Poliʻahu: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Latest revision as of 09:45, 9 April 2024

In Hawaiian mythology, Poliʻahu (Cloaked bosom or temple bosom)^[1] is one of the four goddesses of snow, all enemies of Pele. She was thought to reside on Mauna Kea, which if measured from the seafloor is the world's tallest mountain.

Legends

Aiwohikupua

Poliʻahu met the aliʻi Aiwohikupua on the Eastern slope of Mauna Kea. The two fell in love and Aiwohikupua took Poliʻahu home to his native Kauaʻi. There Poliʻahu discovered that the aliʻi was already betrothed to a princess of Maui. Poliʻahu left in dismay, but managed to first curse the betrothed. She first chilled the princess of Maui to the bone, then turned the cold into heat.^[2] Finally, the princess gave up and left him. Later Poliʻahu similarly cursed Aiwohikupua, freezing him to death. The four goddesses are defined by their otherworldly beauty. Poliʻahu is noted as Hawaii's most beautiful goddess.

Poliʻahu and Pele

Poliʻahu also engineered Hawaii's Hāmākua Coast.

Poliʻahu mingled with humans on the East slope of Mauna Kea. One day, while hōlua sledding with mortals, Poliʻahu was joined by a beautiful stranger who challenged her. The stranger had no sled, so she borrowed one to run against Poliʻahu.

In the first run, Poliʻahu easily passed the stranger. Graciously, Poliʻahu exchanged sleds with the stranger, before winning again. On the third run, the stranger tried to prevent Poliʻahu from winning by opening lava streams in front of her, revealing herself as the volcano goddess Pele.

Poliʻahu ran towards the top of the mountain, reeling from Pele's attack. Once she regained her composure, Poliʻahu threw snow at the lava and froze it, confining it to the island's Southern end. To this day, Pele is said to rule Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, but must submit to Poliʻahu on the northern end of the island.

References

^ [ ihttps://keolamagazine.com/culture/myths-legends-mauna-kea/ Myths and Legends of Mauna Kea]
^ Hobart, Hi‘Ilei Julia Kawehipuaakahaopulani (2022-11-11). Cooling the Tropics: Ice, Indigeneity, and Hawaiian Refreshment. Duke University Press. p. 26. doi:10.2307/j.ctv31xf5nw. ISBN 978-1-4780-2382-1. JSTOR j.ctv31xf5nw.

External links

[1] [ ihttps://keolamagazine.com/culture/myths-legends-mauna-kea/ Myths and Legends of Mauna Kea]

[2] Hobart, Hi‘Ilei Julia Kawehipuaakahaopulani (2022-11-11). Cooling the Tropics: Ice, Indigeneity, and Hawaiian Refreshment. Duke University Press. p. 26. doi:10.2307/j.ctv31xf5nw. ISBN 978-1-4780-2382-1. JSTOR j.ctv31xf5nw.

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 ===Aiwohikupua ===
-Poli{{okina}}ahu met the [[ali'i|ali{{okina}}i]] Aiwohikupua on the Eastern slope of Mauna Kea. The two fell in love and Aiwohikupua took Poli{{okina}}ahu home to his native [[Kauai|Kaua{{okina}}i]]. There Poli{{okina}}ahu discovered that the ali{{okina}}i was already betrothed to a princess of [[Maui]]. Poli{{okina}}ahu left in dismay, but managed to first curse the betrothed. She first chilled the princess of Maui to the bone, then turned the cold into heat. Finally, the princess gave up and left him. Later Poli{{okina}}ahu similarly cursed Aiwohikupua, freezing him to death. The four goddesses are defined by their otherworldly beauty. Poli{{okina}}ahu is noted as Hawaii's most beautiful goddess.
+Poli{{okina}}ahu met the [[ali'i|ali{{okina}}i]] Aiwohikupua on the Eastern slope of Mauna Kea. The two fell in love and Aiwohikupua took Poli{{okina}}ahu home to his native [[Kauai|Kaua{{okina}}i]]. There Poli{{okina}}ahu discovered that the ali{{okina}}i was already betrothed to a princess of [[Maui]]. Poli{{okina}}ahu left in dismay, but managed to first curse the betrothed. She first chilled the princess of Maui to the bone, then turned the cold into heat.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hobart |first=Hi‘Ilei Julia Kawehipuaakahaopulani |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv31xf5nw |title=Cooling the Tropics: Ice, Indigeneity, and Hawaiian Refreshment |date=2022-11-11 |publisher=Duke University Press |isbn=978-1-4780-2382-1 |pages=26 |doi=10.2307/j.ctv31xf5nw|jstor=j.ctv31xf5nw }}</ref> Finally, the princess gave up and left him. Later Poli{{okina}}ahu similarly cursed Aiwohikupua, freezing him to death. The four goddesses are defined by their otherworldly beauty. Poli{{okina}}ahu is noted as Hawaii's most beautiful goddess.
 === Poli{{okina}}ahu and Pele ===
@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 Poli{{okina}}ahu mingled with humans on the East slope of Mauna Kea. One day, while [[holua sledding|hōlua sledding]] with mortals, Poli{{okina}}ahu was joined by a beautiful stranger who challenged her. The stranger had no sled, so she borrowed one to run against Poli{{okina}}ahu.
-In the first run, Poli{{okina}}ahu easily passed the stranger. Graciously, Poli{{okina}}ahu exchanged sleds with the stranger, before winning again. On the third run, the stranger tried to prevent Poli{{okina}}ahu from winning by opening lava streams in front of her, revealing herself as [[volcano]] goddess [[Pele (deity)|Pele]].
+In the first run, Poli{{okina}}ahu easily passed the stranger. Graciously, Poli{{okina}}ahu exchanged sleds with the stranger, before winning again. On the third run, the stranger tried to prevent Poli{{okina}}ahu from winning by opening lava streams in front of her, revealing herself as the [[volcano]] goddess [[Pele (deity)|Pele]].
 Poli{{okina}}ahu ran towards the top of the mountain, reeling from Pele's attack. Once she regained her composure, Poli{{okina}}ahu threw snow at the lava and froze it, confining it to the island's Southern end. To this day, Pele is said to rule [[Kilauea|Kīlauea]] and [[Mauna Loa]], but must submit to Poli{{okina}}ahu on the northern end of the island.