Kanaloa
| Kanaloa | |
|---|---|
Underworld | |
| Symbol | squid or octopus |
| Gender | male |
In the traditions of ancient Hawaiʻi, Kanaloa is a god symbolized by the squid or by the octopus, and is typically associated with Kāne.[1] It is also an alternative name for the island of Kahoʻolawe.
In the ancient traditions of Hawaiʻi, Kanaloa is symbolically associated with either the squid or the octopus. Depictions of Kanaloa describe a tall figure with a fair complexion. Like other Hawaiian deities, Kanaloa has the ability to manifest in various physical forms, known as kinolau. Dolphins, whales, bananas, and even the vast expanse of the ocean are all considered manifestations or kinolau of Kanaloa. [2]
In legends and chants, Kāne and Kanaloa are portrayed as complementary powers.[3] For example, whereas Kāne was called during the canoe building, Kanaloa was called while the canoe was being sailed. Likewise, Kāne governed the northern edge of the ecliptic while Kanaloa governed its southern edge, Kanaloa is "the subconscious to Kāne's conscious".[4] In this way, they represent a divine duality of wild and taming forces similar to (by Georges Dumézil, et al.) in Indo-European chief god-pairs like Odin–Týr and Mitra–Varuna, or the more widely known yin and yang of Taoism. Kanaloa is also traditionally depicted as an ocean god, hence his association with seamanship, or cephalopods.[5] However, there are also interpretations that see Kanaloa as subordinate to Kāne.[4]
Kanaloa is also considered to be the god of the Underworld and a teacher of magic. Legends state that he became the leader of the first group of spirits "spit out" by the gods. In time, he led them in a rebellion in which the spirits were defeated by the gods and as punishment were thrown in the Underworld. In traditional, pre-contact Hawaiʻi, it was Milu who was the god of the Underworld and death, not Kanaloa; the related Miru traditions of other Polynesian cultures support this.[citation needed]
Fishermen and voyagers frequently call upon Kanaloa for protection and guidance during their maritime journeys, acknowledging his role as a guardian of the seas. Kanaloa's influence is not confined to the surface waters but extends deep beneath, where he commands the unseen forces governing the oceans.[6]
Notably, Kanaloa is revered for his association with healing. In Hawaiian culture, the sea is revered as a source of rejuvenation and restoration, and practitioners invoke Kanaloa in healing rituals to harness his power for promoting both physical and spiritual well-being.[7]
The Eye of Kanaloa is an esoteric symbol associated with the god in New Age Huna teaching, consisting of a seven-pointed star surrounded by concentric circles that are regularly divided by eight lines radiating from the inner-most circle to the outer-most circle. Huna, as a New Age religion developed in the 20th century by a Caucasian-American founder, bears no relation to the Native Hawaiian Religion. Native Hawaiians reject "Huna" as a mishmash of Hawaiian elements with European religious metaphysical ideas.[citation needed]
As a namesake[edit]
After Kanaloa, one prince was named — he was a son of the Chief Kanipahu and one of his consorts, either Hualani or Alaʻikauakoko.
See also[edit]
- Tangaroa, the Māori god of the sea.
- Tagaloa Samoan mythology
- Tangaloa Tongan mythology
- Taʻaroa Tahitian mythology
- Te Wheke-a-Muturangi, a monstrous octopus in NZ Māori and French Polynesian lore.
References[edit]
- ^ Luomala, Katharine; Chun, Malcolm Nāea (2005). "Hawaiian Religion". In Jones, Lindsay (ed.). Encyclopedia of Religion. pp. 3796–3800. Gale CX3424501290.
- ^ Nair, Nitten (2024-01-24). "Kanaloa : God of the Sea". Mythlok. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
- ^ Beckwith[page needed]
- ^ a b Au 2018, pp. 74–75.
- ^ Beckwith[page needed]
- ^ Nair, Nitten (2024-01-24). "Kanaloa : God of the Sea". Mythlok. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
- ^ Nair, Nitten (2024-01-24). "Kanaloa : God of the Sea". Mythlok. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
Sources[edit]
- Beckwith, Martha Warren (1982). Hawaiian Mythology. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-0514-2.
- G. Dumezil, Mitra-Varuna (MIT Press: Cambridge, 1988).
- P. Turner & C. R. Coulter, Dictionary of Ancient Deities (Oxford University Press: New York, 2001).
- Au, Jane (December 2018). He Hulikoʻa Kanaloa- Seeking the Depths of Kanaloa (Thesis). hdl:10125/62774.