Saturday, June 4, 2016

Ku, Ancestral Hawaiian God of Heaven and Earth



I Ku mau mau
I Ku huluhulu
I ka lanawao

Stand up together
Haul with all your might
Under the mighty trees

Ku, God of prosperity, strength, healing and war, is one of the four major Hawaiian Gods.
Ku's personalities are the most diverse of all Hawaiian Gods.

As the God of War, Ku was also known as:
Kunui-akea - the supreme one
Kukeoloewa - the supporter
Kuho‘one‘enu‘u - pulling the earth together

Fishermen pray to Kuula for the blessings of an abundant catch.
A big boulder of lava in the Kau district of the Big Island represents Ku as Kumanuna, the Rain God.
In order to invoke Ku's healing Mana (spiritual energy), sick people would spend the night in the mountains close to the God.
Ku is the God of the upper forest and the Ohia Lehua tree.
Hawaiians would humbly and with great reverence pray to the powerful Ku for the blessings of rain.
Kupulupulu was believed to be the ancestor of the Menehune, the little people of the secret powers.


'Io, the Hawaiian Hawk

Ku sometimes appears in one of his Kinolau (many forms) as 'Io, the Hawaiian Hawk, to join the earthly realm of Hawaii. As the majestic bird soars through the sky, he bestows his blessings upon the people.

Ku is frightening and blood-thirsty, but also a generous and compassionate god. In old Hawaii the spirit of Aloha and Malama 'Aina (care for the land) assured the gods blessings of peace, prosperity, good health and abundance.

The magnificent God of many powers inspired the creation of Menehune Boy Ku and his big Ipu Heke.