Hoʻohokukalani

Hoʻohokukalani is a Hawaiian goddess, mentioned in the ancient chants. She is described as a beautiful woman, who became a consort to her own father. Her full name is given as Kahoʻohokuokalani-i-kau-i-kaheahea ("She who sets the stars in heaven and adorns the celestial regions").[1]

Hoʻohokukalani
Spouse(s)Wākea (father)
ChildrenHaloas
Parent(s)Papahānaumoku
Wākea

Mythology

According to the myth, Hoʻohokukalani is the daughter of the god Wākea[2][3] (Sky Father) or the expanse of the heavens[4] and his wife Papahānaumoku (Earth Mother),[5] who are the deities of male and female creative energy. Wākea and Papahānaumoku (which means "to adorn the heavens with stars")[4] created the Hawaiian islands, and then, Hoʻohokukalani was born.

When Hoʻohokukalani grew up, Wākea was enchanted by her beauty, and he had a sexual desire for her, although she was his child. However, he could not sleep with his daughter because he was afraid of Papahānaumoku. He then ordered his priest to take away Papahānaumoku.

When Papahānaumoku went away with the priest, Wākea and Hoʻohokukalani had sexual relations, and she bore a stillborn son, called Haloa. The son was then buried facing the rising sun in the East. From this spot, taro sprung.[4] The plant, which had heart-shaped leaves and was rather large, was named Hāloanakalaukapalili.[4] This plant was very important for the diet of the Hawaiians. Later, Wākea and Hoʻohokukalani produced another, living child, also called Haloa, who was the first of the Native Hawaiian People.[4] This is where the saying "mamo na Hāloa," or descendant of Hāloa originate from. It is a popular belief throughout the Native Hawaiian people that through their relationship to Hāloa, they are related to the kalo (or taro) and are thus related to the rest of the world.[4]

Sources
  1. Hoohokukalani (Hoohokukalani I, Hoohokukalani-o-Wakea)
  2. An Account of the Polynesian Race: Its Origins and Migrations, and the Ancient History of the Hawaiian People to the Times of Kamehameha I. Written by the judge Abraham Fornander, who mentioned Hoʻohokukalani as the daughter of Wākea: "I would premise by saying that there exist two versions of the earlier portion of this genealogy, from Wakea to Kii, one descending from Wakea's son Haloa, the other from his daughter Hoohokukalani."
  3. Peleioholani, Solomon Lehuanui Kalaniomaiheuila (1906), Genealogy of the Robinson family, and ancient legends and chants of Hawaii. Honolulu Bulletin Publishing Company, Ltd., 1908, Hawaii State Archives (Photocopy), CS 2209. R62 P45 1908. Translated into English by J. M. Poepoe.
  4. "Kumukahi | Explore". www.kumukahi.org. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  5. Kamakau, Samuel (Hawaiian historian). 1868. Ka Nupepa Kuokoa (newspaper).
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