accessed November 9, 2020. http://www.kumukahi.org/units/ke_ao_akua/akua/ku.

Kawaharada, Dennis., and Esther T. Mookini. Hawaiian Fishing Legends : with Notes on Ancient Fishing Implements and Practices. Honolulu, Hawaii: Kalamaku Press, 1992.

Puniwai, Noelani. Lecture. Akua Processes. Presented by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 2020.

Wiegel, Robert L. “Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii: History of its Transformation From a Natural to an Urban Shore.” Shore and Beach 76, no. 2 (2008): 3

[waikikimamua]

Lono Weather Systems

Akua Process

Lono

Lono weather systems are those where the air currents runs through and around our islands. Lono is wind and sound together, and refers to year-round weather.

Lono as an embodiment of wind

Lono water is that which descends as rain

Lewa makua and lewa lani lewa, is stormy weather & lighting is Lono makua

Natural phenomena we experience in hoʻoilo, such as clusters of dark clouds, thunder, whirlwinds, and waterspouts, are all representative of Lono weather systems

Kinolau of Lono

ʻuala (sweet potato)

ipu (gourd plant)

kukui (candlenut tree)

ʻamaʻu (fern)

hāpuʻu (tree fern)

maiʻa hinupuaʻa (the hinupuaʻa type of banana)

Parts of the kalo plant are used ceremonially to represent Lono, specifically lūʻau leaves

Hū ka hoihoi!

The puaʻa, or pig, is important in traditional Hawaiian religious ceremony. In reference to Lono, certain parts of the pigʻs body served as a fitting sacrifice. Certain plants—collectively called puaʻa lau—and certain fish—collectively called puaʻa kai—can sometimes take the place of the pig as the sacrifice.

The abundant and varied kinolau of Lono remind us of his importance in daily life, especially for farmers.

puaʻa lau (plant forms of the pig)

kukui tree

lūʻau, young leaf of kalo

ʻamaʻu

hāpuʻu

olomea

ʻuhaloa

kūkaepuaʻa grass

puaʻa kai (ocean forms of the pig)

humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa

āhole

ʻamaʻama/ʻanae

kūmū

pualu

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sources

Kamehameha Publishing. “Lono.” Kumukahi. Kamehameha Schools. Accessed November 9, 2020. http://www.kumukahi.org/units/ke_ao_akua/akua/lono.

Puniwai, Noelani, and Leimana Puʻu. Lecture. Akua Processes. Presented by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 2020.

[waikikimamua]

Laka Weather Systems

Akua Process

Laka

Laka is an akua of the forest. She is reproductive energy, and makes the forest grow and thrive. To do this, she watches over the evaporation of water molecules, and how the water from the honua rises and goes into transpiration. Where water is, Laka can be found.

Laka is found in the upward movement of water

she is a detrimental part in the cycle of wai, which connects all the deities.

like Lono, she represents the merging of water, being carried on the wind.

Kinolau of Laka

Kinolau of Laka are the ʻaʻaliʻi, the lama tree, and the maile vine. Her kinolau are important for those who hula, and for their kuahu.

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sources

Kamehameha Publishing. “Laka.” Kumukahi. Kamehameha Schools. Accessed November 9, 2020. http://www.kumukahi.org/units/ke_ao_akua/akua/laka. 

Kanakaʻole Kanahele, Pualani. “Naoli.” Hilo: Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation, 2017.

Puniwai, Noelani. Lecture. Akua Processes. Presented by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, 2020.