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Maui: Genealogy and Birth

The Kumulipo (Beckwith 135) gives the following account of Maui's birth as a fowl:

Waolena was the man, Mahui'e the wife
Akalana was the man, Hina-of-the-fire (Hinaakeahi) the wife
Born was Maui mua (Maui the first), born was Maui waena (Maui the middle one)
Born was Maui-ki'iki'i, born was Maui-a-ka-malo (Maui of the loincloth)
The loincloth with which Akalana girded his loins
Hina-of-the-fire conceived, a fowl was born
The child of Hina was delivered in the shape of an egg
She had not slept with a fowl
But a fowl was born
The child chirped, Hina was puzzled
Not from sleeping with a man did this child come
It was a strange child for Hina-of-the-fire
The two guards were angry, the tall and the short one
The brothers of Hina
The two guards within the cave
Maui fought, those guards fell
Red blood flowed from the brow of Maui
That was Maui's first strife ...

Maui's genealogy, from Papa, the Earth Mother, and Wakea, the Sky Father, is given by Malo as follows (Hawaiian Antiquities 238):

Wakea
Haloa
Waia
Hinanalo
Nanakehili
Wailoa
Kio
Ole
Pupue
Manaku
Lukahakoa
Luanuu
Kahiko
Kii
Ulu
Nanaie
Nanailani
Waikulani
Kuheleimoana
Konohiki
Wanena
Akalana
Maui
Nanamaoa

Maui's genealogy, from Wakea, the Sky Father, and his daughter Ho'ohokulani is given by Kamakau as follows (Taes and Traditions 134-136):

Wakea / Papa
Wakea / Ho'ohokulani
Haloa / Hina-manouluae
Waia / Hunune
Hinalo / Haunu'u
Kakaihili / Haulani
Wailoa / Hikawao'opuaianea
Ki'o / Kamole
'Ole / Ha'i
Pupue / Kamahele
Manaku / Hikoho'ale
Kahiko / Kaea
Luanu'u / Kawa'amaukele
Ki'i / Hinako'ula
'Ulu / Kapunu'u
Nana'ie / Kahaumokule'ia
Nanaialani / Hina-kina'u
Waikulani /Kekauilani
Kuheleimoana / Mapunaia'a'ala
Konohiki / Hika'ululena
Wawena / Hina-mahuia
Akalana / Hina-kawea
Maui / Hinaakealoha
Nanamaoa / Hinakapa'ikua

 

NOTE
Maui is In other Polynesian traditions, Maui-of-a-thousand-tricks, the youngest of the Maui brothers, is said to have been born as a premature abortion with eight heads. (Luomala 88; The number eight suggests power: the pig-god Kamapua'a had eight feet and; the bat-god Pe'ape'a had eight eyes and so was all-seeing.) Maui's mother threw her abortion into the sea, where the gods rescued and raised it.

Other gods, like Kamapua'a and Kaulu, were born as abortions ("cords") and later became heroes. The theme: one should not judge by appearance; even the humblest or misshapened being could turn out to be a god.