Apukohai
Encyclopedia
Apukohai is a marine monster in the mythology
of the island of Kauai
, Hawaii
. Kawelo, a giant of enormous strength, departs for Oahu
and encounters Apukohai. After a fierce struggle, Kawelo kills Apukohai, having invoked the assistance of the owl god and the fish Ulu-makaikai (Beckwith 1970: 409–411).
Hawaiian mythology
Hawaiian mythology refers to the legends, historical tales and sayings of the ancient Hawaiian people. It is considered a variant of a more general Polynesian mythology, developing its own unique character for several centuries before about 1800. It is associated with the Hawaiian religion...
of the island of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. Kawelo, a giant of enormous strength, departs for Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
and encounters Apukohai. After a fierce struggle, Kawelo kills Apukohai, having invoked the assistance of the owl god and the fish Ulu-makaikai (Beckwith 1970: 409–411).