the five volcanoes of hawaii are revered as sacred mountains; and mauna kea's summit, the highest, is the most sacred. for this reason, a "kapu" (ancient hawaiian law) restricted visitor rights to high-ranking aliʻi. hawaiians associated elements of their natural environment with particular deities. in hawaiian mythology, the summit of mauna kea was seen as the "region of the gods", a place where benevolent spirits reside. poliahu, deity of snow, also resides there. "mauna kea" means "white mountain," in reference to its seasonally snow-capped summit.