HAWAIIAN BELIEFS

“Ohana means family, family means nobody gets left behind. Or forgotten”

- Lilo & Stich

Hawaii has been for the last century the ultimate vacational destination, therefore, if you are planning to travel to the pacific islands, it’s important that you have background knowledge so you can understand and enjoy your experiences.

Now, Hawaiian people have two sacrate beliefs: what refers to their gods and what refers to family. About their deities, Hawaiian religion reverences all powers of nature represented by four mayor gods that embody themselves in different elements of nature; these four gods are:

Kane	God of life, fresh water, provider of sunshine.	Embodied as taro, sugar cane, bamboo, and lightning.
Lono	God of rain, peace, agriculture, and the forest.	Embodied as rain clouds, sweet potatoes, or gourds.
Ku	God of war and medicine.	Embodied as breadfruit or coconut.
Kanaloa	God of the ocean and ocean winds.	Embodied as the ocean.

Heiau

There are also minor gods/ goddesses to refer to the parts of nature and life which were not necessarily essential for example the goddess of volcanoes, the goddess of women and canoe builders, the goddess of hula, and so on.

These gods were worshiped in small sanctuaries called Heiau, which were plane, small, stone and palm rooms to offer ceremonies and tributes.

However, what´s maybe the most popular Hawaiian tradition is the Ohana (family) culture they live. Ohana is considered to be everyone who has blood relation, or the ones that despite their lack of blood connection they share a very strong bond, and even the ones who are no longer with us. This last ones are called aumakua, and they considered to be ancestral guidance and protectors that can show themselves as many different animals (that why they protect animals such as harks, lizards, birds, fish and owls).

Gods

Ohana should provide food, shelter, education, emotional support, love, and security, especially for children who must be taught in working and the wellbeing of the community.

Now a day, most people are Christians, Catholics or even Buddhist but yet they still have a special respect for their gods and the Ohana tradition.

N.A. (N.D.). Important Hawaiian Beliefs and Values. Researched on nov, 29^th 2012 from the web: http://www.k12.hi.us/~kchang/beliefs.html

By: Ana María Acevedo