JASON MOMOA
Native Hawaiian (paternal) and German, Irish, Pawnee Native American (maternal)
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Jason Momoa — heritage & background
Quick answer: Jason Momoa is of Native Hawaiian descent on his father's side and of German, Irish, and Pawnee Native American ancestry on his mother's side. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 1, 1979, he grew up largely in Iowa with his mother before returning to Hawaii as a teenager. He has been a passionate and public advocate for Native Hawaiian culture and indigenous rights throughout his career as a Hollywood actor.
Is Jason Momoa Mixed Race? Is He Biracial?
Yes — Jason Momoa is of mixed racial heritage. His father, Joseph Momoa, is Native Hawaiian, while his mother, Coni Momoa (née Lemke), is of German, Irish, and Pawnee Native American ancestry. This gives him a background that bridges Native Hawaiian heritage, European heritage, and continental Native American (Pawnee) heritage — a genuinely multicultural combination.
His mixed heritage is physically evident in his appearance, which defies easy racial categorization. At 6 feet 4 inches with a powerfully built frame, dark features, and expressive physicality, Momoa has been cast in a wide range of roles across his career — from the Khal Drogo of the Dothraki in Game of Thrones to DC Comics' Aquaman, from a Conan-esque warrior to Dune's Duncan Idaho. His look resonates across multiple cultural contexts, which he has attributed to his diverse background.
Momoa has spoken openly and with pride about both his Native Hawaiian roots and his indigenous continental ancestry through his Pawnee heritage. He considers himself both a Hawaiian and an Indigenous American, and has been active in causes related to both communities — particularly in protecting Hawaiian lands and natural resources.
What Is Jason Momoa's Ethnicity?
Jason Momoa's ethnicity is genuinely multicultural, drawing from Native Hawaiian traditions on his father's side and a mix of European and Native American (Pawnee) heritage on his mother's side. His full name — Jason Namakaeha Momoa — reflects this Hawaiian dimension: "Namakaeha" is a traditional Hawaiian name. The name "Momoa" is itself a traditional Hawaiian surname, reflecting deep roots in Hawaiian society.
Native Hawaiians are the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Their ancestors sailed to Hawaii from other Polynesian islands (likely the Marquesas Islands and Tahiti) more than 1,500 years ago. Native Hawaiian culture, language, and traditions have faced significant pressure since the U.S. annexation of Hawaii in 1898 and statehood in 1959, but remain vibrant and the subject of ongoing cultural revitalization efforts. Momoa has been among the most visible public supporters of these efforts.
On his mother's side, the Pawnee Nation is a Native American people originally from Nebraska and Kansas — one of the major Plains Indian nations. The Pawnee were historically a settled agricultural and hunting society. Today, the Pawnee Nation is headquartered in Pawnee, Oklahoma, following the forced removal of Plains Indians from their ancestral territories in the 19th century. Momoa's connection to Pawnee heritage through his mother gives him a bond with continental Native American history alongside his Pacific Islander roots.
Father's Side: Native Hawaiian Heritage
Jason Momoa's father, Joseph Momoa, is a Native Hawaiian painter. He and Coni had Jason together before separating shortly after his birth. Joseph Momoa has maintained some presence in Jason's life over the years, and Jason has returned repeatedly to Hawaii as an adult to reconnect with his father's community and culture.
Native Hawaiian heritage is more than an ethnic identity — it is a legal and political designation in the United States. Native Hawaiians have specific rights under U.S. law, including eligibility for programs administered by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and admissions to schools like Kamehameha Schools, which are restricted to Native Hawaiian students. Jason Momoa's Native Hawaiian heritage is therefore not only cultural but carries legal and political weight.
Momoa has spoken passionately about Native Hawaiian issues, including opposition to the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea — a sacred mountain to Native Hawaiians. In 2019, he was among the celebrities who publicly supported the Hawaiian community's protests against the telescope's construction on sacred land.
Mother's Side: German, Irish, and Pawnee Heritage
Jason Momoa's mother, Coni Momoa (née Lemke), is a photographer from Norwalk, Iowa. After her separation from Joseph Momoa, she returned to Iowa with baby Jason, raising him in Norwalk — a small city in Warren County, far from the Pacific Islands of his father's heritage. Despite growing up in the American Midwest, Momoa returned to Hawaii as a teenager, which is where his acting career began after he was noticed and recruited for the role of Jason Ioane in the TV series Baywatch Hawaii in 1999.
Coni Momoa's heritage includes German and Irish European ancestry and Pawnee Native American heritage. The Pawnee connection adds a second layer of Indigenous ancestry to Momoa's background — one rooted in the Great Plains of North America rather than the Pacific. Momoa has not spoken as extensively about his Pawnee heritage as he has about his Native Hawaiian roots, but he has acknowledged this dimension of his ancestry in interviews.
Grandparents: A Complete Picture
| Relationship | Name | Heritage |
|---|---|---|
| Paternal Grandfather | [Name not publicly known] | Native Hawaiian |
| Paternal Grandmother | [Name not publicly known] | Native Hawaiian |
| Maternal Grandfather | [Name not publicly known] | German, Irish |
| Maternal Grandmother | [Name not publicly known] | Pawnee Native American (and/or German/Irish) |
DNA & Genetic Ancestry
Jason Momoa has not publicly shared results from a commercial DNA test such as 23andMe or AncestryDNA. He has not appeared on "Finding Your Roots" or any other documented genealogy program as of 2026.
Based on documented family history, his ancestry is Native Hawaiian on his father's side and a combination of German, Irish, and Pawnee Native American on his mother's side. Native Hawaiians are genetically Polynesian, with strong affinities to other Pacific Islander populations. Pawnee ancestry would reflect a distinct North American Indigenous genetic profile. German and Irish ancestry reflects Northwestern European heritage.
Without a confirmed DNA test, all characterizations are based on publicly documented family information.
Nationality vs. Ethnicity
Jason Momoa is an American by nationality — born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 1, 1979. Hawaii became the 50th U.S. state in 1959, so Momoa was born and has always been a natural-born American citizen.
His ethnicity, by contrast, is multifaceted: Native Hawaiian on his father's side, and German, Irish, and Pawnee Native American on his mother's side. His nationality is singular (American), while his ethnicity reflects the remarkable diversity of his ancestral background — spanning the Pacific Islands, the Great Plains, and Western Europe.
Jason Momoa in His Own Words
Momoa has spoken passionately about his Native Hawaiian roots on numerous occasions. In interviews he has expressed deep love for the islands and frustration at the threats to Hawaiian culture and land. Regarding his Hawaiian identity, he has said: "I am Hawaiian. It's in my blood. I will fight for this land and this culture for the rest of my life."
He has also spoken about the dissonance of growing up in Iowa while being Native Hawaiian: the experience of looking visibly different from his Midwestern surroundings, of not fitting neatly into American racial categories, and of returning to Hawaii as a teenager and feeling the pull of his ancestral home.
On his mixed background, he has said: "I'm Hawaiian, but I was raised in Iowa. It's a strange combination but it made me who I am."
Relationships and Children
Jason Momoa married actress Lisa Bonet — herself of mixed Black, Jewish, and white ancestry — on November 26, 2017. Together they have two children: a daughter, Lola Iolani Momoa (born July 1, 2007), and a son, Nakoa-Wolf Manakauapo Namakaeha Momoa (born December 15, 2008). The children's names reflect Hawaiian tradition — particularly Nakoa-Wolf's name, which combines the Hawaiian word for warrior (Nakoa) with the English word "Wolf." Lisa Bonet and Jason Momoa announced their separation in January 2022 and finalized their divorce.
Their children are of Native Hawaiian, German, Irish, Pawnee, Black, Ashkenazi Jewish, and white American heritage — a remarkably diverse combination.
Is Jason Momoa Alive?
Yes, Jason Momoa is alive as of April 2026. He is 46 years old, born August 1, 1979. He remains one of Hollywood's most recognizable actors, known for playing Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe, Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, and a wide range of action and adventure roles. He continues to be an active public voice for Native Hawaiian rights and environmental causes.
Visual Family Tree
Jason Namakaeha Momoa (Native Hawaiian, German, Irish, Pawnee)
Joseph Momoa (Native Hawaiian)
[Paternal Grandfather — name not publicly known] (Native Hawaiian) · [Paternal Grandmother — name not publicly known] (Native Hawaiian)
Coni Momoa née Lemke (German, Irish, Pawnee Native American)
[Maternal Grandfather — name not publicly known] (German, Irish) · [Maternal Grandmother — name not publicly known] (Pawnee Native American)
Sources
EthniCelebrity Research Team
Ethnicity & Heritage Writers
Our team specialises in researching and documenting the ethnic backgrounds, nationality, and ancestry of public figures — drawing on genealogical records, interviews, and verified biographical sources.