Chants and Mythologies

The book Kaho'olawe Na Leo o Kanaloa, printed by 'Ai Pohaku Press is a compilation of different chants and mythologies (Meles and Mo’olelos) that make mention of the island Kaho’olawe. It is the most extensive compilation in existence. It also had many beautiful photographs taken by various well known photographers over a four-year period.
A few things about these chants and myths really impacted me. The first thing was that it answered some questions about the mythological history of the island. In the previous book that I read Kaho’olawe by Inez Macphee Ashdown, the folktale she told of the island was that it was a creation of the god Kanaloa that never came to life. That is how it acquired the name, “the island of death.” I was curious about what native Hawaiians in the past as well as the present think about that mythology. What I learned is that this island has many different mythologies. It is said to have three demigod mothers, to be a place of refuge for chiefs of ancient time, and a sacred place that the shark god protects by cruising its cliffs. It is referred to as a child, a “gleaming vagina,” and a "tenant farmer". As I can tell there are many myths that change over the generations and are different from island to island and family to family. Today it has taken on a new purpose. Rowland Reeves writes in the introduction, “Their chants express what the island has come to represent to many contemporary Hawaiians: over the past two decades, this ‘island of death’ as it was once called, has become a place of cultural refuge and cultural rebirth.”
Another aspect of these chants and stories that had an impact on me was that the native Hawaiians are carrying on these oral traditions today. One chant in particular stood out to me. It was composed by Harry Mitchell, an elder of the Protect Kaho’olawe Ohana group. It gives the entire history of the island. First it links its birth to many different deities. Then it goes into the time of king Kamehameha, the time of when their traditions were challenged by their ali'i (royalty), the western influence and forbidding of practicing ancient religion and culture, to the time of goat and cattle ranching, to the military use, all the way up to present day. This chant has become the anthem of Kaho’olawe. It is amazing to see a people reconnect with old stories, cultures and traditions, to continue the practices into their modern day lives. It shows a strong, progressive perspective on culture.