In Hawaiian folklore, the Aikanaka is said to be a descendant of Nu’u, a mythological figure who survived a great flood by constructing a massive boat. This narrative suggests that the Aikanaka has deep roots in Hawaiian mythology, with two primary versions existing within Indigenous stories.

Aikanaka[]
One version portrays the Aikanaka as a gigantic cannibalistic chief who married Lona, the moon goddess, around 746 AD. The other version describes the nawao as descendants of Nu’u who retreated into the mountains after being pursued by the Menehune, another mythical race believed to have exterminated them before modern Indigenous Hawaiians arrived from the Society Islands in the 11th century.
The plausibility of the Aikanaka’s existence raises questions regarding its origins. The Hawaiian archipelago formed approximately 5 million years ago and was never close to any landmass that could have facilitated migration for such large creatures. Speculation arises about whether these beings could have constructed rafts similar to those made by early humans like Neanderthals; however, this remains highly conjectural.
In the early 1960s, an unnamed Filipino-American man working on a pineapple plantation discovered an enormous muddy footprint nearly two feet long while setting up sprinklers. Fellow workers recounted seeing a giant figure wandering through the fields. In the early 1960s, an unnamed Filipino-American man working on a pineapple plantation discovered an enormous muddy footprint nearly two feet long while setting up sprinklers. Fellow workers recounted seeing a giant figure wandering through the fields.
In 1973, Rob Carlson and his friend experienced an encounter while fishing in a remote river in Wahiawa Mountains. They heard human-like screams and subsequently saw an “ape man” estimated at 8.5 feet tall walking towards them. They also encountered a female figure estimated at 7 feet tall before fleeing in fear. In another account from 1993, an unnamed woman claimed to have seen an Aikanaka lying beside a gravel road between Wahiawa and Waialua.
Conlusion[]
The existence of Aikanaka remains unproven within scientific circles; however, its place within Hawaiian mythology highlights cultural beliefs surrounding giants or humanoid beings that may have once roamed these islands. While many dismiss these tales as mere folklore or urban legends, they continue to intrigue those interested in cryptozoology and local history.
Source[]
https://www.cryptopia.us/site/2015/05/dole-giant-hawaii-usa/