Hawaiian folk tales: A Collection of Native Legends

About this book

This volume is a curated anthology of Hawaiian legends assembled in the early twentieth century, presented as a response to the growing concern that much of the islands’ oral tradition was slipping away. The editor explains that the collection draws on the contributions of a range of authorities, Rev. A. O. Forbes, Dr. N. B. Emerson, Mrs. E. M. Nakuina, and others, who have supplied material for “The Hawaiian Annual” and the Hawaiian Historical Society. The book opens with a scholarly preface that traces the efforts of early scholars such as Judge Fornander, Dr. Rae, and King Kalākaua to preserve native folklore, before moving into the first legend, a creation story that parallels Old Testament motifs. The contents list then guides the reader through dozens of tales, from the exploits of Maui to the mythic shark‑man Nanaue, each accompanied by illustrations of Hawaiian landscapes and cultural scenes.

The language reflects the formal, documentary style of the period, mixing detailed ethnographic commentary with the narrative voice of the original chants. The prose is dense but accessible, preserving the rhythm of the source material while providing ample footnotes and a glossary for unfamiliar terms. Readers with an interest in Pacific anthropology, comparative mythology, or nineteenth‑century missionary scholarship will find the collection rewarding, as will anyone who appreciates richly detailed folklore presented with historical context.

Opening lines

It is becoming more and more a matter of regret that a larger amount of systematic effort was not established in early years for the gathering and preservation of the folk-lore of the Hawaiians. The world is under lasting obligations to the late Judge Fornander, and to Dr. Rae before him, for their painstaking efforts to gather the history of this people and trace their origin and migrations; but Fornander's work only has seen the light, Dr. Rae's manuscript having been accidentally destroyed by fire. …

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