Moʻolelo are stories, myths, legends, and part of the cultural fabric of Hawaiʻi. The word moʻolelo itself is a combination of the word moʻo, meaning a series or succession, and ʻōlelo, meaning words. Originally an oral tradition, moʻolelo can be entertaining, but also relay important lessons about the values, norms, and traditions of the Hawaiian people. ![]() Pele
Pelehonuamea, the Hawaiian volcano deity and creator of volcanic landscapes ![]() Pele & Lonomakua
How Lonomakua, the uncle of the volcanic deity, taught her to govern fire ![]() Holo Mai Pele (The Journey of Pele)
The journey of Pele mirrors the geological formation of the Hawaiian Islands ![]() Pele & Hiʻiaka
The saga of Hiʻiakaikapoliopele describes the journey of the favorite sister of Pele and an epic battle at the summit of Kīlauea ![]() ʻŌhiʻa
Many Hawaiian moʻolelo involve the ʻōhia tree and its bright, fiery flowers. ![]() Kamapuaʻa
Oral history tells us of the unique birth of a child named Kamapuaʻa or the “hog-child” ![]() Punaʻaikoaʻe
The kinolau (body form) of Oʻahu chief Punaʻaikoaʻe can be seen as the koaʻe kea flying over Kīlauea ![]() Kaʻehuikimanōopuʻuloa
The story of the little brown shark of Puʻuloa ![]() The Legend of The Gourd
How twin girls became the ancestresses of the people of Kamāʻoa in Kaʻū ![]() The Despotic Chiefs of Kaʻū
There were once three despotic chiefs who lived in Kaʻū, on the southern portion of the Island of Hawaiʻi. ![]() Pīkoiakaʻalalā and the Giant Rat
Pīkoi challenges the locals' disbelief in a large rat near Puʻumanawaleʻa, successfully shooting it in a wager with a chief. |
Last updated: December 8, 2023