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In the mythology, it has been written in the chants that Molokai was born from a union between Hina, known as ‘Earth Mother’ and Wakea, ‘Sky Father.’ The name for Molokai is “Molokai Nui a Hina” translated to mean “Molokai, child of Goddess Hina.” Molokai is known as the birthplace of the hula and a center for culture. Molokai historically was a place of great wealth, because of the vast amounts of fish that could be caught by hand. Hundreds of fishponds formed a virtual necklace around the East and west shorelines. It is said that La’ila’i introduced the hula around nine hundred AD. According to the story, La’ila’i had come from the East, where the sun rose and was not part of the western migration. According to Mo’olelo (oral story), that was passed down on Molokai, she was related to those who came over a thousand years before. It has been written that she was ‘fare’ skinned with ‘ehu’ reddish hair. 

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