Moʻo are shapeshifting lizard spirits in Hawaiian mythology.

Description

Moʻo often take the forms of monstrous reptiles, tiny geckos, and humans. They were revered as ʻaumakua, and could have power over the weather and water. They are amphibious, and many fishponds in Hawaii were believed to be home to a moʻo. When a moʻo dies, its petrified body becomes part of the landscape. [1][2] Most of the time the Mo’o were found to be females.[3]

Legends

One of the legends about Mo’o is that Pele is the volcano goddess who sends her little sister, Hi’iaka, to rescue a mortal lover. “As Hiʻiaka travels island to island, she encounters many moʻo. On the windward cliffs of Molokaʻi, the young goddess and her attendant Wahineʻomaʻo come to an impassable ravine. As they ponder how to proceed, a slender plank appears. Wahineʻomaʻo starts across, but Hiʻiaka recognizes the bewitched bridge for what it is: the tongue of the man-eating moʻo Kikipua. Spanning the gorge with her magical paʻu (skirt), Hiʻiaka chases the lizard to its lair and kills it”. Another story is that Mo’o has also been known to have possessed powers. It has been said they can control or manipulate stuff like the weather. Another story about Mo’o is “To this day, fishermen hoping to catch hinalea (wrasse) in Waialua, Oʻahu, call upon the spirit of Kalamainuʻu. This moʻo, according to storytellers, fell in love with a young chief while surfing. After she married him, her cousins Hinalea and Aikilolo disclosed her true identity, then turned into fish and disappeared down a crack in the seafloor. Kalamainuʻu cleverly snared her betrayers with a woven trap — and she’ll supposedly fill the fish traps of those who ask”.[3] The story that this shares about the Mo’o is “One of the most famous legends about Mo'o is the story of Hina, the goddess of the moon, and her battle with the Mo'o Kuna. According to the legend, Hina was pursued by the Mo'o Kuna, a giant serpent that threatened to consume her. In order to escape, Hina transformed herself into a rock and waited for the Mo'o Kuna to pass by. Once the serpent had passed, Hina emerged from the rock and used her magical powers to turn the Mo'o Kuna into stone”.[4] Other stories were told as or remembered as guardians or even these feared predators but regardless they continue to be all imaginary. Some think that they are dragon-like beasts who go to war with indigenous Hawaiians and even the goddess of volcanoes, Peele. When Mo’o dies the petrified body becomes a part of the landscaping; examples are that the rocks are known to be the remains of the Mo’o Water guardians. There are some nearby Hawiian volcanoes that are known to have rested there to protect the park for eternity. [5]


List of Moʻo

Several named moʻo were defeated by Hiʻiaka

References

  1. ↑ "The Sacred Spine". Maui No Ka Oi Magazine. Retrieved July 29th, 2019.
  2. ↑ "9 Legendary Dragons From Around The World". Mental Floss. Retrieved July 29th, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Wianecki, Shannon (September 2020). "The Sacred Spine". Maui No Ka ’Oi Magazine. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  4. ↑ "The Legend of Mo'o". Hilo Hattie. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  5. ↑ Anderson, Derek; Anderson, Joel (2022). "Legends of the National Parks: Hawaii Volcanoes' Mo'o Water Guardian". Anderson Design Group. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
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