Legends From The Pacific
A weekly Asian & Pacific folklore podcast.
Join Kamuela Kaneshiro as he shares tales of people, traditions, and gods from Pacific Island countries, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. These stories influenced films, Marvel and DC comic books, Disney movies, Netflix series, TV shows, and books. Episodes include a featured song, and Hawaiian word.
www.LegendsFromThePacific.com
Our Editor's Take
Legends From The Pacific tells stories of spiritual and mythical figures from islands in the Pacific Ocean. Host Kamuela Kaneshiro is an Asian and Native Hawaiian who grew up in Honolulu. He studies mythology and is an author and speaker with motion picture experience. Kaneshiro is also a Comic-Con panelist. He enjoys pop culture derived from folklore. He even wrote his thesis paper about Batman.
Kaneshiro tells several tales of Hawaiian heroes on Legends From The Pacific. The podcast mentions movies about them, like Moana. The host says Hawaiians are spiritual people. They have a legacy of storytelling about revered deities.
One of those deities is Pele, a goddess Hawaiians believe resides in the Kilauea volcano, protected from her sister. Pele's sister, Namaka, killed her, but their battles continue. Pele also battled Wonder Woman in comic books. The Legends From The Pacific podcast reveals reported Pele sightings. One man says he hit her with his car near sugar cane fields. Others claim Pele appeared in photographs after their film developed. Maui is another hero on the podcast. Maui steals fire for humans, catches entire islands with his hook, and uses mischief for good.
Kaneshiro has personal experience with paranormal sightings. As a child, he saw a noppera-bō, which is a faceless Japanese ghost. The podcast tells the story of a soba merchant who saw one, too. The merchant offered noodles to a crying woman. She turned to him and revealed that she had no face. Kaneshiro says these ghosts aren't harbingers. Instead, they exist to frighten people. Legend says they are a disguise for Japan's magic creatures.
During Legends From The Pacific, Kaneshiro plays music with cultural relevance. He is careful to respect each culture's beliefs about legends. For example, some nations think Maui was a handsome, young man. Others believe he was an elderly priest. Kaneshiro teaches listeners a Hawaiian word and recommends a native song each week. In one episode, he shares the Hawaiian word for fishing and explains why it's bad luck to say it while fishing. This podcast might entertain anyone who likes mythology, thrillers, comics, or superheroes.
Episodes