Kelea-nui-nono-'ana-'api 'api: Respected Female Figure

While reading this myth in Pacific Passages, I could not help but make a connection to Greek gods and goddesses. Due to her magnificent surfing prowess, Kelea is known all throughout the islands.  Like the male chiefs, Kelea is a talented surfer, which could act as a bond between her and the ocean, thus making her even more desirable; she is a character who is on par with all the male figures of Hawai'i. Thus, all the chiefs want to marry her. In such a male dominated world, it is unusual to see a strong female figure, especially in mythology. This myth calls to mind the Greek myth of Persephone. Hades sees how graceful and beautiful Persephone is and wants to marry her. Persephone, like Kelea, is also linked with nature: she is the goddess of vegetation. Hades abducts her and takes her for his own wife, similar to the way chief Kalamakua takes her to be his wife even though she was already married. However, the only difference is that Persephone was forced to marry, while Kelea chose to marry again, therefore reinforcing her as a strong female figure. This story shows how much the Hawai'ian people really respect women. They are not treated like second class citizen, but can even be on the same level as chiefs. The respect, or lack thereof, does not come from the sex of the person, but from their skills on a surfboard.