Ancient Hawaiian Civilization

First published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

"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." -- Amazon.com viewed August 7, 2020.

Drawing on archaeological and ethnohistorical sources, this book redefines the study of primary states by arguing for the inclusion of Polynesia, which witnessed the development of primary states in both Hawaii and Tonga.

Ku and Hina—man and woman—were the great ancestral gods of heaven and earth for the ancient Hawaiians. They were life's fruitfulness and all the generations of mankind, both those who are to come and those already born. The Hawaiian gods were like great chiefs from far lands who visited among the people, entering their daily lives sometimes as humans or animals, sometimes taking residence in a stone or wooden idol. As years passed, the families of gods grew and included the trickster Maui, who snared the sun, and fiery Pele of the volcano. Ancient Hawaiians lived by the animistic philosophy that assigned living souls to animals, trees, stones, stars, and clouds, as well as to humans. Religion and mythology were interwoven in Hawaiian culture; and local legends and genealogies were preserved in song, chant, and narrative. Martha Beckwith was the first scholar to chart a path through the hundreds of books, articles, and little-known manuscripts that recorded the oral narratives of the Hawaiian people. Her book has become a classic work of folklore and ethnology, and the definitive treatment of Hawaiian mythology. With an introduction by Katherine Luomala.

Ancient Hawaiian Civilization takes us back to Hawaii's " stone age," when there wasn't an alphabet, numbering system, or other civilized distinctions as we know them. Still rules of living, modes, and customs permitted large numbers of people to live healthfully and happily throughout the islands. This fascinating history of Hawaii is " must" reading for anyone who has been, wants to go, or lives in America 's 50th State. This book authoritatively introduces the general reader to what was once a golden era of Hawaiian history and culture, the time when the islands were strictly Hawaiian Hawaii. Though the islands are almost completely westernized today, many facets from this golden age remain to make America's 50th State a " living laboratory" for the cultural and social study of racial migration and assimilation. This volume represents the knowledge and experience of no less than 16 scholars. The combined areas of specialization by no less than 16 authors have been carefully selected and grouped to make up this volume. Together, the authors comprise a truly formidable forum of Hawaiian thought and learning. Ethnologists, geologists, zoologists, and medical doctors are but a few of the areas of specialization represented in these pages.

This book is intended as a general introduction to the ethnobotany of the Hawaiians and as such it presumes, on the part of the reader, little background in either botany or Hawaiian ethnology. It describes the plants themselves, whether cultivated or brought from the forests, streams, or ocean, as well as the modes of cultivation and collection. It discusses the preparation and uses of the plant materials, and the methods employed in building houses and making canoes, wearing apparel, and the many other artifacts that were part of the material culture associated with this farming and fishing people.