The Works of the People of Old: Na Hana a ka Poe Kahiko

by Samuel M. Kamakau, Mary Kawena Pukui (Translator), Dorothy Barrere (Editor)

Overview

In this volume, Kamakau examines the material culture of his ancestors, with a particular eye on the customs of the common people. He describes the cultivation of food and other plants used by the Hawaiians, such as olona for nets and rope, and hue ‘awa‘awa (bitter gourds) for containers. The book documents the rich Hawaiian tradition of fish farming, as well as the elaborate rituals of canoe making, kapa (bark cloth) making, and house construction. The accounts bring to light both technical detail and Hawaiian philosophy.

The text is a translated and edited version of a series of articles published in the Hawaiian-language newspaper Ke Au Okoa in 1869 and 1870. Additional volumes in this series included Ka Poe Kahiko: The People of Old and Tales and Traditions of the People of Old: Na Moolelo a ka Poe Kahiko also published by Bishop Museum Press.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940012828385
Publisher:	Bishop Museum Press
Publication date:	12/01/1976
Series:	Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum Special Publication , #61
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Samuel Kamakau, a Hawaiian scholar born on Oahu, was enrolled at the age of 17 in Lahainaluna Seminary on Maui. A brilliant student with a remarkable memory and a keen, insightful mind, Kamakau became a protege of Lahainaluna's Rev. Sheldon Dibble. Dibble urged his students to maintain an interest in their own culture, and with the aim of collecting first-hand accounts from native Hawaiians, formed the Islands' first historical society. Kamakau served as treasurer of the short-lived society and thus began a lifelong academic involvement with the history and traditions of his people.

Kamakau later taught at Lahainaluna and served in various official posts, including that of district judge of Wailuku. Eventually returning to Oahu, he was active in politics, serving several terms in the Legislature as a representative of various districts on Maui and Oahu. He married S. Hainakolo, and together they raised several children.

Kamakau's continuing interest in the history and culture of his people led him to write several series of articles. Published originally in Hawaiian-language newspapers during the 1860s and 1870s, translations of these articles have become important tools for the modern student of Hawaiian culture. Collected and edited, they have been published as Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii, Ka Poe Kahiko: The People of Old, The Works of the People of Old: Na Hana a ka Poe Kahiko, and Tales and Traditions of the People of Old: Na Moolelo a ka Poe Kahiko. Kamakau is among the most significant native Hawaiian historians of the 19th century.