Old Days

Hawaii In The Old Days

LTHOUGH a good deal of pre- European history of Polynesia ay be gleaned from the works of 2 early European explorers and issionaries, few old-time Polynesians er put much about their own ople down on paper.

One of the few who did was muel Kamakau, of Hawaii, who ntributed a series of articles on iwaiian history and culture to the :ekly newspapers Ku’oko’a and ? Au ’Oko’a from October 20, 66, to February 2, 1871.

In 1931, the Bishop Museum of anolulu sponsored the translation ;o English of these articles, and 1961 the historical material was blished under the title of Ruling liefs of Hawaii.

Now the Bishop Museum has blished Kamakau’s acount of iwaiian culture, which covers the riod both before and after the ming of the Europeans. Its title Ka Po’e Kahiko (The People of d).

Dorthy B. Barrere, who edited d arranged the material, says in a •eword to the book: “David Malo, the classic work Hawaiian inquiries, gave a broad outline of ; ancient culture; John li’s personal periences, recounted in Fragments Hawaiian History, revealed the ictioning of that culture. Ka Po’e \hiko now adds those details which r e new depth and meaning to these o works. The three are a corn site picture of Hawaiian beliefs d customs as they were in the cient days and in the transitional riod of acculturation to introduced nights and concepts.”—R.L.

KA PO’E KAHIKO. Bishop Museum iss. $5.00 US.)