Work / monument · song

Kumulipo

first recorded in the 18th century; printed by King Kalākaua in 1889; translated by Liliʻuokalani, published 1897 · 18th century

The Kumulipo is the creation chant of Hawaiian religion, first recorded in the 18th century. It is also a genealogy of Hawaiian royalty. It was made in honour of the chief Kalaninuiamamao and passed down orally to his daughter Alapaʻiwahine. According to one account, his birth brought peace between the ʻI and Keawe families, cousins who had been feuding.

Songs in history

Kumulipoc. 1700

Cite this entry

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kumulipo. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kumulipo
MLA: “Kumulipo.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kumulipo. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Kumulipo.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kumulipo.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kumulipo’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/kumulipo (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻