On the small island of Hawaii Situated in the midst of surrounding sea There was a God Kane, creator of Hawaiian mythology. Hastily Kane overcame the all-knowing Po, was empowered, and created reality. The God of Gods, the almighty Kane promptly made decrees - And thus came about the Gods Ku and Lono, you see. Out of Kane’s creation, God Lono meticulously formed one thing- The idea and the creation of rains, grains, and fertile plains through the very season of spring- God Lono bequeathed the people with an abundance of green- from sweet pineapple, strawberry guava, and lychee, to the sweet starfruit and coconuts- all due to Lono’s generosity- -enabling the Hawaiians to feast like kings. Like Lono, God Ku shaped a part of Hawaiian culture
As every other culture, Hawaii has its own myths and stories. Holo Mai Pele tells the creation myth of Hawaii and this myth holds the same stature for Hawaiians as Genesis for Western (Christian) cultures and Ramayana for Hinduism. Holo Mai Pele is an epic saga of the Hawaiian god of volcano Pele, and her sister Hi'iaka. The major themes present in the story are sibling rivalry, love, conflict and creation. Simultaneously, it tells a story of an individual's journey to her self-awareness and reclaiming her status as a deity. The purpose of Holo Mai Pele is to keep the Hawaiian myth alive in order to pass it down to future generations. The poetic aspects of the play make it easier to remember and interesting to perform.
The Hawaiian Islands are well known for their beauty, tranquility, and unique culture that have shaped this state into what we see today. The special bond that the natives have formed between themselves and nature is not exactly one of a kind, but it is something that can truly be admired. Around approximately 300 AD, Hawaii was discovered by Polynesians who arrived by canoe from Tahiti. These migrants brought their polytheistic spirituality and formed a large intricate society with hierarchies consisting of many chiefs. Alongside the ruling of the chiefs, the newborn Hawaiians followed a strict belief system known as Kapu akua otherwise known as the “law of the gods”. The Kapu was a strict set of rules and restraints that dictated all aspects of ancient Hawaiian life, including political. These rules were used as a means to control the lives of lower class and female population in order to honor their gods and maintain balance within their Mana.
Hawaiians should have rights to their own land and not let foreigners disrupt their daily habits and life. If a foreigner takes allegiance to Hawai’i they not only have the accessibility of a citizen but also the perks that go with citizenship. Foreigners would be able to marry the women of Hawai’i while they have wives back home in their previous motherland. Foreigners that are aiding to Hawai’i can stay as aliens and be just as effective. There is no need for them to gain citizenship and take an oath of allegiance for their help. If a foreigner wants a piece a land all he needs to do is take an oath of allegiance and he is able to have a piece of land. If too many foreigners enter Hawai’i, their culture will take over. The majority will consist of the foreigners and their government will take over. Too many foreigners will cause much more damage to the native Hawaiian population. The number of full Hawaiians will decrease if foreigners continue to enter the island of Hawai’i.
“If all of this seems long ago and far away, it is worth remembering that the past is never past.” (Faulkner cited in Ellison, P.274)
The Hawaiian Monarchy was overthrown by the Committee of Safety, a group of American businessmen, in the year 1893 (The Overthrow of the Monarchy - Spirit of Aloha). The decline of the Hawaiian government had been going on for years before, starting in the late 1800s when the Americans took control of the sugar industry. Hawaiians began to rely on the U.S., mostly for profit, as sugar was Hawaii’s main export. The monarchy officially ended when Liliuokalani abdicated the throne on January 24, 1895. The overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom was unjust because it cemented the loss of Hawaiian independence and because the Queen was unwilling to sacrifice Hawaiian people, nothing could be done to stop it.
American Hawaii Hawaii is known for its beautiful beaches, it’s nice year-round weather, and its culture. Thousands of vacationers come to Hawaii each year to get away from the stressful city and relax. But do they know how cruel the Americans were to the natives? Do they know how we corrupted their culture and their religion? Do they know how Hawaii really became a state? Probably not. When most people think of Hawaii, they think of happy Hawaiian babes hula dancing and palm trees swaying in the warm breeze. Hawaii has still held on to many of their traditions although they were invaded by Americans. But you have to go to a museum to see their old way of life. Hawaii is now populated mostly by Americans. Native Hawaiians have adapted to our American lifestyle and much of their old traditions and beliefs are lost in history books. America dominated over the Hawaiians just as they did with the Native Americans. The Hawaiians didn’t even stand a chance against big brother. They probably feel the same way towards America just as a child does with stubborn parents. Now I will tell you about the history of Hawaii so you will see how the United States came to annex Hawaii. Hawaii was first inhabited by the Polynesians. They came in canoes from other islands around the pacific. They called the new found island "Hawaii", which means "home" in Polynesian language. Hawaii was their home until the white man came in and took advantage of these simple, happy aborigines. The corruption of this unique and fragile culture first started when Captain James Cook ran into the islands on January 18, 1778. After Cook’s discovery, many other foreigners (mostly American) visited the islands. They brought clothes, livestock, orange trees, horses weapons and souvigners. Foreigners also brought with them a handful of deadly diseases such as smallpox, measles, syphilis, tuberculosis, and whooping cough. During the time period of Cook’s arrival in 1778 to 1820, the population of Hawaii dropped from 300,000 to 135,000 due to the diseases! Another problem was the introduction of alcohol. Like the native americans, Hawaiians were not immune to alcohol. Hawaiian’s were very sensitive to alcoholism. Hawaiians religion was a very complex one with many gods. They worshiped idols and they belived in many f...
Agriculture and irrigation have long been a part of the Colorado River basin and desert southwest. Irrigation is the artificial supply of water to the land, an integral part of the Colorado River and its basin. More than 1,500 years ago, the Hohokam irrigated more than 200,00...
Music and arts are a big part of culture in societies. Polynesian culture incorporates things like music, dance, arts and certain clothing items into important rituals, festivals and everyday life.
The Shang Dynasty was located in what is now known as modern day Northern China and was situated along the Yellow River Valley. Settling along the Yellow River, or Huang He River, allowed the access to arable land as the river deposited silt that enriched the soil. This irrigation produced the North China Plain: an alluvial plain where crops can thrive. In this way, settlement on the Yellow River Valley and its resulting fertile land enabled the cultivation of crops and the creation of an agricultural society. Another factor that heavily influenced the Shang Dynasty and this civilization’s agriculture was the climate of the location. Rainfall was irregular and varied considerably. Because of North
Before the land of what we no class Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and other countries in the middle east grains, such as wheat and wild barley, could be seen growing in the wild without human hand to cultivate and nurture it (Authors 2007). Over time, humans began to recognize the benefit of the plants and began the first signs of human agriculture. The skill of farming took time and trial and error, but along the way, humans began to settle down to tend to their crops. Though the first crops were nothing more than seed s thrown about without rhyme or reason to the process we know today such as fields having, rows and sorting out the seeds to create a higher yield each harvest (Authors 2007). Because of the trial and error process, agriculture of plants did not take place of a short period but took many, many years to evolve to what we know today as agriculture; the new fa...
On July 12th, 1851 in eastern Montana, a farmer named Curtis Spinella was beginning the grueling task of plowing a field on the family ranch. His brother Frank had just returned from a long journey to Carson City for supplies. As the afternoon grew into evening, the clouds thickened and became as dark as coal. A low rumbling sound rippled across the sky and Curtis knew that a storm was imminent. After what seemed to be no more than a few moments he felt the first drops of rain.
The factors of irrigation, inherent topography, and useful bronze-age technical innovations paved the way for the agricultural revolution to occur in the land of Sumer and Akkad. The people of the Tigris and the Euphrates basin, the ancient Sumerians, using the fertile land and the abundant water supply of the area, developed sophisticated irrigation systems and created what was probably the first cereal agriculture. This historical factor resulted in an excess of production of cereals, dates, and other commodities. The consequence of excess is the emergence of a productive peasant agricultural system and a redistributive economy that fuels the progress of civilization.
Mythology has been involved in personal lives for as long as it has been around; helping societies flourish and providing a political realm. The Kojiki, the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, starts from the mythological beginning and describes how each god or goddess was formed and their importance. These stories were not only made to provide explanations for the past and create a culture understanding, but helped solidify political social structure.
The Maori myth is a Polynesian story about the creation of the universe which according to Rosenberg was different from other creation myths because it begins with nothing and then progresses through a process of “nonbeing to thought to the creation of the universe and human beings” (351). Even though it may be different because it goes from “nonbeing to thought” instead of nothingness to a spoken word or action, it has many similarities to other creation myths in how it explains the origins of the Gods and how each one represents a natural event or aspect of nature and humanity. The myth begins with an “idea” that “was remembered” and then “became conscious” and then “a wish to create”, all of which created a “power to live and to grow, even in emptiness” (352). At this point there was still no being, only thought and desire which gives the idea that what is being addressed are the human attributes of feeling, sensing, desire and thought, this is where this story is different from other creation myths.
The following paper examines the history and religion of the ancient Maori people. It is my belief that exploration of traditional belief systems and ritualistic practices will lead to a greater understanding of the Maori culture in present-day New Zealand. The objective of the paper is to illustrate the Maoris’ unique perception and spiritual connection with their natural environment.