The Pig God – Kamapua’a
As Hawaii celebrates the 50th anniversary of statehood, the island’s public relations campaign is providing more insight to this awesome string of islands, and the culture that brought us the luau (the Polynesian Pig Pickin’!). As I was reading through some trivia, something caught my eye… the mention of Kamapua’a, the Hawaiian “pig god”. I mean really! A pig god! Wild pigs? Hawaii?
I love mythology, I love hunting hogs, and I love Hawaii. I had to know more.
OK, so Kamapua’a was not so much a god, but a demi-god in the wonderful lore of Hawaiian mythology. He was powerful and popular in many stories from all the islands. He even hooked up with Pele after a colorful and tempestuous courtship, earning her love and fathering a child… although he left her to swim the seas and inland waters as the humuhumunukunukuapua’a.
According to the standard web research sources, such as Wikipedia, Kamapua’a was associated with fertility, and was considered a kupua, or trickster (e.g. the southwestern icon, Kokopelli, the Norse Loki, and the West African Anansi). Many of his stories involve his clever tricks which he used to defeat and confound his enemies.
It makes you wonder, is the pig a trickster too? That would explain a lot.
As a fertility symbol, his union with Pele represented the traditional conmingling of fire and water, but also is used as an explanation for why her volcanic rock becomes fertile ground under the warm, island rains. This myth also explains the starkly contrasting island ecosystems, with the harsh volcanic “desert” adjoining the lush jungle.
There’s a really nice, condensed history of Kamapua’a on the Sacred Texts website, if you’d like to learn more, quickly. Otherwise, there are all kinds of renditions of Kamapua’a stories, myths, and legends on the Internet… some even speaking to the present day. It’s cool stuff, especially if you’re into mythology and folklore.
Funny how we find stuff we never even looked for.
Man, Phillip, you hit the nail on the head for me here! I’m a huge fan of mythology, and even have a few M.A. courses under my belt in Liberal Arts, focusing on myth. Shoot, after just finishing M.I. Finley’s “The World of Odysseus”, I’m now re-reading Gilgamesh. Contrary to the claims of famous high fructose corn syrup tea-flavored drinks, this is really the best stuff on Earth.
I’m sorely lacking in Hawaiian myth, having focused on Raven and Northwest Coast Indian myths, as well as the rural-wild conversations in Near East myths, but my curiosity is piqued, especially around the trickster and creation myth concepts.
Thanks again!
August 23rd, 2009 at 10:15 am
Awesome post, Phillip!
I’m down with any culture that sees fit to revere the amazing, clever and TASTY hog.
August 23rd, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I’m with ya, Josh. I especially dig comparative mythology, and if I’d had more time in college, it’s definitely something I’d have gone into. As it is, I went way over my hours in Philosphy and Religion, not to mention the extra world lit and survey courses of folklore and mythology.
What sort of bothers me though, is that Kamapua’a had an affinity for the hogs, which means that he probably doesn’t look on hog hunters favorably. Don’t know if anyone else remembers when the Brady Bunch went to Hawaii, and I think it was Bobby or Cindy who found the tabu statue and brought misfortune on the entire family. Some things stick with ya through the years, you know?
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:25 pm
That was amazingly deft, Phillip, the way you got “comparative mythology” and “the Brady Bunch” into a single comment. Just stunning.
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Welcome to the dark and winding trails of my mind, Holly.
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Oh, that reminds me: Keep your freakin scissors away from my hair on Labor Day weekend. I’ve seen your work. I’m not impressed.
August 23rd, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Yeah, but the more practice I get, the better I’ll be.
August 23rd, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Phil,
You might want to double-check the spelling of humuhumunukunukuapua’a. My spell check is showing this is a wrong spelling (LOL).
Nice write-up. One more reason to visit Hawaii and chase those dang pigs.
August 24th, 2009 at 9:06 am