The chief in Hawaiian mythology

471 Pages·22.082 MB·English

by  Elbert, Samuel H

THE CHIEF IN HAWAIIAN MYTHOLOGY
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF INDIANA
UNIVERSITY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ProQuest Number: 10296468
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II
CONTENTS
Introduction . . . . . . ' ......................... 1
I. Studies in folklore and linguistics and the cultural
background........... 5
1. Myth content and culture . ............... 5
2. Style and culture ............. 16
3. Language and culture...... ... ............ ........ 1&
4* Conclusions: previous studies and this one............. 20
II. The Hawaiian sources......................... 23
1. Mythological sources........................... 23
2. Classification of tales................... 29
3. Ethnological sources............. 31
III. The Language...................................... . . 37
1. Orthography...................................... 37
2. Phonemics ............................... 39
Important allophones and distribution ............. 39
n Glides .......... Z*l
i
^ Diphthongs................................. 41
i
5. Syllable ................... 42
Stress . . . . . 42
P o sitional stress................. 42
Inherent stress ............................... 42
Morphemes leading to or consisting of identical
vowel clusters............. 43
Distribution of vowels........................... 43
3- Remarks on morphology and syntax................... 45
Ill
IV. Birth and early youth of the chief ........ 48
Mythology............. 48
1. Birth................................... 48
'Royal parentage ....................... 48
Magic conception ................. 50
Pregnancy.............................. 51
Place of birth........................... 52
Birth..................................... 53
Caesarian birth....................... 53
Miraculous birth......................... 53
Portents at birth................. 55
Prediction at birth....................... 56
Navel cord........... 57
4s
Patherhood recognition tokens . .......... 57
2. Education and pastimes..................... 58
Appetite . . . . . . . . . ............... 58
Mischief..................... * ......... 58
Surfing................................. 59
Gambling ........................... 60
Miscellaneous games and sports................60
War....................................... 63
Arts . .................................. 64
Boy hero*s supremacy..................... 65
Ethnology........................... 66
1. Birth and early youth....................... 66
Pregnancy................................. 66
Caesarian birth......................... . 67
Navel cord................................... 67
IV
Place of birth . . ..............................67
Ceremony to assure mother*s milk ............... 68
Feeding..................................... 68
Weaning ......................... 68
Other topics.......... .................... 69
2. Education and pastimes....................... 70
Conclusions: tales and ethnology......... 73
V, Interpersonal relations . . ............................77
Mythology........... 77
1. CTandparents and grandchildren................ 77
Grandmother......... 77
Grandfather................................... 82
2. Parents and children...................... 85
Ihther and s o n ...............................85
Father and daughter...........................90
Mother and children.................... 92
Attitudes to children......................... 93
Infanticide................................... 94
3. Relations of siblings....................... 96
Brothers................................... 96
Brother and sister......................... 99
The "tiredness" (luhi) relationship ........... 102
4. Friendship ........................ 103
5. Guardian............................. 105
Ethnology.......................................... 106
1. Grandparents and grandchildren.............. 106
2. Parents and children ... .................. 109
Infanticide.......................... 110
3. Relations of siblings...................... . 115
Brothers ............................... 115
Brothers and sisters..................... 115
4. Guardian................................... llo
Linguistic correlation .............................. 117
Conclusions: tales and ethnolpgy .................... 118
VI. The Chief and sex ' . 121
Mythology............. 121
1. Courtship................................. 121
Physical attraction ....................... 121
Virginity............'.................... 123
Marriage of blood relatives......... 129
Wooing................................... 133
Feminine initiative........^ ............. 134
2. Betrothal and marriage .................... 136
3. Marriage relations......................... 142
Expressions of love....................... llfi
Intimate relations............... 144
Polygamy and polyandry........................145
Promiscuity............................... 146
Jealousy................................. 149
Other bad marital relations............... 152
4. In-laws . 154
5. Platonic friendships..................... 157
6. Menstruation............... 157
Ethnology ................... 158
1, Courtship............................... 158
Physical descriptions ................... 153
Physical beauty versa.'' rank . .......... 159
harriu re of blood relatives...................loC
Betrothal and v;eddin's ................ .l'.B
2. Marriage relations......................... Ic2
3. In-laws........... 16$
/+. Platonic relationships.........................166
5. Menstruation ............................166
6. Pele and Lohi!a u ............................. 167
’.Vomenfs roles in mythology and. the culture . . 16?
Anomaly of'Pele............................. 168
Anomaly of Lohi'au....................... 173
Conclusion: myth and culture................... 176
Physical appearance ............................. 1?6
Virginity...................... **................177
Marriage of k i n ............................... 177
Feminine aggression ............................. 177
Betrothal and marriage ......................... 177
Ihrriage relations ..................... 177
In-laws....................................... 17#
Platonic relations ............. 17#
Folkloristic motifs ........... 17#
VII. The chief and war............... 181
Mythology............... 1#1
1. Purposes of war........................... 1#2
2, Techniques................... 1#4
Preparation and mobilization .............
VII
Kinds of fighting........................1B5
Liana................. loo
Limited mans ........ iBo
Mature brought into war..................1S7
Deception and trickery ............... IBS
3. Characteristics of the warrior . . . . . 192
Courage............................. 19-
Carnage............................ 193
Etiquette of war..................... 194
Minimizing one’s own sufferings . . . . 195
Achilles* heel . 195
Boasts and insults . . ............. 195
Disdain of fighting ^ . 200
Modesty............................ 201
Ethnology..................................... 202
Conclusion: tales and ethnology ................ 205
VIII. The chief and religion....................... 207
Mythology ............. 207
1. Procreation........................... 207
2. Supernatural beings ................... 212
Great gods........... 212
Personal gods................. 212
Demigods ..................... 213
Ghosts................... 213
Spirits ........ . . . . . 214
"Little people” ..................... 215
VIII
•3. Mythical lands............................... 216
4. The priests . . . . . . . . ............... 218
5. Animism 222
Man and god disguised as nature . . . • . . 222
Subservience of nature to beauty and rank .-. 223
Omens in nature. . . . . . . ..................227
Keen observation of nature . .................227
Love of nature........... 228
6. Taboo........................................230
Mythological origin ....................... 230
Things placed under taboo ................. 230
Lifting taboos......................... • . 233
Breaking taboos ........................... 233
7. Mana and magic................... 235
Obtaining mana . . . . . . . . . .......... 235
Magical ability or act................... 235
Resuscitation ......................... 236
Magic objects......... 238
Limited mana...................... . . . . 239
8. Burial and mourning....................... 2/+0
9. Ceremonials........... . 242
10. Attitudes to religion .......... 244
Ethnology......................................... 246
1. Supernatural beings....................... 246
2. Mythical lands ..................... 248
3. The priests ..................... 249
4. Animism............................ 250
IX
5. Taboo........................................ 251
6. Mana ................................. 254
7* Burial and Mourning ............. 254
8. Ceremonials «,................. 257
9. Attitudes to religion................. 25®
Conclusions: mythology, ethnology, and religion . . . . . 261
IX. The chief and his people................................ 266
Mythology ..................... . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
1. Ijfe at court ........... 266
Personnel ................................. 266
Insignia ....................... 269
Kava and service ....................... 270
Ceremonial address.......... 274
P e t s ......................................... 275
2. Power of the chief .................... 276
Rise to power 276
Requisitions ............. 277
Ibrced assembly ............... 27®
Other evidences of chiefly privilege ........ 27®
Evidences of dissatisfaction with chiefs . . . 279
Good works ................. 280
3* Commoners and slaves ................... 282
Ethnology ..................... 285
1. Life at court................ 285
Personnel ......... 285
Insignia ................ 286
Service ............. 287
Pets 288