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Note: this list of key facts is under construction, as evidenced by the fact that it (the list) is not very long.
Key fact #1: the deities of this religion
The native Hawaiian religion (which www.Hawaiian.faith is about) has over 500 deities – but, of these 500+ deities, there are four main ones. So here are the four principal gods (Akua Nui):
- Kāne (pronounced ‘Kah-neh’): Creator god associated with life, freshwater, forests, and sunlight. Often considered the highest deity.
- Kanaloa (pronounced ‘Kah-nah-low-ah’): God of the ocean, healing, and the underworld; frequently paired with Kāne as a complementary force.
- Kū (pronounced ‘koo’): God of war, strength, and male endeavors; also linked to agriculture and fishing in some contexts.
- Lono (pronounced ‘Low-no’): God of peace, fertility, rainfall, and agriculture; connected to the Makahiki festival and harvest seasons.The Four Principal Gods (Akua Nui)
The above four major deities represent fundamental forces of nature and life. However, as mentioned, there is a broader pantheon, with this Hawaiian religion also recognizing over 500 lesser deities (kapua), each governing specific natural elements, ancestral connections, or localized phenomena (for example, Pele (pronounced ‘Peh-leh’) as the volcano goddess). This reflects a worldview where divinity permeates all aspects of existence.
In summary: the Hawaiian spiritual tradition features four primary gods – Kāne (creation), Kanaloa (ocean), Kū (strength), and Lono (peace) – who embody core life forces. Alongside them, hundreds of specialized deities (kapua) oversee natural and ancestral realms, illustrating a deeply interconnected cosmology.
Key fact #2: afterlife beliefs
Our religion teaches that good people, when they die, go to a paradise-esque realm of happiness for eternity. This realm of happiness is called Po. Po is described as:
- a realm of abundant natural resources: ever-flowering plants, perpetual harvests, lush forests, flowing water, and fertile lands—abundant with awa (sacred drink), ‘ulu (breadfruit), and other manifestations of life force (mana).
- a place offering a peaceful existence among ancestors and deities, with freedom from suffering, illness, or strife
- a place offering spiritual fulfillment and harmony with the cosmos
In contrast, bad people, when they die, go to a realm of suffering for eternity. This bad place is called Lua-o-Milu. Examples of people who are sent here are “lawless and irreligious” people, and those who have violated sacred laws (kapu). Lua-o-Milu is described as:
- a barren, waterless land of perpetual twilight, with punishment centered on torment and deprivation—endless thirst, hunger, and desolation in a shadowy, lifeless realm with no indication of release or redemption.
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a place where punishments include eternal servitude or repetitive, futile tasks.
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diseased and rotting food is offered, symbolizing spiritual decay.
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a place representing separation from ancestral connections and divine favor.
Key fact #3: figures from other religions are absent from this religion
People (or ‘characters’/’figures’) who feature in the teachings/scriptures/cosmology of other religions are completely absent from that of the native Hawaiian religion. Our religion teaches that Jesus; the Apostles; Mary; Muhammad; Abraham; Moses; King David; and the Buddha do not exist and never did. This goes for figures from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese folk religions, ethnic/tribal religions, Sikhism, Judaism, Bahá’í, Jainism, Shinto, Taoism, Zoroastrianism, Spiritism, and Confucianism etc.
The native Hawaiian religion developed independently, and in isolation, in the Pacific, long before contact with other world religions. Its oral traditions, mythology, chants (mele), genealogies (moʻokūʻauhau), and stories focus on Hawaiian deities, nature spirits, ancestors, demigods (like Māui), chiefs and cultural heroes. Outside religious figures (such as Jesus, Moses, the Buddha etc) only entered Hawaiian religious life after Western and Asian contact (late 18th-19th century, when Hawaiians encountered Christianity, Buddhism, Shinto, etc) leading to later syncretic practices – but these influences are not part of the original native religion.
Key fact #4: this religion has no single, sacred scripture or holy book
Christianity has the Bible, Islam has the Quran (Koran), Judaism has the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), Sikhism has the Guru Granth Sahib, and Buddhism has the Tripitaka (Pali Canon) and the Mahayana Sutras – however, the native religion of Hawaii does not have a single, unified scripture or holy book (like the Bible).
Our religion’s beliefs, stories, and practices were traditionally passed down through oral traditions, including chants (mele), dances (hula), and stories (kaʻao), and have been documented in various written forms over time, such as in books and other written materials (though these ‘books and other written materials’ are not considered sacred scriptures in the same way that the Bible, Quran, or Torah are within their respective religions).
Key fact #5: Today, there does not appear to be any religious organizations which are centered around the native religion of Hawaii
The native religion of Hawaii, traditionally centered around the deities Kane, Kanaloa, Lono, and Ku etc, has seen a significant decline in organized practice in contemporary times. This decline can be attributed to several factors, including the historical suppression of indigenous practices during the period of Western colonization of Hawaii, and the subsequent spread of Christianity. The introduction of Western religious beliefs led to a gradual erosion of traditional Hawaiian religious practices, as many Hawaiians converted to Christianity under the influence of missionaries. Additionally, the cultural assimilation and modernization of Hawaiian society further diminished the prominence of the native religion. Today, while there are efforts to revive and preserve Hawaiian cultural and spiritual traditions, there does not appear to be any organized religious institutions (even in Hawaii) dedicated to this religion.
Www.Hawaiian.faith aims to change this, as we aspire to become a bonafide religious organization which promotes the teachings of this once-thriving faith. The dream is to one day have a heiau (temple) located in Hawaii.