Hina
Hina is the most popular goddess in Polynesia. She is known as the Goddess of the Moon and Ocean. Stories about Hina describe her as being associated with healing, awareness, balance, growth, production, being a mother, and expert tapa maker. Since she is associated with the moon, and the moon has 3 phases, she is also associated with all three phases of life.
The story about Hina we would like to share is from Tahitian legend and can be found in the Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology*.
Hina was the daughter of Atea and Hotu and lived on the island of Ra’iatea. There she and her brother Ru planned a great voyage of discovery to New Zealand. They stationed their canoe at Motu-tapu and left through the pass called Te ava o Hina. Not far from there is a place called Tutura’a ha’a a Hina where she supposedly spread her tapa cloth out to dry. A breadfruit tree stands nearby from which it is said she made her white tapa cloth, and upon the ground lies a long stone which resembles the beater that Hina used in her cloth making.
One evening when the moon was full, she set sail alone to visit it. Arriving at her destination, she stepped into the moon and let her canoe drift away never to return to earth again. From her unique position, she watches over travelers at night. When the moon is full, she is seen beating her tapa cloth under the limbs of the banyan tree.
*Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology by Robert D. Craig. Page 64
Click on the thumbnail photos below to see the three styles of jewelry inspired by Hina.
The story about Hina we would like to share is from Tahitian legend and can be found in the Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology*.
Hina was the daughter of Atea and Hotu and lived on the island of Ra’iatea. There she and her brother Ru planned a great voyage of discovery to New Zealand. They stationed their canoe at Motu-tapu and left through the pass called Te ava o Hina. Not far from there is a place called Tutura’a ha’a a Hina where she supposedly spread her tapa cloth out to dry. A breadfruit tree stands nearby from which it is said she made her white tapa cloth, and upon the ground lies a long stone which resembles the beater that Hina used in her cloth making.
One evening when the moon was full, she set sail alone to visit it. Arriving at her destination, she stepped into the moon and let her canoe drift away never to return to earth again. From her unique position, she watches over travelers at night. When the moon is full, she is seen beating her tapa cloth under the limbs of the banyan tree.
*Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology by Robert D. Craig. Page 64
Click on the thumbnail photos below to see the three styles of jewelry inspired by Hina.
Contact us at: nalini@purotudesigns.com
