Customer Reviews

Hawaiian Nation : Man, Gods, and Nature

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This book is a must for any person interested in an academic book on traditional Hawaiian philosophy and cosmology. It is a very readable and unique book. However, the occasional extrapolation of ideas from other polynesian cultures was done, instead of saying "We don't know". Overall a keeper. I plan to read it again and I strongly recommend it to friends.

Anyone who is interested in "kahuna wisdom" or "huna" should read this book.

Written by a Native Hawaiian, this book explains in detail a world-view of the ancient Hawaiians, the thought framework from which they approached the world. What is presented here is material collected from ancient chants and stories, beginning with the Kumulipo.

Much of the book is a nontechnical re-writing of the writer's doctoral dissertation. As such, it relies on accepted references and has been read and approved by numerous authorities on Hawaiian traditions.

However, it is a short (124 pages of text) and easy-to-read overview, with useful drawings and delightful stories given as examples.

As the author says, this is only one world-view of the Hawaiians, but it is powerful and authentic.