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Title: Legends and Myths of Hawaii by David Kalakaua, Glen Grant ISBN: 0-935180-86-9 Publisher: Mutual Publishing Pub. Date: December, 1990 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: An Invaluable Folklore Document By Hawaii's Last King
Comment: Originally published in 1888, The Legends And Myths of Hawaii by King David Kalakaua is probably the best book currently available on Hawaiian folklore, and due to its authentic pedigree, likely to be for some time. Written with a certain amount of historical bias and thus subjectivity, only a thoroughly objective, enthusiastic and well-conceived scholarly overview will be able to equal it.
Though the actual Christian missionaries were to come later, in the early 19th century, and under the rule of an inappropriate king, a band of political and religious leaders of the only-recently united Hawaiian islands formed a conspiracy with the intent of overthrowing the centuries-old native Hawaiian religion and tabu traditions. The conspirators had recently witnessed the arrival of foreigner merchants and sailors to the islands, white men who clearly acted as they pleased and defied tabu without punishment from the native gods. The weak young king, already something of a hedonist, if an innocent one, was, under the influence of alcohol, persuaded by the conspirators to join them in a public display of tabu defiance. Sadly, the conspirators were successful, and on that day the tabu system, gods, and idols of the Hawaiian people officially went into the fire for the first and last time.
Author Kalakaua, a direct descendant of the royal line and indeed, descended from even some of the conspirators, was famous during his reign for attempting to reverse this cultural dissolution and return the full ancient majesty of the native Hawaiian traditions back to prominence among his people. Legends And Myths Of Hawaii was part of his effort, and as such has an important and dignified history. Throughout the volume, the reader can sense the author's closeness to his material, not only physically and emotionally, but in terms of time and history. Only a hundred years before his book was written, the Hawaiian people were, after fifteen centuries, still 'pure,' free of Western influence, and living a relatively comfortable stone-age existence.
Well introduced by R. M. Daggett and highly readable throughout, the book is appropriately short of broadly sensational characters and events, stressing instead the importance of honor and nobility of character, the warrior code and spirit, respect for self, family and nature, and finding the necessary path between individual and communal needs. Sneakiness, pettiness, and selfishness are disreputable qualities; facial beauty, excellent physical proportion, athletic ability and joy in life are highly valued.
Sex roles are traditional. Men are men and expected to be honorable, whether warrior, athlete, shaman, nobleman, folk-singer, story-teller, fisherman, farmer or food gatherer. Women are seen as behaving appropriately when warm, supportive, comforting, and pure of intention. Interestingly, though denied the best food under the tabu system, women are often portrayed as objects of veneration, worthy of the sacrifice of a man's life, and held as equals in love relationships. For both sexes, responsible and dedicated parenting is an fundamental function.
These are vital, proud legends of heroes and heroines; their blood can be felt percolating just under the book's pages. The stories are archetypal: there are quests and plagues upon the land, a high priest swallowed by a whale until comfortably vomited up, and solar and lunar myth motifs. War and the actions that lead to war are a constant theme; gods, demi-gods and goddesses are continually present. Though giants, evil spirits and monsters lurk under the sea, behind mountains and in trees and rocks, the writing is evenly balanced so just the suggestion of a hidden underwater cave, a long journey, an inter-family act of betrayal or a timeless, unconditional love creates the required interest and suspense. No single story-telling component is emphasized over another, and though each tale has a point and lesson of sorts, the writing is never didactic. Each of the legends is warmly told, and Kalakaua's terse but beautiful descriptions of nature are easy to visualize.
Amazingly, Kalakaua jumps from the myths of island antiquity to those of his own century without a shift or change of tone. For the Hawaiian people, he seems to be saying, the miraculous moment is always now, as it was then, in the present; the legends are still unfolding, and wonders never cease.
Legends And Myths of Hawaii also contains a map of the islands, an excellent glossary of Hawaiian words and their meanings, as well as a brief but effective pronunciation guide. Highly recommended.
Rating: 4
Summary: A wonderful look into Hawaiian culture
Comment: As a online pal of mine pointed out to me recently, many people who have visited Hawaii seem to be on a quest to find 'the real Hawaii' - unspoiled by American influence and modern capitalism. This book provides a very unique insight into the ancient Hawaiian culture. Interestingly enough, many of the stories - including the Hawaiian creation myth - bear a strong resemblance to that of other cultures. The legends compiled here are poetic and mystical, reading like the script to an anime movie. My personal favorite was 'The Iron Knife,' which recounts the story of the first metal weapon introduced to the islands. 'Umi, The Peasant Prince of Hawaii' is another one that stands out. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the book, however, lies in the fact that each ot the stories are just as based in fact as they are in fiction. I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a wanning interest in the islands. The only drawbacks I see is that to someone not familiar with the Hawaiian language, keeping some of the character names in line may take a bit of effort; and at times, the attention to small details are bordering on tedious. A great read, nonetheless.
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Title: Hawaiian Mythology by Martha Warren Beckwith, Katharine Luomala ISBN: 0824805143 Publisher: University of Hawaii Press Pub. Date: February, 1977 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: Shoal of Time a History of the Hawaiian Islands by Gavan Daws ISBN: 0824803248 Publisher: University of Hawaii Press Pub. Date: February, 1989 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: New Pocket Hawaiian Dictionary: With a Concise Grammar and Given Names in Hawaiian by Mary Kawena Pukui, Samuel H. Elbert, Esther T. Mookini, Yu Mapuana Nishizawa ISBN: 0824813928 Publisher: University of Hawaii Press Pub. Date: January, 1992 List Price(USD): $5.95 |
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Title: Ancient Hawaii by Herbert Kawainui Kane, Herb Kawainui Kane, Herb Kawainui Kane ISBN: 0943357020 Publisher: Kawainui Press Pub. Date: 08 August, 1998 List Price(USD): $12.50 |
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Title: The Secrets and Mysteries of Hawaii by Pila, Pila Chiles, Pila of Hawaii ISBN: 1558743626 Publisher: Health Communications Pub. Date: 01 August, 1995 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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