InHawaiian mythology, theNawao are a legendary people, a wild, large-sized huntingpeople, descended from Lua-nu'u[1] (Beckwith 1970:321-323). Other sources suggest that the Nawao were present inHawaii before theMenehune who are thought to have driven them out or destroyed them. However, folkloristKatherine Luomala believes that the legends of the Menehune and similar creatures are a post-European contactmythology.[2]
