Product Description

Political and historical traditions and stories of the pre-Cook period capture the romance of old Polynesia. A rich collection of Hawaiian lore originally presented in 1888 by Hawaii's "Merrie Monarch." Introduction by Glen Grant.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #423964 in Books
• Published on: 1990-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 576 pages

From the Inside Flap

Customer Reviews

An Invaluable Folklore Document By Hawaii's Last King
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 subjectivity, only a thoroughly objective, enthusiastic and well-conceived scholarly overview will be able to equal it.

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 (taboo) traditions. Though Christian missionaries were to arrive later, the conspirators had recently witnessed the arrival of foreign merchants to the islands, white men who appeared to act as they pleased without receiving fatal punishment from the native gods. The weak young king, already something of a hedonist, was 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--their entire centuries-old religious system--officially went into the fire forever.

Author Kalakaua, a direct descendant of the royal line, was famous during his reign for attempting to reverse this cultural dissolution and return the full majesty of the ancient 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, sensitive readers may sense the author's mental, emotional, and historical intimacy with his material. Only a hundred years before his book was published, the Hawaiian people were still 'pure,' free of Western influence, and living a relatively comfortable stone-age existence after fifteen centuries. .

Beautifully introduced by R. M. Daggett and highly readable throughout, the text underscores the importance of honor, nobility of character, the warrior code, respect for self, family and nature, and finding the necessary balance between individual and communal needs. Sneakiness, pettiness, and selfishness are found to be disreputable qualities; facial beauty, excellent physical proportion, athletic ability, personal integrity, and joy in life are highly valued.

As outlined by the tales, gender roles are traditional: men are expected to be masculine and honorable, whether warrior, sportsman, shaman, folk-singer, fisherman, or farmer. Women are observed to be behaving appropriately when warm, supportive, comforting, and pure of intention. Interestingly, though denied the better 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 fundamental.

These are vital, proud legends of heroes and heroines; their blood percolates through the book's pages. Expectedly, the stories are largely archetypal: there are quests, plagues upon the land, a high priest swallowed by a whale, and solar and lunar motifs. War and the conflicts 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 storytelling component is emphasized over another, and though each tale has an ethical point and lesson, the writing is never didactic. Each of the legends is enthusiastically told, and Kalakaua's terse descriptions of nature are simply beautiful.

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.

A wonderful look into Hawaiian culture
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.

Fact , Fiction, Past , Present, All The Same To His Majesty!
The Legends and Myths of Hawaii is one of the finest books you will ever read concerning that magical fleet of islands anchored in the Pacific, not to mention one of the very best mythology books you will find anywhere. Written with great gusto by David Kalakaua, His Hawaiian Majesty who was also somewhat of a Renaissance Man, these fabulous tales mix fact with fiction, historical figures with gods and goddesses, past and present into a rich stew of oral myth/history, certain to captivate even the most jaded reader. Indeed, the most striking feature of these wonderful tales is how the author accepts as gospel truth many suppositions that scientists and cultural anthopologists are still debating more than a century after his death. For example, most "scholarly" references to Ancient Hawaii mention the Menehunes, that proto-Hawaiian, pre-Polynesian race of people that supposedly inhabited the islands until the turn of the last millenium, but most sources still conjecture whether this band of early settlers existed in actual fact or only in myth and legend. His Majesty not only acknowledges that Menehunes lived and thrived, but actually may have survived the later "Polynesian invasion" which was supposed to have wiped them out; he cites a recent census where 65 inhabitants of a remote valley actually identified themselves as "Menehune"!!! It seems that many of our esteemed present-day scholars should in fact examine these tales more closely, the better to clear up ancient factual mysteries. (Halfway around the world, Hellenistic scholars, those concerned with ancient Greece, used Homer in their quest to unearth their legendary rival city of Troy in present-day Turkey. The bards of old truly knew what they were talking about!!) Fans of Greek and other mythologies, as well as The Bible, will no doubt discover similarities between several of these stories and the legends of other cultures, most notably in the tale of "Hina, the Helen of Hawaii," that leads off this collection. Still, even if you could care a hill of taro for the factual content or scholarly discussions of Ancient Hawaii, do yourself a favor and buy this book anyway. Kalakaua, is first and foremost, a great storyteller, and all those who love a great story will be thrilled for hours. It's hard to pick out personal favorites because all are so good, but "Hina," "Umi, the Peasant Prince of Hawaii," and any story starring Pele, the often beautiful, always dangerous volcano goddess, are all standouts. So, if you love the myth and magic that is Hawaii, buy this most wonderful book today. The words of His Majesty await your endless pleasure!