Papahānaumokuākea: A Sacred Name, A Sacred Place

A school of gray chub/nenue swimming over a coral reef — A school of gray chub/nenue (*Kyphosus sandwicensis*) at Mokumanamana in National Marine Sanctuary. Photo: James Watt/NOAA

Sacred Landscapes

Native Hawaiian culture is living–it is the expression of a people that continues to evolve, in large part through the perpetuation of a rich, oral tradition. Genealogies are still spoken through oli (chant) and mele (song), which carry with them not only oral histories but also knowledge of natural resource management, philosophies, and medicinal and spiritual practices.

The longest recorded traditional Hawaiian chant, the Kumulipo (Source of deep darkness), is the history of how all life forms originated and evolved from Papahānaumokuākea, beginning with the coral polyp—the building block for all life. The genealogy of Papahānaumokuākea tells the story of Native Hawaiians' ancestral connection with the gods who created those coral polyps, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands or Kūpuna (respected elders) Islands, and everything else in the archipelago, including Native Hawaiians.

Thus, Papahānaumokuākea is considered a sacred area, from which Native Hawaiians believe all life springs, and to which spirits return to after death. There are many wahi pana (places of great cultural significance and practice) throughout the expanse of its 10 main atolls and islands. Papahānaumokuākea is a place for Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners of today to reconnect with their ancestors and gods, who they believe are manifested in nature, as with the Polynesian deity Kanaloa, who is embodied by the vast expansive ocean, and can take the form of all life within it.

A Name of Honor

The name Papahānaumokuākea (pronounced Pa-pa-ha-now-mo-koo-ah-keh-ah) comes from an ancient Hawaiian tradition concerning the genealogy and formation of the Hawaiian Islands, and a deep honoring of the dualisms of life. Papahānaumoku is a mother figure personified by the earth and Wākea is a father figure personified in the expansive sky; the two are honored and highly recognized ancestors of Native Hawaiian people. Their union resulted in the creation, or birthing, of the entire Hawaiian archipelago–thus the name of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands honors and preserves this heritage, strengthening Hawaiʻi's cultural foundation and connecting Hawaiians to an important part of their history.

Taken apart, "Papa" (earth mother), "hānau" (birth), "moku" (small island or large land division), and "ākea" (wide) bespeak a fertile woman giving birth to a wide stretch of islands beneath a benevolent sky. Taken as one long name, Papahānaumokuākea can be seen as a symbol of hope and regeneration for the Kūpuna Islands and the main Hawaiian Islands. And through the mana (spiritual power) of Papahānaumokuākea's name, one that encourages abundance and the procreative forces of earth, sea, and sky, the Native Hawaiian people hope that the cultural, spiritual and physical health of their people will grow as well.

Landscape overlooking Mokumanamana shoreline with birds circling overhead. — Mokumanamana is known for its numerous wahi pana (storied places) and koehana (cultural artifacts). Fifty-five cultural places are known, of which 33 are religious, 17 are shelter caves, and two sites are of unknown function. These cultural sites are thought to date primarily before the habitation sites on Nihoa Island were abandoned in the 18th century. Photo: Kekuewa Kikiloi

The Naming Of Papahānaumokuākea

The process to give a Hawaiian name to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument began as an initiative of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group. In 2006, the group chose two respected kūpuna (elders) in the Hawaiian community to contribute names: Uncle Buzzy Agard and Aunty Pua Kanahele. Once the names were put forth, the Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group selected a name that they felt was appropriate for the managing entity and region.

Uncle Buzzy Agard, an esteemed kūpuna and longtime fisherman in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands was instrumental in the establishment of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve in 2000, and a longtime advocate for the protection of this special place. Uncle Buzzy Agard, who is also affiliated with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, was one of three Native Hawaiian original representatives on the Reserve Advisory Council.

Aunty Pua Kanahele is a well known and respected kumu hula (hula teacher), scholar, and spiritual practitioner from Hilo, Hawai‘i. Since 2003, she has been the main catalyst behind the revival of cultural access trips to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, in partnership with the voyaging canoe Hōkūle‘a.

In September 2006, the names proposed by Aunty Pua and Uncle Buzzy were brought to the Cultural Working Group, along with submissions from Keoni Kuoha—then with Kamakakūokalani, the University of Hawai‘i Center for Hawaiian Studies—and several Native Hawaiian consultants to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Native Hawaiian Relations. These consultants included Professor Fred Kalani Meinecke, Professor Emerita Rubellite Kawena Johnson, Mr. Tom Cummings, and Ms. Emma Emalia Keohokālole. Three subsequent meetings were held to discuss the submitted names, their meanings, and purpose. On January 4, 2007, the group selected the name Papahānaumokuākea.

The Native Hawaiian Cultural Working Group is composed of members with a longstanding commitment to and involvement in the region. Members represent a diverse range of relevant backgrounds, including academic scholars, teachers, fishers, cultural practitioners, community activists, and resource managers—many of whom have experience working on issues concerning the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Representatives from NOAA; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Office of Native Hawaiian Relations; the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources; the Kaho‘olawe Island Reserve Commission; and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs were all involved in the meetings and discussions that led up to the final decision.