Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 1 January 1983 — KA HOʻIKE BUKE [ARTICLE]

KA HOʻIKE BUKE

Judith Graham. Hawaiian Voices, The Bess Press 1982.

Hawaiian Voices is a collection of essays seeking to portray three periods of time in Hawai'i's history. Lhe first section discusses the eariy historic literature of Hawaiians. The Kumulipo, the creation and genealogical chant is described in terms of male and l'emale forces, whieh create a rich tapestry ol progressively complex life forms emerging from the oeean depths and moving on to the islands. The works of Samuel Kamakua and John Papa li, important historians of" the post-contact era are also part of this section. Kamakau's Iiterary career rellected the breadth ol his interests as well as the inlJuences of change upon his own personal outlook of island history. I'i on the other hand. was mueh nearerto the ali'i nobility than his counterpart. He was more eoncerned with theritualand pastimes ofthe Hawaiian chiefs and his words rellected a "different tone and higher sophistication." In her second section. Graham is concerned with historical institutions. Ulumaheihei Hoapili. father of the high chiefess L.iliha. through his position as a ehiel inlluenced the course of education and Christianity. The mis-

sionaries Asa and Lucy Thruston were by contrast eoncerned with influencing the government along more religious precepts. The Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society was devoted to the advancement of large scale agricultural eflorts. Encouraged by Chief .lustice William L. Lee. the acquisition ol land and the subsequent importation of Chinese labor soon followed. The overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893 is perhaps the best of this informative chapter. Excerpts from newspaper accounts highlighi the political and eeonomie dynamics of the revolution. The last section is taken from various oral history sources. Accounts of changes occurringat Anaeho'omalu Bay, Kuka'ilimoku Village on the Kona-Kohala coast, are accounts of the pressures of development upon island living. It discusses the effects of hotel tourism on such a slow-paced lile. I he literary \irtures of this bookarefound initsvariety ol subject matter and the changes in mood and tempo. There are excellent photos by Boone Morrison and art work by Martin Charlot.