Of Polynesia

Something For Students

Two Book Reviews

Hawaii: A History

rpHIS attractively-produced book, pub- X lished by Prentice-Hall, Inc., New York, is written by two Americans — Ralph S. Kuykendall, Professor of His tory at the University of Hawaii; and A.

Grove Day, Professor in English at the same University.

It states inside the front cover flap that, as well as being a history (from Polynesian Kingdom to American Com monwealth), deftly woven into it are all the “magic qualities of the exotic meet ing place of East and West—the languorous beauty of the land, the gentle swaying of palms, flower-scented breezes, hula dancing . . . etc.”

Frankly, we didn't get this atmos phere at all. If you want a first-rate reference gook on Hawaii this should serve the purpose. But if you want hula maids and flower-scented breezes —forget it. It is about as interesting to read as any other straight history book; no more, no less. Full of dates and statis tics and facts. No romance;' no love interest.

It will, however, make interesting reading for any student of Polynesia al though the interest lies wholly in the contrasts between Hawaii and other Poly nesian lands. In fact, judged on the material contained in this volume, it appears that Hawaii has no longer any valid claim to being called a Polynesian island at all. Culture clashes have been greater here than anywhere else in the Pacific and what little of Polynesia is retained seems to serve only one purpose—that of tourism. In 1830 it was estimated that the population of Hawaii was 130,000—all Hawaiian. In 1948, it was half a million, made up of 180,000 Caucasians, 176,000 Japs, 70,000 part-Hawaiians of various varieties. 53,000 Filipinos, 30,000 Chinese, 10,000 Hawaiians, 9,000 Puerto Ricans. 7,000 Koreans and 1,600 others.

The land laws of Hawaii differ con siderably from those of other island territories in the South Pacific, in so far as there has apparently been no effort to secure the land to the native Hawaiians. At annexation, all the gov ernment and crown lands became the property of the United States. At various times attempts have been made to popularise homestead leases —that is small areas of land designed for indi vidual farming, at small rentals—but these were not popular with the Hawaiians, for whom they were originally

designed, and have been only a limited success. Possibly this failure, as far as the Hawaiians are concerned, can be attributed to their old, pre-European, native feudal set-up. The Hawaiian commoner’s life, liberty and happiness seemed to depend wholly upon the whims, fancies and material ups and downs of his immediate chief, who depended for his, upon some other chief higher up.

Homesteading, we are told, has often lent itself to land racketeering and the bulk of the best agricultural land to-day is in the hands of a few estates.

HOWEVER. although the native Hawaiian may be virtually landless and although he makes up but a small proportion of the population of his islands, few, if any, have raised their voices to condemn the results of Ameri can democracy on the Hawaiian people.

Although large and growing European and Asiatic imported communities have divested the native of his birth right and will, in the near future, engulf him al together, there is not any agitation to deport, for example, the 176,000 Japs.

This is in contrast to Fiji, where some people feel that the only way to solve the Indian problem (the Indians having been imported into Fiji originally for the same purpose as the Japanese into Hawaii —to work on the cane fields) is to send the 120,000 Indians back home in order to save the 100,000 indigenous Fijians and their lands. The Japs stay in Hawaii and are (most of them) classed as “good Americans”.

Nor, although Hawaiians and Hawaiiana are used strictly for tourist bally-hoo (hulas, leis, beach-boys, grass skirts, guitars, etc.) and little else, are the Americans accused of being imperial istic exploiters.

To residents of South Pacific terri tories who continually are accused of these sins, and many more, this seems strange. Particularly so as some of the severest critics of British native policy are certain factions of the American public.

The sixty-dollar question is: Have the Hawaiians got more out of American democracy than the Cook Islanders have got from New Zealand democracy; or the Fijians from British Democracy?—J.T. (Hawaii: A HISTORY. Sells in the United States for $3.)

An Introduction To Samoan

Custom

rjMHIS handy reference book was written X by F. J. H. Grattan, Secretary of Samoan Affairs, Western Samoa, and a well-known resident of that Territory since 1929..

Apart from its literary merit, the reader is struck first by the extraordinary manner of compilation—that is, extra ordinary for this day. For the book was entirely hand-set, in Apia, Western Samoa, from rather old type that was in short supply. When the first pages were set up and printed the type was then broken up, further pages were set and printed—and so on until the whole was completed. Paper was also hard to get but the finished book reflects great credit on those who overcame almost insuper able difficulties to produce it.

In his preface Mr. Grattan stresses that the book serves only as an introduction (Continued Next Page)

to Samoan customs and culture, but the average reader will find it sufficiently detailed for any purpose. It will prob ably leave many former visitors to the Territory wondering how frequently they have violated, through ignorance, Samoan ideas of etiquette.

A book of this sort is long overdue.

Apart from the paucity of Western Samoa’s general literature this is the first attempt to present the Samoan social system to the visitor in simple terms or to show him what is required of him as a guest. Although it is pointed out that it is not expected that visitors will have more than a super ficial knowledge of Samoan custom and while breaches of etiquette and custom are forgiven if obviously not meant to give offence, it is not a bad thing to have some knowledge of what constitutes good manners in Samoan society. This ap plies particularly to government officials and visitors of some standing. It should also be a “must” for the more ordinary run of tourist who frequently makes no effort to understand the culture of the country which he temporarily honours with his presence and who has come to be regarded, in many parts of the globe, as profitable, but otherwise a pain in the neck.

MR. GRATTAN takes the, visitor on a tour of Samoa and introduces him to all those aspects of life in a Samoan village with which he is likely to come into contact. Accommodation, food, gifts, speeches, customs, all those things that are done, or are not done— these are dealt with, and, at the same time, the reader gains an excellent in sight into the Samoan social pattern, of which little has Ipeen recorded in readable form.

All information is current; final chap ters deal with the impact of the Ameri can war-time invasion and the post war period. It is a welcome addition to Pacific literature.

Copies may be obtained from the author, F. J. H. Grattan, Apia, Western Samoa, for 12/6 (NZ).-J.T.