In Hawaiian mythology, Nāmaka (or Nā-maka-o-Kahai, the eyes of Kahai) appears as a sea goddess in the Pele family. She is an older sister of Pele-honua-mea. She is the daughter of Ku-waha-ilo and

Haumea Haumea ( minor-planet designation: 136108 Haumea) is a dwarf planet located beyond Neptune's orbit. It was discovered in 2004 by a team headed by Mike Brown of Caltech at the Palomar Observatory, and formally announced in 2005 by a team heade ...

, whose other children are Pele, the Hiʻiaka sisters, the Kama brothers, and the bird Halulu. Nāmaka takes as her husband ʻAukelenuiaʻīkū, who had arrived in Lalakeenuiakane or in Kahiki (Tahiti), but he later becomes the husband of her sister Pele, and because of this Pele, the Hiiaka sisters, Malulani, and Kaʻōhelo migrate to Hawaii. When Pele quarrels with her powerful sister Nāmaka , Nāmaka sends tidal waves to destroy Pele's lands and homes. Helped by her family, Pele fights Nāmaka, but Nāmaka defeats her. In Thrum's Kane-huna-moku myth, Nāmaka is called the chiefess of the Mu and

Menehune Menehune are a mythological race of dwarf people in Hawaiian tradition who are said to live in the deep forests and hidden valleys of the Hawaiian Islands, hidden and far away from human settlements. The Menehune are described as superb craft ...

people when they are summoned to build the watercourse for Kikiaola at Waimea on Kauai. When Pele causes a conflagration by staying too close to the fire god Lono-makua, Nāmaka drives her away Another legend mentions that Nāmaka's guardian dog, Moela is reduced to ashes when he touches ʻAukele.

Moon

Namaka, the smaller moon of the dwarf planet

, is named after the goddess.

Explanatory notes

References

;Bibliography * * * Hawaiian mythology {{Oceania-myth-stub Hawaiian goddesses Sea and river goddesses Water spirits