View source for Nāmaka

{{Short description|Sea goddess in Hawaiian mythology}}
{{About||the moon of the dwarf planet Haumea|Namaka (moon)|the hamlet in Canada|Namaka, Alberta}}

In [[Hawaiian religion|Hawaiian mythology]], '''Nāmaka''' (or '''Nā-maka-o-Kaha{{okina}}i''', the eyes of Kaha{{okina}}i) appears as a sea goddess in the Pele family. She is an older sister of [[Pele (deity)|Pele-honua-mea]].<ref>{{harvcoltxt|Beckwith|1982|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=BqElGaH4DiIC&pg=PA495 495]}}: "She is the daughter of Ku-waha-ilo and Haumea, whose other children are Pele, the Hiʻiaka sisters, the Kama brothers, and the bird Halulu".</ref>{{efn|Another version states that Pele was born from the head of  [[Haumea (mythology)|Haumea]], while Nāmaka was born from her thighs, {{harvcoltxt|Beckwith|1982|p=171}}.}}

She is the daughter of [[Ku-waha-ilo]] and [[Haumea (mythology)|Haumea]],<!--The article on Haumea claims the Kane was the father. --> whose other children are Pele, the [[Hiʻiaka]] sisters, the Kama brothers, and the bird [[Halulu (bird)|Halulu]]. Nāmaka takes  as her husband [[ʻAukelenuiaʻīkū]], who had arrived in Lalakeenuiakane or in [[Kahiki]] (Tahiti), but he later becomes the husband of her sister Pele, and because of this Pele, the Hi{{okina}}iaka sisters, Malulani, and [[Kaʻōhelo]] migrate to Hawaii. When Pele quarrels with her powerful sister Nāmaka, Nāmaka sends tidal waves to destroy Pele's lands and homes. Helped by her family, Pele fights Nāmaka, but Nāmaka defeats her.<ref>From Mary Kawena Puku'i ed. retold by Caroline Curtis  and illustrated by Robin Burningham (revised 1985)[1960], ''Tales of the Menehune'', excerpted in [http://archives.starbulletin.com/2005/09/26/features/index3.html How Pele came  to Hawai’i] The Star Bulletin, 26 September 2005. "Based on Westervelt's 'Hawaiian Legends of Volcanoes,' taken from Hawaiian newspapers. Also from "Hawaiian Antiquities" by Fornander".</ref><ref>Version of {{harvcoltxt|Haleole|1863}}, reprinted in {{harvcoltxt|Beckwith|1919|pp=636–638}}.</ref>

In [[Thrum's Hawaiian Annual|Thrum's]] [[Kane-huna-moku]] myth, Nāmaka is called the chiefess of the Mu and [[Menehune]] people when they are summoned to build the watercourse for [[Kikiaola]] at [[Waimea, Kauai County, Hawaii|Waimea]] on Kaua{{okina}}i.<ref>{{harvcoltxt|Beckwith|1982|pp=193, 495}}</ref>

When Pele causes a conflagration by staying too close to the fire god [[Lono-makua]], Nāmaka drives her away<ref>{{harvcoltxt|Beckwith|1982|p=170}}</ref> Another legend mentions that Nāmaka's guardian dog, Moela is reduced to ashes when he touches [[ʻAukelenuiaʻīkū|ʻAukele]].<ref>{{harvcoltxt|Beckwith|1982|p=348}}</ref>

==Moon==
[[Namaka (moon)|Namaka]], the smaller moon of the dwarf planet [[Haumea]], is named after the goddess.

==Explanatory notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Portal|Hawaii}}

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;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last=Haleole |first=S. N. |author-link=S. N. Haleʻole |title=The story of Laie-i-ka-wai. The Beauty of Pali-ull, the Woman-of-the-Twilight. Composed from the old stories of Hawaii |publisher=Henry W. Whitney |year=1863}}
* {{cite journal|last=Beckwith |first=Martha Warren |author-link=Martha Warren Beckwith |title=The Hawaiian Romance of Laieikawai  |journal=Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution 1911–1912 |volume=33 |date=1919 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7XCNjJ84G-YC&pg=PA636 |pages=285–666}}
* {{cite book|last=Beckwith |first=Martha Warren |author-link=Martha Warren Beckwith |title=Hawaiian Mythology |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |year=1982 |orig-year=1940 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BqElGaH4DiIC |page= |isbn=<!--0824805143, -->9780824805142}}

{{refend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Namaka}}
[[Category:Hawaiian mythology]]
[[Category:Hawaiian goddesses]]
[[Category:Sea and river goddesses]]
[[Category:Water spirits]]


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