Religious belief helps to shape the
way in which people see and interact with the world. For the people of Polynesia ,
their religious beliefs are deeply interwoven with everyday existence. There are no aspects of life that can be
separated from religion, and their underlying spiritual viewpoint also influences perceptions and worldview. In this special form of land-based religion, humans have a delicate relationship with their earthly surroundings. All natural things are
considered to be sacred, and humans are the caretakers of the earth. The spiritual law of pono, balance and harmony, governs mankind’s existence and is intertwined with all aspects of life.
For this very reason, to understand Polynesian and Hawaiian religion is
to understand their complete way of life and experience their existence from
their point of view.
To
fully understand why Polynesian religion is inseparable from the Polynesian way
of life, it will be helpful to first examine the Kumulipo, a cosmogonic origin story. This chant tells of how the kanaka (Hawaiian people) are descended
from the ‘aina (land). According to this genealogy, kanaka can trace
their ancestry all the way back to the first plants and animals that were born from
the land. The Akua (god-like humans) come from the same line of ancestors as the
humans do, and therefore, are rooted in the history of the earth alongside kanaka.
This means that the Gods of Hawai’i, as well as the earth itself, are
the ancient ancestors of the people. The
earth and all of its natural things are considered to be sacred because of this
connection. The concept of pono, which is balance and harmony, is
what ensures that the earth and all of its inhabitants are properly cared
for. It is of the utmost importance for
a person to be pono in how they live
their everyday life in order to show respect for their Gods and their
ancestors. Every single act impacts the
balance of the universe; therefore, all aspects of life must be regarded as
sacred and spiritual. The earth, which
nourishes and sustains human life, must also be cared for in return.
To
further illustrate the importance of the land, it is also helpful to examine
the many Hawaiian legends concerning the Akua
and the Kupua (demi-gods). Many of these legends help to explain the
history behind certain geographic locations.
Often, visible features of the land are the direct result of the actions
of Akua and Kupua. For example,
“Ka’auhelemoa Spring” tells the story of a fight between Kamapua’a (who is a Kupua in the form of a pig) and the
goblin cock. Because the cock falls
backwards into the stream and dies, there is a reddish blood colored tint to
the water. This stream is located in Palolo
Valley Hawai’i
According
to John Charlot, a Christian theologian who has studied Polynesian beliefs,
“the Hawaiian studies the universe as the ultimate truth.” This means that there is no separation between
earthly life and religious experience.
There is no need to look outside of this world for sacred knowledge
because all things sacred belong to the earth. Traditional Hawaiians do not look to the
heavens for their Gods but instead look to the land that they come from. The stories of the Gods tell of where the
Gods reside. For example, Pele is on the
island of Hawai’i Oahu . Hawaiians also believe that there are special
spirit realms. The three main realms of
the spirit world co-exist with the earth and are all part of the same universe.
They can be accessed through actual physical locations called leina aka ‘uhane (leaping places). Even the other realms of existence are still directly
connected to the earth in Hawaiian religious beliefs, not separate. Ka’ena Point is one such example of a gateway
to another realm.
Because
the Gods play such an integral part of daily life, so does the act of
prayer. For example, special prayers to ho’okuakuhi (clear the way) are made
preceding every task, undertaking, or journey.
These prayers serve to remove obstacles and gain the favor of the Gods.
This means that all important
actions are always done with reverence to the Gods and is another way in which
daily life is interconnected with religious beliefs. It is impossible to separate prayer from
action because all acts have consequence on the physical world. Since mankind belongs to the earth, it is
necessary for all actions to be pono
and have the favor of the Gods.
Another
point of interest is the earthly presence of Aumakua (guardian ancestors).
These spirits are an ever-present influence on the acts of daily
life. Because a person’s Aumakua are
part of their ancestral line, this means that you are constantly being watched
over by your relatives. The origin story
of the Aumakua explains some of the
special duties they have in regards to humans.
Most importantly, Aumakua help
humans to lead a pono life of high
morals in preparation for judgment after death.
This is another way in which all daily acts in life have significant
religious meaning. For the traditional
Hawaiian, every action is being watched over by their Aumakua, and they are
constantly surrounded by the spirits of their Gods and ancestors as well as the
mana of mother earth. Religious beliefs
are not something that can be separated from life because these beliefs are
what make up their entire way of living.
Most
importantly, Polynesians actually experience their religious beliefs as part of daily life. It is not simply an act of faith to live
according to their beliefs. The presence
of the Gods can be seen in the geography of the land. A region’s peculiarities hold the stories and
history of the interactions of the Gods.
The Aumakua can take the form of plants and animals and can also possess
humans in times of need. Life can be
full of spiritual visions and signs that serve to guide people in the right
direction. Religion has meaning and
applies to daily living. In turn, everyday life is
also a constant reminder of religious belief and spiritual reality.
All
actions in traditional Hawaiian life are thought of in the context of the
greater spiritual universe. This
universe is not something that exists outside of daily life but is something
that is interconnected throughout everything.
The Hawaiian people lead an existence that is based completely on their
religious beliefs. Therefore as Charlot
puts it, “Polynesian religion is really a description of Polynesian
experience.” This system of belief is
not merely an explanation of the unknown nor is it only a philosophy on life
and death. Polynesian religion is an
entire way of life that encompasses all of the actions and perceptions of those
that experience it.