Editing Haumea (mythology)

{{Short description|Goddess of fertility and childbirth in Hawaiian mythology}}
{{Infobox deity
| type         = Polynesian
| name         = Haumea
| god_of       = Goddess of fertility and childbirth
| other_names  = 
|image=
|caption=
| gender       = Female
| region       = [[Hawaii]]
| ethnic_group = [[Hawaiians]]
| cult_centre  = 
| symbol       = <!-- or | symbols = -->
| consort      = Mulinaha, Kanaloa
| offspring    = [[Pele (deity)|Pele]], [[Kāne Milohai]], [[Kāmohoaliʻi]], [[Nāmaka]], [[Kapo (mythology)|Kapo]], [[Hiʻiaka]], Laumiha, Kahaʻula, Kahakauakoko, and Kauakahi
| parents      = 
| siblings     = 
| equivalent1_type = 
| equivalent1 =
| equivalent2_type = 
| equivalent2 =
}}

'''Haumea''' ([[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]]: {{IPA|haw|həuˈmɛjə|}}) is the goddess of fertility and childbirth in [[Hawaiian religion|Hawaiian mythology]]. She is the mother of many important deities, such as [[Pele (deity)|Pele]], [[Kāne Milohai]], [[Kāmohoaliʻi]], [[Nāmaka]], [[Kapo (mythology)|Kapo]], and [[Hiʻiaka]]. She was killed by [[Kaulu]]. Haumea is one of the most important Hawaiian gods, and her worship is among the oldest on the Hawaiian islands.{{sfn|Craig|2004|p=128-129}}

== Mythology ==
With the help of a magic stick called the Mākālei, Haumea repeatedly transforms herself from an old woman to a young girl, and returns to her homeland periodically to marry one of her offspring, thus giving birth to continuous generations of humans.{{sfn|Craig|2004|p=128-129}} Eventually, her identity is found out by Kio, which angers her, causing her to leave humanity behind.{{sfn|Craig|2004|p=128-129}}
[[File:Spondias dulcis, June plum 2.jpg|thumb|The Kani-ka-wi tree (''[[Spondias dulcis]]'' or June plum) is associated with Haumea, who created a potion from it to help women give birth.]]
Haumea is said to have given humans the ability to give birth naturally. In a story, she visited Muleiula, the daughter of a chieftain who was experiencing painful childbirth, during which she discovered that humans only gave birth by cutting open the mother. Seeing this, Haumea created a potion out of the Kani-ka-wī tree (''[[Spondias dulcis]]''), which allowed the mother to push out the baby naturally.{{sfn|Craig|2004|p=128-129}}

== Relationships ==
Haumea is the sister of the gods [[Kāne]] and [[Kanaloa]], and sometimes also the wife of Kanaloa.{{sfn|Craig|2004|p=128-129}} Some traditions identify Haumea with [[Papahānaumoku]], the goddess of the Earth, and wife of the sky god [[Wākea]].{{sfn|Craig|2004|p=128-129}}

===Offspring===
With [[Kanaloa]], Haumea gave birth to the war god [[Kekaua-kahi]], the volcano goddess [[Pele (deity)|Pele]], as well as Pele's brothers and sisters, including [[Hi'iaka]].{{sfn|Craig|2004|p=128-129}} Except for Pele, who was born the normal way, her children were born from various parts of her body. From her head, for example, were born Laumiha, Kahaʻula, Kahakauakoko, and Kauakahi.

==== Kumulipo ====
According to the ''[[Kumulipo]]'', a Hawaiian creation chant, Haumea's offspring are:<ref>The Kumulipo: A Hawaiian creation chant</ref>
*Children by Mulinaha: 
**Laumiha
**Kahaʻula
**Kahakauakoko

*Children by Kanaloa:
**Kauakahi

*Grandchildren:
**Kauahulihonua
**Haloa
**Waia
**Hinanalo
**Nanakahili
**Wailoa
**Kiʻo (last born)

==Death==
{{empty section|date=January 2025}}

==Legacy==
{{Main|Haumea (dwarf planet)}}
On September 17, 2008, the [[International Astronomical Union]] named the fifth known [[dwarf planet]] in the [[Solar System]] ''[[Haumea (dwarf planet)|Haumea]]''. The planet's two moons were named after Haumea's daughters: [[Hiʻiaka (moon)|Hiʻiaka]], the goddess born from the mouth of Haumea, and [[Namaka (moon)|Namaka]], the water spirit born from Haumea's body.<ref>[http://www.iau.org/public_press/news/release/iau0807/ IAU names fifth dwarf planet Haumea], International Astronomical Union, News release, September 17, 2008, Paris</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Hawaii|Mythology}}
* [[Haumia-tiketike]]
* [[Papahānaumoku]]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book |last1=Craig |first1=Robert D.  |date=2004 |title=Handbook of Polynesian Mythology |publisher=ABC-CLIO |page=128-129 |isbn=1-57607-895-7}}

==External links==
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/pac/hm/hm21.htm Sacred texts]

[[Category:Hawaiian goddesses]]
[[Category:Fertility goddesses]]
[[Category:Haumea (dwarf planet)]]

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