The Hawaiian Canoe [Hardcover]

Tommy Holmes (Author), Abraham Piianaia (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1993

This is the definitive comprehensive work on the history, skills and traditions of the Hawaiian canoe from ancient voyaging craft through the evolution to the modern racing canoe. Numerous specially commissioned diagrams and illustrations, along with a wealth of photographs---many previously unpublished---will delight anyone with an interest in the maritime history of Hawaii. Starting at the time of Christ, Polynesians began probing the farthest inhabitable reaches of the Pacific. By 1200 A.D. they had settled remote Easter Island to the east, Hawaii to the north, and New Zealand to the south---in short, every habitable island in a sweep of blue roughly equal in size to the entire land mass of the Western hemisphere. They discovered the Pacific, where there were roughly two units of land for every thousand units of water. It would be centuries before western man would venture out of sight of land. Hawaii, land of the most geographically isolated culture on earth! , would be discovered and settled more than a thousand years before Captain Cook was born.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 220 pages
• Publisher: Editions Limited; 2nd edition (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0915013150
• ISBN-13: 978-0915013159
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 11.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,552,562 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding history of the outrigger canoe, December 17, 2006

By 

Gary Testa "Longboardebo" (Novato, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hawaiian Canoe (Hardcover)

This book is a must have if you are serious about outrigger canoes. Tommy Holmes, who is no longer with us, spent 25 years gathering the hands on experience as well as the facts about the outrigger canoe in its Hawaiian island creation. The book has wonderful pictures of both canoes and paddles, and delves into many facts including design, use, materials, paddling technique, etc. Overall it may be both the only one of its kind and certainly one the best in the catagory

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hut Ho, January 18, 2007

By 

Jeanne M. M. Miller "Hawaii Nei" (Bartlesville, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hawaiian Canoe (Hardcover)

I have not received the book yet but I had one when it was first printed but cannot find it now so I am getting another via Amazon.com.

I loved the first one and read it from cover to cover but after a few moves I missed placed it. I want another because it told stories of canoe building, paddling and the love and respect of this sport and canoe building. I recommend this book highly for the author, Tommy Holmes, would be very happy. Tommy is paddling his own canoe in heaven. Aloha bradah!

Mahalo Amazon.com and family I look forward to receiving my book soon!

Jeanne

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have!, October 22, 2011

By 

John T. Turner (Nevada City, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hawaiian Canoe (Hardcover)

If you are seriously into the history of outrigger canoes then this book is a "must have." Today outrigger canoe racing is established (and becoming very popular) around the world. All ages and both sexes participate. After getting into the sport some of us become interested in the history and the culture and we find that you cannot separate the history and the impact on the culture from the racing aspect. This book has two editions with the 2nd edition going into greater detail of the racing aspect of the sport. I own a 2nd edition and find it fascinating reading, full of details on the development of the canoe and how it was used by Polynesians to settle the Pacific Ocean. Of course, the canoes you see in Waikiki were not the kind used to traverse the ocean but are pretty much the same type that race in some intense conditions. It seems that Tommy Holmes did not miss a detail. In fact, you'll sometimes think this book was written as a doctoral thesis. If you can find an edition (1st or 2nd) in good condition with the dust jacket for under $50 snap it up! It won't disappoint!!