Comparing Cosmology Of The Hawaiian People And The M�ori From New Zealand

The traditions of ancient Polynesia hold both polytheistic and animistic religious structures. They worship several deities as well as ascribe to the spiritual beliefs of things existent in nature, such as water and trees. The cosmology of the Hawaiian people and the Māori from New Zealand recognize multiple gods and goddesses, and many of them are female deities. Worship of deities for every element was found in both cultures; fire, water, air and earth all had gods or goddesses that ruled those elements. Evident in both Hawaiian and Māori culture is a female deity believed to rule fire. Mahuika is venerated by reference to her power through building fires in Aotearoa. Pele is greatly respected and feared, as she governs the lava actively

Specifically when looking at the ways in which they embody the fire element, and what they do with it. Mahuika’s fire control came out of her fingers, and through her fingertips she was able to caste fire at her own free will. Whereas with Pele, she embodies fire not as an open flame, but in the form of lava flow. Lava isn’t chemically the same substance as fire; lava is composed of volcanic crystals, glass, and gases so hot that they melt whatever they come into contact with. While fire, chemically speaking, is a process of combustion that releases heat. So although the scientific definitions of lava and fire are different, in the cultural context of how these societies viewed these two deities, there are distinct similarities found in both cultures’ fire goddesses. The spiritual beliefs around what these goddesses did with their fire is essentially the same in that, their fire represents a powerful force that can easily be destructive. Mahuika and Pele are significant goddesses in their cultures because they are representative of female power. Although the death and destruction that can be caused by fire aren’t the most attractive characteristics to be associated with goddesses, it is refreshing to see that these deities are recognized for their strength of personality, for their boldness, and for standing up for themselves when they feel ill-treated. This is empowering for women because it promotes ideologies around female fortitude and resilience. Fire is the most aggressive of the four elements, and it’s rightfully so that the deities representing such a dominant element are depicted as female. This gives power to the feminine, and strengthens their respective cultures’ beliefs regarding women’s