Hawai‘i Island Legends: Pele Pīkoi and Others

by Mary Kawena Pukui (Editor), Caroline Curtis, Don Robinson (Illustrator)

Here are the heroes, gods and goddesses of Hawai‘i at their most powerful and colorful—but here are also stories of a cowrie shell, a banana skin, a hidden island, and ordinary people who experienced extraordinary events. Collected and edited by noted Hawaiian scholar Mary Kawena Pukui, and retold for a broad audience by Caroline Curtis, this volume is delightful introduction to Hawai‘i's rich tradition of storytelling for young and old alike.

"[This] collection...will fascinate all who recognize how often truth is told in the guise of myths and legends."
— Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Other titles available in this series by Pukui and Curtis include Tales of the Menehune and Other Legends of Hawai‘i and The Water of Kāne and Other Legends of the Hawaiian Islands .

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction

198 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1949

Reviews

[Diz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent collection of Hawaiian folk tales. It includes tales of gods and of heroes, and all of them are told in a way that is easy to read. The stories range from about 2-12 pages long, so it's an easy book to pick up and put down. The illustrations are very nice and make it easy to visualize the stories. After reading this collection, I'd like to learn more about Hawaiian legend and history.

[Wanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful stories! I was absolutely enthralled by the parables and rich relationships between stories. The footnote with traditional Hawai’ian names for the characters was especially enlightening! I also admire the diverse sources for these stories, some told by Pukui, some transcribed from narratives told by elders to Pukui, and more still from other written sources.

[Steve Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun stories that shed light on traditional Hawaii lifestyles. Most are 10 pages or less and don't drag on making for easy reading. Recommended for kids or anyone interested in Hawaii folklore!

[Jon Thysell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of Hawaiian stories in a more contemporary writing style that's much easier to read casually.

[Sarah Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories and myths specific to the Big Island of Hawaii. Other islands are mentioned and have roles, but these stories revolve around the Big Island. We read one story on most mornings - each story is between 2-10 pages long. The kids and I had so much fun learning the myths and the characters from the stories! Definitely happy to have this one as part of our collection! :)