Leilani, which is Hawai'ian for "heavenly flower," is māhū - a Hawai'ian term referring to individuals who embody both male and female spirit.
In pre-Christian Hawai'i, Māhū was a category of revered and admired individuals. Māhūs were the keepers of customs such as hula and chant, and they played a vital role teaching traditional practices to future generations.
They were what we would term transgender, people whose gender role was different from their genetically determined sex. Māhū were seen as balanced beings who expressed their masculinity and femininity with ease and freedom.
In Hawai'ian mythology, the power of people who encompassed both genders can be seen in the legend of Laka, the god/dess of hula, who is believed by many to be a deity of mixed gender.
Poor Leilani did not fair well with Victorian missionaries, so she was Very Glad I rescued her. She chose this Liberty Jane outfit from My wardrobe stash, which did not fit My Pleasant body well.
The outfit is missing the metallic belt designer Cinnamon made for it, but Momma hopes we still might find it.
Crazy how today's cultures seemed threatened by balance. (((hugs)))
ReplyDeleteVery interesting! Thank you for the lesson and for rescuing Leilani.
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