Hilo Legends

by Frances Reed (Adapter), Christine Reed (Editor), Jan Moon (Illustrator)

The charming legends associated with landmarks around the town of Hilo on the Island of Hawaii have been retold in words and pictures in this compilation of favorite stories. Two new stories about King Kamehameha have been added to this revised edition. The Story of the Naha Stone, tells the legendary tale of Kamehameha s connection to the historic Hilo relic that can be visited in front of the Hilo Public Library. A pivotal historical event on the coast south of Hilo resulted in Kamehameha proclaiming The Law of the Splintered Paddle, the Hawaiian Kingdom s first written law that has become a model for the protection of human rights during a time of war and upheaval. How Hilo Got Its Name interweaves historical lore with another tale of Kamehameha. The Story of Coconut Island and the Maui and Hina legends centering on Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots reflect the traditions of the famous demi-god and goddess immortalized in tales throughout Polynesia. Local myth about the Halai Hills illustrates the ancient Hawaiians celebration of place and the wealth of the oral tradition that connected generations of people to the land. These ancient stories celebrating the history and landmarks of Hilo will continue to entertain and enlighten for generations to come.

Genres: History

68 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1987

Reviews

[Diz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the legends in this collection are about local landmarks, so if you are familiar with the landmarks in Hilo or are visiting Hilo in the near future, these stories can be interesting. If you're not familiar with the landmarks, the stories here may not capture your imagination.

[Eric Shaffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and interesting read.

[Bonnie Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some wonderful little legends in this slim volume that explain how various things in Hilo got their names, including the town itself. The Wailuku River plays a major role in many of them. A good book for those who have been to Hilo or who are interested in Hilo lore.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Myths of the Hawaiian Islands. Informative with fabulous illustrations.

[Lavinia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I was really prepared to remember last week's trip to Hawaii with this book. I played some hawaiian music and started reading these legends. I was hoping to see tradition and be absorbed into the storyteller's world. Instead, the writing has no passion, no natural flow, it's only a direct display of facts (well, not really facts, right?) I enjoyed reading about the places that I visited myself, some of the legends were interesting, but they lacked the foundation (for example, I'm not at all familiar with the early religion of hawaiians, I had to have a wikipedia tab around so that I can get some context for what I'm reading).

The reason for this bad rating is not in the legend itself, but because of the author. Frances Reed doesn't seem to have any storytelling skills whatsoever. A teenager could tell a story better than the way it's told in this book. Luckily, the book was short (the edition I'm reading has about 70 pages), so it was an ok-read for one evening to get familiar just a little bit with what hawaiians thought.

[J. Wootton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very local folklore collection, establishing a clearer geography for the reader than a more generic (e.g., "Hawaiian Legends") does.