Hawaiian Creation Stories

QUESTION: Why are Hawaiians always referring to Papa and Wakea as their "ancestors and the "creators" - like the primary beings, the "first gods" - when there is a whole list of ancestors of THESE two out there? And sometimes Hawaiians name completely different beings as ancestors and/or creators. Which source is correct?

ANSWER: One of the most important things to remember about Hawaiians is that they are not now and never have been a homogenous people, in spite of being of Polynesian origin. Hawaii was populated by different family groups at different times from different places,

bringing with them different religions, and different creation stories.

There are creation stories associated with Kane, Ku, Lono, Kanaloa, Wakea and Papa, Haloa, Haumea (as mother of Pele), the Kumulipo, and others. It is in the nature of the Western mind to put creation into a sequential framework based on a linear model of time. It is in the nature of the Hawaiian mind to put creation into a contextual framework based on a non-linear model of time.

So, a Western mind tends to ask, "Which creation story is the right one?" and a Hawaiian mind tends to ask, "Which creation story is the most appropriate for my present purpose?" The Western mind seems to be very uncomfortable with paradox, while the Hawaiian mind

not only tolerates it, but seems to thrive on it.

Strange experiences

QUESTION: I have been experiencing some really unreal things. When I have been doing massage, I feel as though sometimes I am going into a sort of a trance and I hear chanting and have to stop myself from chanting out loud myself. Sometimes I want to tell someone something but it seems to pass my lips in Hawaiian and I don't speak Hawaiian fluently so I am not sure what to do. Can you help?

ANSWER: Here's the way I look at it. We all have parallel existences, but they aren't really parallel. Sometimes these lives get really close or even cross each other. When that happens we can have experiences like you are having. These are potentially times of great creativity if we can hold our own focus. If our own focus is weak, that is, if we are not deeply involved in our own life with strong purpose or goals, and if the other life is strongly focused, then it may feel like something else is taking over. This isn't necessarily bad, but it isn't necessarily good, either. I would recommend that you strengthen your own focus by making some clear decisions about your own life and being, and at the same time stay open to whatever good ideas and inspirations might come from this other experience.

Memory loss

QUESTION: I wonder if I could ask your advice about something? My elderly parents both had Alzheimer's disease, and I'm a little apprehensive about possibly inheriting it myself. Is there anything that I could do to prevent that from happening? I've been blessing my mind and encouraging it to keep working well. Can you suggest other Huna techniques that would be helpful?

ANSWER: The basic Huna/Hawaiian view is that all illness and disfunction is rooted in excessive build-up of tension. We do know that memory loss is definitely related to stress levels. We also know that as people keep learning new things the brain keeps making new

connections (dendrites) and as people stop learning the connections break down.

So, what is recommended to help keep your brain healthy is to maintain your energy flow

(cf. piko-piko), reduce stress on a regular basis (cf. Dynamind or Kahi Loa), practice some form of deep relaxation on a regular basis also (cf. Stillpoint or lomi), and learn something new every day.