Since Corocoro Magazine hinted that Rowlet, Litten, Popplio, and Rockruff (previously known only by it’s Japanese name “Iwanko”) all hide a secret, many Pokémon fans have speculated what that secret could be. Some fans have concluded that the Pokémon all relate to alchemy, or perhaps will all have Mega Evolutions, but some of us have PokéJungle have noticed a different connection.
In Hawaiian folklore, there exists a concept called ‘Aumakua. Traditional Hawaiians believed their ancestors would manifest in the form of an “‘Aumakua”, a Plant, Object, or Animal that would watch over a particular family and act as a bridge between the real world and the world of the gods. The particular family would pray to, or protect and feed their ‘Aumakua in exchange for its protection.
The concept of ‘Aumakua has many similarities to the world of Pokémon. Throughout the Pokémon series, Pokémon have been shown to exist harmoniously with humans, and branch the natural world to the supernatural.
‘Aumakua and their connection with humans is also similar to a controversial topic among Pokemon fans, “Pokémon synergy“.
Rowlet, Popplio, and Rockruff are all based on common ‘Aumakua; Owls, Monk Seals, and dogs. Dragons and caterpillars are also common ‘Aumakua, which we now have in the form of Drampa and Grubbin, which were announced after Corocoro made their initial comment.
Could GameFreak be using ‘Aumakua as inspiration for which Pokémon can use Pokémon Synergy? It wouldn’t be the first time Pokémon took inspiration from real life folklore. Or is the secret behind Rowlet, Litten, Popplio and Rockruff something entirely different?
Chances are all of our questions will be answered soon, as Pokémon Sun and Moon are releasing in just a few short months!
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