Hawaiian Mythology
Also known as: Malo's Hawaiian Mythology, Martha Beckwith's Hawaiian Mythology
A comprehensive collection and analysis of Hawaiian myths, chants, and traditions, covering creation, gods, demigods, chiefs, and cultural practices.
Description
Martha Warren Beckwith's *Hawaiian Mythology* (1940) is a seminal scholarly synthesis of Hawaiian oral traditions, chants, and narratives. Drawing upon native sources, missionary transcriptions, and oral recitations, the work presents a structured account of Hawaiian cosmogony, genealogies of gods and chiefs, heroic cycles, and ritual narratives. The book bridges ethnography and comparative mythology, situating Hawaiian traditions within wider Polynesian frameworks. It serves as both an anthology of myths and an interpretive guide, documenting gods like Kāne, Kū, Lono, and Pele, as well as tales of Māui and other demigods. Its influence is foundational for modern Hawaiian studies, though shaped by early 20th-century scholarly perspectives.
Historiography
Published in 1940 by Martha Beckwith, the work drew upon 19th-century Hawaiian sources including the Kumulipo chant, Fornander's collections, and accounts by Malo, Kepelino, and Kamakau. Beckwith sought to compare Hawaiian myths with broader Polynesian traditions. Though comprehensive, her interpretations reflect anthropological frameworks of her time, sometimes privileging structural comparisons over native contextual nuances. The book remains a standard reference in Hawaiian and Polynesian mythology scholarship.
Date Notes
Traditional myths and chants transmitted orally for centuries; compiled and analyzed by Beckwith in 1940 based on earlier native sources and translations.
Major Characters
- Pele
- Hiʻiaka
- Maui
- Kane
- Ku
- Lono
- Kanaloa
- Kamapuaa
Myths
- The Kumulipo Cosmogony
- Pele and Hiʻiaka
- The Deeds of Māui
- The Voyaging Ancestors
Facts
- Published in 1940 by Martha Warren Beckwith.
- Draws heavily from the Kumulipo and other Hawaiian chants.
- Incorporates myths of creation, gods, and heroes like Māui and Pele.
- One of the first comprehensive English-language syntheses of Hawaiian mythology.
- Situates Hawaiian traditions in broader Polynesian comparative frameworks.
- Relies on 19th-century Hawaiian scholars and collectors like Malo, Kamakau, and Fornander.
- Includes discussion of rituals, cosmology, and genealogical chants.
- Remains a foundational scholarly reference for Hawaiian studies.
- Influenced by early 20th-century anthropological methods.