The Hawaiians believed Captain James Cook was their god Lono.
This belief significantly influenced the initial interactions between Cook and the native Hawaiians during his third voyage in 1779.
The Deity Lono
Lono is one of the four principal gods in Hawaiian mythology, revered as the god of:
- Fertility and agriculture: Associated with abundant harvests, rain, and growth.
- Peace and prosperity: Often linked to periods of calm and bounty.
- Healing: Believed to have powers related to health and well-being.
- Music and sports: Celebrated during the Makahiki season.
Cook's arrival in Kealakekua Bay, Hawaiʻi, notably coincided with the annual Hawaiian festival of Makahiki. This festival was dedicated to Lono, celebrating the harvest and a period of peace, during which warfare was forbidden. The ships' masts, sails, and Cook's general appearance, along with the direction from which he arrived, seemingly matched prophecies and traditional representations of Lono's return. This timing and the specific attributes of Cook's arrival led many Hawaiians to perceive him as the physical embodiment of their returning deity.
For a considerable period, extending well into the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, scholars and historians widely accepted the notion that the Hawaiians' belief in Cook being Lono was a primary factor in their interactions, including the events that ultimately led to his death on the shores of Hawaiʻi.
For more information about the Hawaiian deity, you can refer to resources on Lono, Hawaiian God.
