Hawaiian Mythology: Gods and Spirits of Ancient Hawaii - E-book - ePub

Hawaiian mythology represents a complex belief system and a pillar of Hawaiian culture. Despite their mysticism and being banned by the Christian missionaries until the 20th century, Hawaiian myths survived by oral narratives passed down through generations and are still thriving today. The songs and chants tell those curious how life on earth was created on Po from utter darkness, with the appearance of the spirit of Keawe.
Later, the spirit evolved into different divinities, humankind, and other living beings. Due to this, it is believed that all beings share a kindred spirit and can use this for spiritual communication. According to Hawaiian lore, the ancient spiritual force (mana) inhabits even sacred words and inanimate objects. To this day, Hawaiian natives honor their religion regarding everything from animals to the smallest mountain rocks as their relatives.