Ancient Hawaii
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Book Summary Information
Illustrator: Herb Kawainui KaneEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1998-08-08
ISBN: 0943357020
Number of pages: 112
Publisher: Kawainui Press
Book Reviews of Ancient Hawaii
Book Review: A nice summary of the life and customs of ancient Hawaiians
Summary: 5 Stars
Herb Kawainui Kane (pronounced KAH-ney) is a master artist, voyaging canoe designer, and Hokule`a captain. He is also author of Ancient Hawaii, a visual extravaganza of his vision, based on research and his artistic interpretation, of the life and times of pre- and post-contact Hawaiians.
Kane writes: "Without writing, kahuna were the living libraries of the old culture, preserving knowledge in trained memories. Some feats of memory seem incredible today. The story of Kamapua1a required sixteen hours of word-perfect recitation. Some temple invocations, we are told, in which any mistake would break the power of the words, required two days to deliver. Early Christian missionaries were astonished to find among their converts some who could recite entire books from the Bible soon after learning to read. Knowledge kept in living memories and shared only among a select few is extremely fragile, which helps explain why so much has been lost. One epidemic of an introduced disease could wipe out the masters of a guild, and with them knowledge accumulated over millennia. Disenfranchised in 1819 and subsequently condemned by Christian missionaries as sorcerers and witch doctors, their veil of secrecy became their shroud" (p. 40).
Given the reduction of the Hawaiian population from a high of over 800,000 to only 40,000 in a hundred years, Kane's hypothesis explains a great deal.
"Much that we would like to know about them has been lost by the impact of Western ways as well as their own customs of secrecy. Much of what remains is tantalizingly indistinct, blurred through the lens of our modern vision, distorted by the fantasies and embellishments all peoples invent about their pasts" (p. 7). I think Kane would admit that his personal fantasies affect him as well, with his depictions of ancient life in his paintings, noble and proud. Regardless, his paintings are magnificent, and they are well integrated into his text.
Ancient Hawaii is a nice addition to the secondary literature on Hawaii's history. For the price, it is probably the best bargain around.
Summary of Ancient Hawaii
How ancient Polynesian explorers found the Hawaiian Islands, the most remote in Earth's largest sea; how they navigated, how they viewed themselves and their universe, and the arts, crafts, and values by which they survived and prospered without metals or the fuels and inventions believed necessary for life today.Australia Books
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