ANALYSING THE MOTIF OF “DWARF PEOPLE” IN POLYNESIAN MYTHOLOGIES. MYTHICAL BUILDERS – Part II

Abstract

According to numerous Polynesian myths, the Menehune were great builders, especially when it came to working with wood and stone. They were very skilled in processing stones which they transported over great distances. Myths recorded on the Hawaiian Islands attribute to them many heiau – shrines, lokoi‘a – ponds, roads and waterways. All these myths have an interesting common motif of the Menehune always finishing their work in just a single night. Thomas G. Thrum, in his article “Stories of the Menehunes. Hawaii the Original Home of the Brownies” also presents a message of the informant Moke Manu who mentioned that it was their rule that any work undertaken must be completed in one night. Otherwise, it would be left unfinished, as they did not labour twice on the same job; hence the origin of the saying: “He po hookahi, a ao ua pau”, in one night, and by dawn, it is finished. Another commonly found motif in these myths is the willingness of the Menehune to help people. This was mainly expressed through the Menehune