The name Papahānaumokuākea has its origins in Native Hawaiian cosmology. The name represents the union of Papahānaumoku (the earth mother) and Wākea (the sky father), who are revered ancestors. According to belief, islands of the Hawaiian Archipelago, the taro plant (a Hawaiian food staple), and the Hawaiian people originated from Papahānaumoku and Wākea.
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Article