Kāne

Materials: Cardboard, newspaper and acrylic paint.

Dimensions: 36” x 5” x 37” tall ½”

Technique: Cartapesta

76 hrs

In Hawaiian mythology, Kāne is considered the highest of the four major Hawaiian deities, along with Kanaloa, Kū, and Lono, though he is most closely associated with Kanaloa. He represents the god of procreation and was worshipped as ancestor of chiefs and commoners. Kāne is the creator and gives life associated with the dawn, sun and sky. No human sacrifice or laborious ritual was needed in the worship of Kāne.

There are several versions of this story, probably due to waves of immigration from different areas of Polynesia at different times, but generally they agree on the major points. In the beginning, there was nothing but Po; the endless black chaos. Then Kāne, sensing that he was separate from the Po, pulled himself free by an act of sheer will.

Sensing Kāne's presence, Lono and then Kū also pulled themselves free of Po. Kāne then created the light to push back Po. Lono brought sound to the universe and Kū brought substance. Between them, they created all the lesser Gods. Then together, the three Gods created the Menehune, to be their messengers and servants. 

Kāne, Lono and Ku created the world to be a footstool for the Gods, gathering red clay from its four corners, they mixed the clay with their spittle and molded it into the body of a man. Kāne took a special magical white clay and formed it into the shape of a head. The three Gods breathed life into the statue and created the first man in the image of Kāne.