Creation of Hawai'i

Through this WebQuest, you were able to explore and learn a few different Hawaiian mo'olelos (or mythological legends) that describe the creation of the Hawaiian Islands. You were able to draw parallels between the facts behind the creation of the islands (those involving geological processes), and the fictional beliefs of the Hawaiian people. Thus being able to see how many of the cultural beliefs in regards to the formation of the Hawaiian Islands were based on facts.  You also learned how these mo'olelos were told to teach the Hawaiian people a lesson of some sort. Now that you have completed this WebQuest, you should be able to describe how an island is formed through volcanic processes and other geological processes, such as plate tectonics. You will also further understand the reasons that mythological creation stories are being continued through oral tradition. It is also our hope that you will develop an appreciation of the cultural viewpoint of the Native Hawaiian people and an interest in the many different mo'olelos that are found in the Native Hawaiian culture. You may want to further research other popular mo'olelo to satisfy your newfound interest. Here are a few other mo'olelos that you may find interesting: