In Hawaiian mythology, an ûaumakua (; often spelled aumakua, plural, aumÃÂkua) is a personal or family god that originated as a deified ancestor, and which takes on physical forms such as spirit vehicles. An 'aumakua may manifest as a shark, owl, bird, octopus, or inanimate objects such as plants or rocks. The word ûaumakua means ancestor gods and is derived from the Hawaiian words âÂÂauâÂÂ, which means period of time or era, and âÂÂmakuaâÂÂ, meaning parent, parent generation, or ancestor. Hawaiians believed that deceased family members would transform into ûaumakua and watch over their descendants with a loving concern for them while also being the judge and jury of their actions.
ûAumakua were believed to watch over their families and hear their words, give them strength and guidance, warn them of misfortune or danger, give punishments to wrong-doers while also rewarding worthy people with prosperity in the after life, and pass on prayers from the living to the akua (gods).
Hawaiian-born actor Jason Momoa has a halfsleeve tattoo on his left forearm that is a tribute to his family god, or aumakua, which is a shark. Some families had many ûaumÃÂkua. Mary Kawena Pukui's family had at least fifty known ûaumÃÂkua.
ûAumakua could give warnings of coming misfortune or danger, punishments, and guidance to their respective ûohana (families). ûAumakua relayed these messages to family members through hà Âûike a ka pà  (revelation in the night, dreams), visions, or physical manifestations. Hawaiians also believed that âÂÂjust the nagging feeling that something is wrongâ was a message sent from their ûaumakua.
ûAumakua were also protectors of their families. An example of this comes from the Puna district on Hawaiûi island which was shared with anthropologist Martha Beckwith: âÂÂ...this one family⦠had a supernatural helper or aumakua who appeared in the form of a particular shark. When any of the family go fishing, the shark appears. The aumakua obeys the voice of man. Name the fish you want and it will bring it. This family can never be drowned. If there is a storm and the boat capsizes, the shark appears and the men ride on its back.âÂÂ
As protectors, ûaumakua could also give mental or physical strength to ûohana members who were in need of help but could not help themselves, primarily the keiki (children), the sick, and the elderly.
ûAumakua could also bring punishment to families who offended or displeased them. These offenses included behavior like greed, dishonesty, and theft, breaking ûai kapu, bathing in pools that were kapu (taboo), and eating the physical form of ones ûaumakua. Punishments were often illnesses in the form of âÂÂdiagnostic cluesâÂÂ, so a thief would develop a swollen hand or a sore foot would trouble a trespasser until they made restitution.
ûAumakua also acted as judge and jury after a person's death. They had the power to punish or reward the personûs spirit depending on whether or not that person lived a righteous life, or even send the spirit back to the body if it left the body prematurely in âÂÂapparent deathsâÂÂ.
ûAumÃÂkua could appear as:
ûAumakua were able to take on Kino lau (many bodies, many forms) which means that they could change back and forth from âÂÂinvisible people<nowiki></nowiki> (poûe or ka pà Â), animals, plants, and minerals. ûAumakua as animals could also inhabit plants that had similar characteristics or visual resemblance to that animal. For example, ûaumakua as mackerel (ÃȈ Âpelu) were also associated with the lobelia plant (also called ÃȈ Âpleu) whose leaves are a similar shape and color as the fish.