In many traditional communities, māhū play an important role in carrying on Polynesian culture, and teaching "the balance of female and male throughout creation". Modern māhū carry on traditions of connection to the land, language preservation, and the preservation and revival of cultural activities including traditional dances, songs, and the methods of playing culturally-specific musical instruments. Symbolic tattooing is also a popular practice. Modern māhū do not alter their bodies through what others would consider gender reassignment surgery, but just as any person in Hawaiian/Tahitian society dress differently for work, home, and nights out. Strong familial relationships are important in māhū culture, as kinship bonds within all of Hawaiian/Tahitian cultures are essential to family survival. When possible, the māhū maintain solid relationships with their families of origin, often by becoming foster parents to nieces and nephews, and have been noted for being especially "compassionate, and creative". This ability to bring up children is considered a special skill specific to māhū people. Māhū also contribute to their extended families and communities through the gathering and maintaining of knowledge, and the practicing and teaching of hula traditions, which are traditionally handed down through women. In situations where they have been rejected by their families of origin, due to homophobia and colonization, māhū have formed their own communities, supporting one another, and preserving and teaching cultural traditions to the next generations. In the documentary Kumu Hina, Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu visits one of these communities of elders up in the mountains, and meets with some of the māhū who were her teachers and chosen family when she was young. See also Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu – contemporary , teacher and Hawaiian cultural worker Kumu Hina (2014) – documentary film about Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu LGBT rights in Hawaii Rae-rae Fa’afafine, similar group in Samoa and American Samoa Bakla, similar third gender concept in the Philippines Bissu, similar third gender concept among the Bugis people of Indonesia Two-spirit, a pan-Indian umbrella term for all traditional Native American identities that do not fit into the Western gender binary or heterosexual roles Footnotes References and sources Eisenman, Stephen F., (1999). Gauguin's Skirt. London: Thames and Hudson. . Matzner, Andrew (2001). O Au No Keia: Voices from Hawai'i's Mahu and Transgender Communities External links Kumu Hina: A Place in the Middle – a -oriented website. "Coming Out & Overcoming – A Visit With Hinaleimoana Wong" – interview with Hinaleimoana Wong, by Ehu Kekahu