Hawaiian legend has it that the Menehune are a small dwarf-like species, similar to pixies or trolls, that hide deep in Hawaii’s forests and valleys. While these creatures are generally assumed to be mythical, a census from the 1820s officially counted 65 Menehune living in Wainiha Valley, on the island of Kauai. Some scholars use this information to back their theory that the Menehune were the first settlers of Hawaii from the Marquesas Islands, followed by settlers from Tahiti. The story goes that the Tahitians suppressed the “commoners” – the manahune in the Tahitian language – who then fled to the mountains.

These mystical and shy forest-dwellers measure in at approximately two feet tall – though some are allegedly only six inches tall, and can easily fit in the palm of your hand.
Sam Howzit/Flickr
According to local legend, these small creatures are extremely industrious master builders who are able to use their massive strength to accomplish great feats of construction and engineering – in a matter of hours.
Peter Lee/Flickr

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The Menehune worked at night so ancient Hawaiians would not discover them; their work would be abandoned if they were caught. Legend has it that the Menehune were capable of completing major projects in a single night, and they are credited with the construction of the Alekoko Fishpond, as well as the Menehune Ditch, an aqua duct on the Waimea River that funnels water for irrigation.
Collin Grady/Wikimedia Commons
Many have theorized that the Menehune were made up by the ali’I to explain the construction of temples, fishponds, and other structures so that credit would not be given to those who actually completed these construction projects – the maka’ainana, or common people.
Ian Gampon/Flickr
It is said that the Menehune enjoy singing, dancing, and cliff jumping; rumor has it that if you hear splashes in the middle of the night, it is possibly a Menehune diving into the Pacific. The Menehune also enjoy archery, and have been known to use magical arrows in order to pierce the heart of an angry individual to ignite feelings of love rather than anger.
Alexedennis/Wikimedia Commons

For a little more information about the magical Menehune, check out this video from a tour guide near the Menehune Ditch.

Aren’t Hawaiian legends fascinating? What other Hawaiian legends would you like us to explore? Sound off in the comments on our Only In Hawaii Facebook page!

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Hawaii Legends

Sarah M. | January 04, 2023

What are some other Hawaii legends and myths?

In addition to the myth of the Menehune, or Hawaiian troll, here are some other Hawaii legends and myths you might hear about:

  • Puna + The Dragon Goddess. In Hawaiian mythology, there were two main goddesses worshipped in the temples: Kihawahine and Haumea. When it was time for Haumea to marry, she took the chief of Oahu, Puna, as her husband. She wasn’t aware, however, that Kihawahine wanted chief Puna to be her husband. One day, Puna was lured out to sea by Kihawahine while looking for the perfect surf spot. Puna was taken to Molokai, where the “couple” lived together in a cave for quite some time, before he discovered that she was, in fact, a dragon goddess with a cruel temper. Eventually, Puna was able to escape with the help of his brother-in-law, Hinole, and made his way back to his wife, Haumea, though Kihawahine never stopped looking for him.
  • Never Pick the Red Lehya Blossoms. In Hawaiian mythology, Ohia and Lehua were young lovers, but one day, Pele met Ohia and decided that she wanted him for herself. When he rejected her, she turned him into an ugly, twisted tree. Pele ignored Lehua’s pleas to change him back, and the other gods, feeling sorry for the young girl, turned her into a beautiful red flower and placed her on the tree so the lovers never had to be apart again. Legend says that as long as the flowers remain on the tree, the weather is sunny and fair, but when a flower is plucked from the tree, rain falls like tears as Lehua cannot handle being separated from her love, Ohia.
  • The Legend of the Hog God. Kama Pua’a was both a powerful chief and a destructive monster, a hog god with superhuman powers. According to legend, he could shape-shift and command the rain and waters to obey him. One day, Kama Pua’a made his way to the island of Hawaii, to Kalua Pele – the pit of pele – where the fire goddess lived with her people. Pele and Kama Pua’a were married, but not for long as Pele could not handle Kama Pua’a’s hog insticts and habits. The two had great fights; Pele sent streams of flowing lava, and Kama Pua’a called for the ocean waters to rise. Pele eventually called upon the gods of the underworld for help, and Kama Pua’a was forced to surrender and turned himself into a fish. The fish, the humuhumunukunukuapua’a, has a thick skin to withstand the boiling waves through which it must swim to reach the depths of the sea. Hawaiian legend says that the fish can make a noise like the grunting of a hog.

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