What is aumakua in Hawaiian?
In Hawaiian mythology, an ʻaumakua (/ʔaʊmɑːˈkuə/; often spelled aumakua, plural, ‘aumākua) is a personal or family god that originated as a deified ancestor, and which takes on physical forms such as spirit vehicles. An ‘aumakua may manifest as a shark, owl, bird, octopus, or inanimate objects such as plants or rocks.
Who are the 4 Hawaiian gods?
the four gods (ka hā) – Kū, Kāne, Lono, and Kanaloa.
What does a shark aumakua mean?
In Hawaiian, ‘aumakua is defined as a benevolent guardian spirit or family protector. “An ‘aumakua was actually a dead ancestor’s spirit that was deified into an entity,” explained Maxwell. “Could be clouds or trees or animals.” But the best known of the ‘aumakua seems to be the shark.
What kind of God is the Hawaiian aumakua?
In Hawaiian mythology, an ʻaumakua ( / aʊˈmɑːkuːə /; often spelled aumakua, plural, ‘aumākua) is a personal or family god that originated as a deified ancestor, and which takes on physical forms such as spirit vehicles. An ‘aumakua may manifest as a shark, owl, bird, octopus, or inanimate objects such as plants or rocks.
Who is the god of sharks in Hawaiian mythology?
In Hawaiian mythology, an ʻaumakua ( /aʊˈmɑːkuːə/; often spelled aumakua) is a family god, often a deified ancestor. The Hawaiian plural of ʻaumakua is nā ʻaumākua ( [naːˈʔɐumaːˈkuwə] ). ʻAumākua frequently manifested as animals such as sharks or owls. ʻAumākua were worshipped at localities…
What did the aumakua believe to be the spirit of an ancestor?
‘aumakua– only that an individual animal might be possessed by an ‘aumakua, and then only as the occasion might demand. Some families, for example, believed that the spirit of an ancestor could appear as a shark, perhaps to chase fish into their nets, or to guide a lost canoe to safety.
Who is the god of family in Hawaiian mythology?
In Hawaiian mythology, an ʻaumakua (/aʊˈmɑːkuːə/; often spelled aumakua) is a family god, often a deified ancestor.