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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.
112 pages, Paperback
Published August 8, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 24, 2019
This book introduces the daily lives of Hawaiians before the arrival of Europeans. It's fascinating to see how resourceful they were. The art in this book is beautiful and illustrates the lives of Hawaiians very well.
September 8, 2021
I picked up Ancient Hawai’i at the bookstore here in Honolulu because it had a lot of really good illustrations and thought it might be a good starter book for the kids to learn about what life in Hawaii was like prior to the arrival of Europeans. The book is quite good and does a respectable job explaining a large array of topics including: religion, social structure, technology, diet, sports, arts, and warfare. The book generally puts a very positive spin on life in ancient Hawaii and tends to gloss over some of the harsher realities, but overall, rather informative. 3 stars.
What follows are my notes on the book.
The Hawaiians achieved a remarkably sophisticated society for a stone-age people. Literally. There was no source of metal on the islands. I can’t even comprehend how much harder that one fact made life for the Hawaiians. Everything from farming, to felling trees, to hollowing out canoes is simply harder by default. Yet they found innovative ways around all these issues.
The author relates that there were at least two major waves of migration from Polynesia. The first were pretty much wiped out by the second wave a thousand years later (we are only even aware of their existence from archeological evidence).
The author makes a compelling case that Hawaii was not simply stumbled upon by accident or shipwreck but required significant sailing experience to reach as it crosses a number of various currents and trade winds. Fiji/Samoa/Tonga were likely reached 3000 years ago, Tahiti, the Marquesas and Hawaii about 2000 years ago, and roughly 1000 years ago the second wave of Polynesians arrived in Hawaii (again, wiping out the first wave from 1000 years earlier). The fact that all this travel was basically accomplished in very large canoes makes their expeditions all the more remarkable.
When covering religion, at various points the author makes comparisons between European Christianity (with its priestly hierarchy or rituals) as well as polytheistic Greece or Rome (with their superstitions). The differences however also led to completely different worldviews and by extension systems of logic and decision making. The Judeo-Christian worldview sees the natural and supernatural as two different spheres. The Hawaiians did not make such a distinction and there was no concept of the supernatural as a sphere separate from nature. They did not have a god per se, but a multitude of spirits (for ancestors, volcanoes, seasons, etc). Disasters occurred when things got out of balance. Because the land was immortal and humans mortal, there was no concept of land ownership. Various kings did however grant custody of land to their faithful subjects.
Authority in Polynesia was based on seniority (inherited mana). Ruling chiefs (Ali’i) claimed descent from the most powerful spirits from which they inherited their mana, or spiritual power or authority. Incest was a routine part of royal culture because it kept the conduit of chiefly mana open and didn’t dilute it among the commoners (maka’ainana). The Ali’i closely guarded their mana, and a commoner who crossed a shadow of a chief could be killed for attempting to steal their mana. That said, any chief who desired a young common woman could still sleep with her at will (in fact it was welcomed by the family as a means of raising the mana and status of their offspring). When Captain Cook arrived, it was mostly the maka’ainana who were extremely enthusiastic to sleep with these strange and powerful men in hopes that their future offspring would inherit the mana from such a powerful people.
Kahuna were the priests of Hawaii. They advised the king, interpreted omens, and performed rituals to invoke the aid or mana of great spirits. There were various specialties among the kahuna as well as various types of temples where sacrifices could be performed. Human sacrifice was offered at times. The author notes that the victim could be a criminal or enemy already slain in battle (seems a bit whitewashed to me, a previous book on the subject noted that it could have simply been an unlucky maka’ainana who was strangled expressly for the purpose). The Kapu religious system often involved various taboos/declarations (for instance men and women were forbidden to eat together). This system ended under King Kamehameha II (really a result of the Queen Regent), prior to the arrival of Christian missionaries.
The Hawaiians had no alphabet or written language. Many of their rituals included hours of recitation that had to be done perfectly, a single mistake would completely undermine a ritual. The Hawaiians had a strong system of reciprocity. On the positive side, this often meant gifts were repeatedly handed from one to the next to pass on the blessing. On the negative side, it is very similar to “an eye for an eye” mentality.
Makahiki was an annual harvest festival and period of taxation. This was a period to replenish the earth after 8 months of using the land. Surfing is often referred to as the sport of kings in Hawaii. In reality, warfare was the sport of kings. Out of boredom or hunger for power, warfare was a pretty consistent element in Hawaiian life. With no metal, most of their weapons were either spears or clubs lined with shark teeth (although they had bow and arrows, for some reason they were rarely used in Hawaii).
The commoners (maka’ainana) filled various occupations (planters, artisans, fisherman, hunters, healers, and sailors). The book covers each in detail. There was a caste (for lack of a better word) of untouchables in Hawaii (those believed to possess no mana).
The book covers the Hawaiian diet (mostly sweet potatoes, breadfruit, taro, chicken, pork, and dogs). The Hawaiians had a variety of grass hut structures (men and women’s eating huts, specialized work areas (healing, canoe building, artisanal, etc). The author describes various tools, the most interesting of which is the adze, a sort of axe/chisel made from stone.
Canoes were the principal means of transportation. The Hawaiians built some extremely large canoes (usually 70 feet but upwards of 108 feet in length). The author covers how the design evolved over the years to fit Hawaiian needs.
Performing arts were a key part of Hawaiian culture. The most famous example is the hula, a highly sexual dance but also a form of poetry or means of honoring important spirits. The Hawaiians had an array of games/sports. Most of the important ones also served as mock training for future warriors. Gambling and sex were often factors in many of Hawaiian games.
What follows are my notes on the book.
The Hawaiians achieved a remarkably sophisticated society for a stone-age people. Literally. There was no source of metal on the islands. I can’t even comprehend how much harder that one fact made life for the Hawaiians. Everything from farming, to felling trees, to hollowing out canoes is simply harder by default. Yet they found innovative ways around all these issues.
The author relates that there were at least two major waves of migration from Polynesia. The first were pretty much wiped out by the second wave a thousand years later (we are only even aware of their existence from archeological evidence).
The author makes a compelling case that Hawaii was not simply stumbled upon by accident or shipwreck but required significant sailing experience to reach as it crosses a number of various currents and trade winds. Fiji/Samoa/Tonga were likely reached 3000 years ago, Tahiti, the Marquesas and Hawaii about 2000 years ago, and roughly 1000 years ago the second wave of Polynesians arrived in Hawaii (again, wiping out the first wave from 1000 years earlier). The fact that all this travel was basically accomplished in very large canoes makes their expeditions all the more remarkable.
When covering religion, at various points the author makes comparisons between European Christianity (with its priestly hierarchy or rituals) as well as polytheistic Greece or Rome (with their superstitions). The differences however also led to completely different worldviews and by extension systems of logic and decision making. The Judeo-Christian worldview sees the natural and supernatural as two different spheres. The Hawaiians did not make such a distinction and there was no concept of the supernatural as a sphere separate from nature. They did not have a god per se, but a multitude of spirits (for ancestors, volcanoes, seasons, etc). Disasters occurred when things got out of balance. Because the land was immortal and humans mortal, there was no concept of land ownership. Various kings did however grant custody of land to their faithful subjects.
Authority in Polynesia was based on seniority (inherited mana). Ruling chiefs (Ali’i) claimed descent from the most powerful spirits from which they inherited their mana, or spiritual power or authority. Incest was a routine part of royal culture because it kept the conduit of chiefly mana open and didn’t dilute it among the commoners (maka’ainana). The Ali’i closely guarded their mana, and a commoner who crossed a shadow of a chief could be killed for attempting to steal their mana. That said, any chief who desired a young common woman could still sleep with her at will (in fact it was welcomed by the family as a means of raising the mana and status of their offspring). When Captain Cook arrived, it was mostly the maka’ainana who were extremely enthusiastic to sleep with these strange and powerful men in hopes that their future offspring would inherit the mana from such a powerful people.
Kahuna were the priests of Hawaii. They advised the king, interpreted omens, and performed rituals to invoke the aid or mana of great spirits. There were various specialties among the kahuna as well as various types of temples where sacrifices could be performed. Human sacrifice was offered at times. The author notes that the victim could be a criminal or enemy already slain in battle (seems a bit whitewashed to me, a previous book on the subject noted that it could have simply been an unlucky maka’ainana who was strangled expressly for the purpose). The Kapu religious system often involved various taboos/declarations (for instance men and women were forbidden to eat together). This system ended under King Kamehameha II (really a result of the Queen Regent), prior to the arrival of Christian missionaries.
The Hawaiians had no alphabet or written language. Many of their rituals included hours of recitation that had to be done perfectly, a single mistake would completely undermine a ritual. The Hawaiians had a strong system of reciprocity. On the positive side, this often meant gifts were repeatedly handed from one to the next to pass on the blessing. On the negative side, it is very similar to “an eye for an eye” mentality.
Makahiki was an annual harvest festival and period of taxation. This was a period to replenish the earth after 8 months of using the land. Surfing is often referred to as the sport of kings in Hawaii. In reality, warfare was the sport of kings. Out of boredom or hunger for power, warfare was a pretty consistent element in Hawaiian life. With no metal, most of their weapons were either spears or clubs lined with shark teeth (although they had bow and arrows, for some reason they were rarely used in Hawaii).
The commoners (maka’ainana) filled various occupations (planters, artisans, fisherman, hunters, healers, and sailors). The book covers each in detail. There was a caste (for lack of a better word) of untouchables in Hawaii (those believed to possess no mana).
The book covers the Hawaiian diet (mostly sweet potatoes, breadfruit, taro, chicken, pork, and dogs). The Hawaiians had a variety of grass hut structures (men and women’s eating huts, specialized work areas (healing, canoe building, artisanal, etc). The author describes various tools, the most interesting of which is the adze, a sort of axe/chisel made from stone.
Canoes were the principal means of transportation. The Hawaiians built some extremely large canoes (usually 70 feet but upwards of 108 feet in length). The author covers how the design evolved over the years to fit Hawaiian needs.
Performing arts were a key part of Hawaiian culture. The most famous example is the hula, a highly sexual dance but also a form of poetry or means of honoring important spirits. The Hawaiians had an array of games/sports. Most of the important ones also served as mock training for future warriors. Gambling and sex were often factors in many of Hawaiian games.
January 26, 2021
This was an excellent overview of ancient Hawaiian culture and daily life that provided context through a modern lens. It also allowed us to see transitions from more ancient ways of life to how the culture shifted after the rule of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, the king or aliʻi nui of the island of Hawai’i who saw the arrival of James Cook and then again after the unification of the islands and the rein of Kamehameha I. The book details all areas of life from navigation and ruling politics to farming, religion, house building, tools, performing arts, cooking techniques, etc. The language is approachable and engaging with the right blend of English and Hawaiian, and the artwork of the paintings is beautiful and detailed.
January 31, 2026
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April 25, 2021
I love the photos in this book and it is really accessible to those who are not super familiar with Hawaiian history. I used it as a companion to From the Mountain to the Sea and a few children's books to teach my children the state required Hawaiian history. This is one that is worth the purchase if interested in Hawaiian history and culture in an easy to read, easy to digest, and beautifully displayed manner.
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April 8, 2020
Wonderful momento of the fabulous paintings of Herb Kawainui Kane.
February 6, 2021
Perfect intro to hawaiian history, though I would've liked to learn more about their mythology
April 24, 2022
Learned an array of topics on how Hawaiians lived before European arrivals.
November 13, 2023
A great overview of ancient Hawai'i, definitely makes me interested in finding a more detailed book.
December 11, 2023
A beautifully illustrated, albeit brief, introduction to the culture and ways of ancient Hawai’i. Authoritatively documented by a Herb Kāne, the late expert on Hawaiian history and culture.
November 23, 2014
I purchased this book at a gift shop on the Haleakala volcano, 10,000 feet up, so that makes it the highest elevation I've ever bought a book. I can check that off my bucket list.
It's a very nice and short historical and cultural book on Hawaii. There are beautiful colorful paintings on almost every page depicting the ancient Hawaiians and their culture. The ancient Polynesians we're very inventive and I found the concept of Mana interesting. It sounded similar to the concept of Karma from eastern religions.
This book was worth the purchase and a fascinating read.
It's a very nice and short historical and cultural book on Hawaii. There are beautiful colorful paintings on almost every page depicting the ancient Hawaiians and their culture. The ancient Polynesians we're very inventive and I found the concept of Mana interesting. It sounded similar to the concept of Karma from eastern religions.
This book was worth the purchase and a fascinating read.
November 27, 2014
Herb Kawainui Kane does an outstanding job describe various parts of life in Ancient Hawaii. In addition to being a thoughtful writer, Kane is a talented artist and his detailed works illustrate the book. The book provides a very good overview of live in the Hawaiian islands for those that first settled there. It will be interesting to see what Oahu is like when I visit there next month, in comparison to the view of the Ancient Hawaiians.
December 29, 2013
Magnificent art work that brings these people to life. The text is very well written and has a scholarly yet readable quality. It is a rather short book and I would recommend it to anyone who is curious about ancient Hawaii. My wife and I were vacationing on Maui with family when I picked this up, glad I did!
Read
June 2, 2007easy read very quick read.
February 18, 2008
Primarily of interest for the nice art depicting of Hawaiian life before discovery.
February 10, 2012
short, simple, easy to read. nice pictures.
January 5, 2013
Although well-written and researched, this book is really all about the magnificent artwork.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews