Hawaiian Legends of Ghosts and Ghost Gods [Hardcover]

William D. Westervelt (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1964

1916. A diverse collection of the legends of the Hawaiian Islands. Contents Part I-Legends: The Ghost of Wahaula Temple; Maluae and the Underworld; A Giant's Rock Throwing; Kalo-Eke-Eke, The Timid Taro; Legendary Canoe Making; Lau-Ka-Ieie; Kauhuhu, the Shark God of Molokai; The Shark Man of Waipio Valley; the Strange Banana Skin; The Old Man of the Mountain; Hawaiian Ghost Testing; How Milu Became the King of Ghosts; A Visit to the King of Ghosts; Kalai-Pahoa, the Poison God; Ke-Ao-Mele-Mele, the Maid of the Golden Cloud; Poona and the Dragon; Ke-Au-Nini; and The Bride from the Underworld. Part II- Description: The Deceiving of Kewa; Homeless and Desolate Ghosts; Aumakuas or Ancestor Ghost Gods; The Dragon Ghost Gods; and Home of the Ancestors.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 262 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (December 1964)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804802386
• ISBN-13: 978-0804802383
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,242,107 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hawaiian Legends of Ghosts and Ghost Gods, July 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Hawaiian Legends of Ghosts and Ghost-Gods (Paperback)

I feel that this book was well researched and very interesting. As I read through the stories, I was reminded of the Hawaiian legends I was told as a child. What I thoroughly enjoyed was how the author told the stories of all the islands in the Hawaiian chain. In this way it showed a distinct difference between the Hawaiians of each island and yet portrayed the very rich oral tradition of the culture that unites the Hawaiian people. Whether the reader wants to learn more about ancient Hawai'i, or is like myself wanting to reminisce about the stories of childhood, everyone will enjoy this book. The only critique I have is the way in which Mr. Westervelt uses the Hawaiian laguage incorrectly. He uses the rules of the English laguage to express Hawaiian words. Because this book is about Hawai'i and repeatedly makes use of Hawaiian words, I would have liked to see more consultation with those who speak Hawaiian to ensure more accuracy in his account of these legends.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A goldmine of Hawaiian myths and folktales, February 5, 2004

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hawaiian Legends of Ghosts and Ghost-Gods (Paperback)

This fascinating tome, originally published in 1916, is a goldmine of Hawaiian myths and folktales. But, the book is more than that; through the use of the individual tales, the author attempts to give the reader a thorough understanding of Hawaiian folk beliefs about death. Overall, I found this to be a fun and highly informative read. If you interested in Hawaiian mythology and folklore, then you must read this book!