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Tiki Central / General Tiki / Gods [AND GODDESSES] suitable for carving. (Can’t tell my Lono from my Ku)

Post #23347 by jtiki on Tue, Feb 18, 2003 4:45 AM

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J
jtiki posted on Tue, Feb 18, 2003 4:45 AM

Based on an article I was looking at, it would seem that Lono, is usually the god “in the tall hat,” (or striking head) which is possibly an extension of the spine, symbolizing genealogy. He may also be the god with the “crest” or ”overhanging comb”, whose symbolism represents the protection of the sacred head (I suspect this article may be the source of Tiki Royale’s explanation). The mouth of disrespect is associated with Ku. Our familiarity with the “classic Ku” may relate to the association of Ku and “disrespect” with the rise of Kamehameha, whose ascended to rule the islands over “higher ranking” individuals, whose claims were stronger from a genealogy stance. Consequently, the concept of disrespect (especially over those you defeat), rather than heredity and genealogy became the prevailing characteristic in gods and their images. However, the sharing of attributes between these gods, the destruction of the traditional religion by western influence and the changes in the religion and the symbology, especially during the rise of Kamehameha, makes specific relationships between gods and attributes difficult (a very troubling circumstance for my anal tendencies). A longer summary is below.

The Spring of 1982 Issue of RES Journal (currently sold out) includes an article by Adrienne L Kaeppler called “Genealogy and Disrespect.” It is described as a longer version of her paper “Eleven God’s Assembled,” presented to the Bishop Museum. Back Issues are no longer available; my summary is below. In it she examines the symbolism in Hawaiian images, and argues for its relationship to the importance of genealogy, respect (and disrespect) and Kaona (or veiled meaning) in Hawaiian Culture. Throughout the article, she high-lights that the destruction of the traditional Hawaiian religion, by missionaries, and the evolutionary nature of the religion makes specific interpretations impossible. To make matters worse, Lono and Ku, (the two gods on whom the article focuses) shared attributes, operating as necessary opposites to each other.

For me, the article also served as an introduction to the Hawaiian religion, identifying Kane, Lono, Ku and Kanaloa as derived from and having the attributes of East Polynesia. Kane was associated with the sky, and Kanaloa with the sea, leaving Lono and Ku to be concerned with the more accessible items like farming, pigs, war and houses. Aspects of the gods were also considered as separate gods, with compound names such as Kane-hekili, “Kane-of-the-thunder,” resulting in multiple “Lono-gods” or “Kane-gods.”

Hawaiian religion makes statements about social relationships, and sculptures render these concepts into visual form. Hawaiian images were social metaphors –page 84

Now, I’m inclined to believe that Hawaiian sculpture is no different that any other religious sculpture acting as “social metaphor,” but Kaeppler’s interpretation of that metaphor indicates that the Lono gods stood for family and society working together and following the order imposed by social rank, while the Ku gods stood for competing groups, whose competition required the degrading and disrespect of rank and status.

Although the article focused on sculpture, several strong arguments for this view came from a look at the Hawaiian language. The word for spine, “iwikuamo’o” also means family. The word for head, “po’o” is modified to “po’o ki’ eki’ e” or “exalted head” and taken to mean “god.” So the concepts of head, god and family, spine are linked both literally in the language as well as figuratively in the sculpture. More too the point we are also told one of the Lono gods was said to have a forehead that projected, with which he could strike both forwards and behind.

From this starting point Kaeppler reviews the image of spines, and notches that represent genealogical succession in both Hawaiian and other Polynesian sculptures. Moving upward from the backbone, Kaeppler then discusses the head and tells us that the head is also sacred. It is apparently extremely impolite to touch a Polynesian on the top of the head (who knew? – perhaps that explains all the trouble I had touching people in Waikiki, or may be that was something else J ) From this she suggests that images with overhanging combs are also extensions of the backbone or that “one’s genealogy is one’s sacred protection.” Elaborations can expand on the design until the original head disappears and/or a second face may be added to the comb, perhaps suggesting a protective ancestor. (I don’t know if this helps identify mrtikibar’s tiki or not) An expanded opposing lower jaw may match the crested overhand or headdress. Each of these: backbones or spines, or tikis supported by incorporating notched spine-like patterns; or tikis with the striking head or expanded back bone; or the spine brought forward to protect the head are identified as the elements symbolic of Lono.

The “Overhanging comb”

Kaeppler also describes several images that have the pronounce “backbone/striking head,” but also have what she calls the “mouth of disrespect,” with the chin forward and the mouth open widely indicating scorn, indifference and disrespect. This is the expression of several temple images traditionally associated with the Ku gods and often includes elongated eyes and flared nostrils. These images that combine the attributes, Kaeppler suggests might have been part of “Hikiau” which was dedicated to both gods. (Right here, is where I finally recognized the futility of trying to identify the tiki gods I bought on the streets of Lanai.)

Kaeppler suggests that the Hawaiian orientation towards war was not based on territorial necessity, but a backlash reaction to the importance of hierarchy and status. “In rank oriented societies it seems almost inevitable that … clashes will result;” that in Hawaiian society mechanisms for maintaining rank, common in other parts of Polynesia, have been discarded, allowing for active efforts to elevate one’s self while degrading others.

The article also makes some interesting claims for the relationship between history and the prevalence of particular gods. Kamehameha was appointed care taker of the god KuKailimoku. During his unification of the islands, both Kamehameha and KuKailimoku gained in power. KuKailimoku’s (the god’s) rise in power was depicted by making big sculptures and giving him a very big “mouth or disrespect.” Disrespect over genealogy became the important element in his time, in as much as Kamehameha (the chief) had to “dispose of” his bluer blood cousins on the way to supremacy.

While the mouth of disrespect is he main feature of the Ku images, sometimes one image has attributes of the other, particularly before Kamehameha, when presumably politics required the separation of the Ku-disrespect from the Lono-geneaology.

I haven’t look at the Cox and Davenport book; I decided to take the free shipping from Amazon, which means waiting a few weeks (and don’t forget to link through Hanford’s site for your book orders). I get the impression they will argue for and against some of these views. I did receive a copy of the “Eleven God’s Assembled,” which is mostly an introduction to an exibit at the Bishop museum from several years ago. I recommend the RES article of you really want to follow up and can find it in a university library. In the article Kaeppler does say that Cox & co argue that the bent knee stance is a wrestling stance, but Kaeppler sees it as more of a dance posture. Wrestling may be more suited to the mouth of disrespect, but I find the idea that it may be a dance position very compelling after some of my recent experiences with the Hula. On the other hand, a man in Maui told me “the male hula is a very powerful thing.”

So the short answer would seem to be:
-the god with the hat is usually Lono
-the god with the mouth is usually Ku
-sometimes their not
-the god you buy on the streets of Lahaina could be anyone you want it to be.
(and wasn’t that exactly what we thought when we started this thread?)
j

[ Edited by: jtiki on 2003-02-18 04:48 ]