In Hawaiian mythology, Kapo is a goddess of

fertility Fertility in colloquial terms refers the ability to have offspring. In demographic contexts, fertility refers to the actual production of offspring, rather than the physical capability to reproduce, which is termed fecundity. The fertility rate ...

, sorcery and dark powers. Kapo is also known as Kapo-ʻula-kīnaʻu, where "the epithet ula-kinaʻu is used in allusion to the fact that her attire, red in color, is picked out with black spots. The name Kapo alone is the only by which she is usually known." "Kapo is said to have been born of Papa (or Haumea) while she was living up Kalihi valley on Oahu with Wakea, her husband. Some say that she was born from the eyes of Papa. She is of high rank and able to assume many shapes at will." She is the mother of

Laka In Hawaiian mythology, Laka is the name of two different popular heroes from Polynesian mythology. (In other parts of Polynesia they are known as Rātā, Rata, Lata, Ata, or Lasa). In one Hawaiian legend, Laka is the daughter of the '' Ali'i ...

, although some versions have them as the same goddess. She is the sister of Kāne Milohaʻi, Kāmohoaliʻi, Pele, Nāmaka and Hiʻiaka. Kapo also had a detachable vagina, which she once used as a decoy to aid her sister Pele to flee the overzealous Kamapuaʻa.

Kapo in myth

She saved Pele from being raped by Kama-pua'a by sending her flying vagina (''kohe lele'') as a lure. Kama followed this to

Koko Crater Koko Crater ( Hawaiian: ''Kohelepelepe'' or ''Puʻu Mai'') is an extinct tuff cone located on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu near Hawaiʻi Kai. It is northeast of Hanauma Bay and south of the Koʻolau Range. Geology Koko Crater is a part o ...

Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...

, where it left an imprint. Later Kapo hid it in

Kalihi Valley Kalihi is a neighborhood of Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu in Hawaiʻi, United States. Split by Likelike Highway (Route 63), it is flanked by Liliha, Chinatown, and Downtown Honolulu to the east and Mapunapuna, Moanalua, and Salt Lake to ...

. *"When the Hawaiians dream of a woman without a vagina it is Kapo. ... unless a medium possessed by Kapo wears a ti leaf protection she is in danger of having this part of her body torn at." *"Kapo, sister of the poison-tree gods of Maunaloa and proficient in the arts of herb medicine and sorcery, teaches Ke-ao-melemele on the dancing field near Waolani in Nu'uanu valley until she can dance in the skies and over the sea." *"As Kapo’ulakina’u (Kapo-red-spotted) she was the Kapo invoked by ''

kahuna Kahuna (; ) is a Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors, surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers. Background A may be versed in agriculture,Archiv ...

'' when sending evil back upon someone."

Kapo in geography

*Kapolei, the Second City on

, is named after Kapo, meaning "Beloved Kapo". *"Kohelepelepe (Volcanic crater; O'ahu.) is named after the human body part "

Labia Minora The labia minora (Latin for 'smaller lips', : labium minus), also known as the inner labia, inner lips, or nymphae, are two flaps of skin that are part of the primate vulva, extending outwards from the inner Vagina#Vaginal opening and hymen, vagi ...

". It is an imprint said to have been left here by the flying vulva and vagina of Kapo ...; this name was ... changed—perhaps in missionary days—to the current name Koko ... "Blood" ...)". *"Koko Crater was Kohelepelepe. That's Hawaiian for 'fringed vulva'. The crater is the imprint of the vulva of Kapo... It was a flying vulva, and Kapo used it to lure the pig god here. It flew from here to Kalihi. ..." Lee Siegel : "Hawaii", page 106. In :- John Leonard (ed.) : ''These United States''. Nation Books, 2004. pages 102-111

Notes

{{reflist Hawaiian goddesses Fertility goddesses