Tonga: The Legend of ‘Aho’eitu

Tonga: The Legend of ‘Aho’eitu

We are pleased to present the, an ancient tale of a half human/half god who travels to his father’s exalted kingdom to find his family. This story, filled with drama and lessons learned, is from the Islands of Tonga There once was a god in the sky named Tangaloa...
Tahiti: The legend of the Tiare flower

Tahiti: The legend of the Tiare flower

Let me tell you about the magnificent tiare flower. The ma’ohi, more commonly known as Tiare Tahiti, is the favorite flower of the Creation Gods. According to Tahitian legend, the tiare flower was created by Atea, the Oceanic God of Creation with assistance from Tane,...
The tale of the turtle and the shark – a Samoan legend

The tale of the turtle and the shark – a Samoan legend

Faʻafetai (thank you) to Tipa Galeai, Manager of the Samoa Village at the Polynesian Cultural Center, for this contribution to our series on Polynesian legends. Samoans tell the story of an old blind woman, named Fonueau, of Salega, Savaii (Western Samoa). She had one...
Maui creates the Islands of Hawaii – a Hawaiian legend

Maui creates the Islands of Hawaii – a Hawaiian legend

Read all about Maui, one of the most recognized demi-gods throughout the cultures of Polynesia. This is because his tales traveled with the early Polynesian explorers as they moved from island nation to island nation. We at the Polynesian Cultural Center hope you...