Māhū

A traditional Hawaiian and Tahitian identity for people who embody both masculine and feminine spirit. Māhū hold a respected cultural place in Native Hawaiian and Polynesian societies, traditionally serving as teachers, healers, and cultural knowledge-keepers.

Māhū have been recognized and respected in Hawaiian and Tahitian culture since before European contact. European colonialism attempted to suppress māhū identity. The modern cultural revival of Native Hawaiian identity includes reclamation of māhū as a sacred and honored role. Like Two-Spirit, māhū is a culturally specific identity that cannot be claimed by non-Native people.