In Hawaiian mythology Kū is one of the four great gods along with Kanaloa, Kāne, and Lono. He was the husband of the goddess Hina (Beckwith 1970:12), suggesting a complementary dualism as the word kū in the Hawaiian language means "standing up" while one meaning of 'hina' is 'fallen down.'This analysis is not supported by evidence from other Polynesian languages which distinguish the original 'ng' and 'n'. Hina's counterpart in New Zealand for example, is Hina, associated with the moon, rather than Hinga, 'fallen down'.

Kū is worshipped under many names, including Kū-ka-ili-moku, the "Seizer of Land" (a feather-god, the guardian of Kamehameha). Rituals included human sacrifice, which was not part of the worship of the other gods. Kū, Kāne, and Lono caused light to shine in upon the world. They are uncreated gods who have existed from eternity (Tregear 1891:540).

See also

• Tūmatauenga, Māori god of war.

Notes