Noun
aumakua (plural aumakuas or aumakua)
(mythology) In Hawaiian mythology, a personal or family god that originated as a deified ancestor, and which takes on physical forms such as animals to watch over descendants.
Such a shark aumakua becomes the family pet, receiving food, and driving fish into the family net and warding off danger. Source: Internet
Many Hawaiian families believe that they have an aumakua watching over them and protecting them from the niuhi. Source: Internet