Aumakua
Hawaiian family guardian spirits - ancestors who have died and returned in spiritual form to watch over and protect their descendants. The word combines 'au' (period of time/with) and 'makua' (parent/ancestor). Unlike Western spirit animals, aumakua are NOT the entire species - only a specific individual animal or object possessed by an ancestral spirit. Each family has its own specific aumakua, passed down through generations. They are 'ano lani (heavenly nature) and 'ano honua (earthly nature) - beings of both realms