Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 1987 — Book Review [ARTICLE]

Book Review

By Maleolm Naea Chun An Oeean in Mind Will Kyselka University of Hawaii Press $14.95

This is a long overdue book on the "technical" voyage of rediscovering how it was possible for Hawaiians to travel between Hawaii and Tahiti. Other publications on Hokule'a have discussed aspects of preparation, the daily logs of those on board and the many celebrations of leaving and arriving, but this book is about the development through the mind of a Hawaiian and the aid of modern science to find the way to Tahiti. It is about the adventure of Hawaiian navigator Nainoa Thompson and astronomer Will Kyselka in discovering that celestial path, the difficulties and triumphs encountered in the recreation of a system using nature as one's eompass.

Kyselka's style of writing is an easy narrative, mixing astronomy and recollections of Thompson's development and discovery. One of the highlights is to read about the system Thompson invented as his star eompass to guide Hokule'a, how he eame about it and how it worked. Other interesting parts are Kyselka's recollection of Mau Piailug, Thompson's Micronesian mentor and the adventures he and Kyselka have had travelling about the Pacific. This book is well illustrated with diagrams and many personal black and white photographs taken by the author. lt is a fitting conclusion to the recently eompleted "Voyage of Rediscovery" and for those who have been involved or have found interest in "traditional" Polynesian navigation, An Oeean in Mind would be well worth the pnee.

Na Mele Hula A Collection of Hawaiian Hula Chants By Nona Beamer The Institute for Polynesian Studies $14.95 There are 33 traditional and contemporary hula chants presented in this Volume I and they eome from the repertoire of Aunty Nona Beamer. Having retired from her instructor's position at the Kamehameha Schools, Aunty Nona Beamer has been sharing her family's and her own materials on "Hawaiiana" through several publications. This one on hula chants continues that process of sharing with old and new students.

Eaeh hula chant is preceded with a brief description, the Hawaiian and English text and then a form of musical notation. The range of selections goes from chants taken from the famous Pele-Hi'iaka cycle to those eomposed by the late Aliee Namakelua. This compact volume, again the first of perhaps several, will be of use to those interested in hula, poetry and music. It will certainly be a beloved token for those who were under the instruction and care of Aunty Nona Beamer. — MNC

Na Leo I Ka Makani Voices on the Wind Text and Verse by Palani Vaughan Mutual Publishing and Editions Limited $24.95 There have been many historic photograph books published about Hawaiians and Hawai'i. This eompilation by Palani Vaughan, under the art direction of Bill Fong and Leo Gonzalez, is the first large, hard bound edition by a Native Hawaiian. Unlike other books whieh present the photographs from a historical perspective, Vaughan uses a native point of view by examining the Hawaiian life through its people, its family system, its elders, its chiefs and its celebrations. His text is poetic, based upon folk-lore and traditions and emphasizes the importance of Hawaiian language to Hawaiian concepts, beliefs and a world view.

The photographs are of people than of places and they are excellently reproduced. It is the great quality of reproduction that brings life to this book as if it were your own family photograph album. It is unfortunate that the commentary and description of eaeh photograph does not probe deeper into more social commentary such as photographs made for the tourist trade, the manner in whieh people posed and so on. Such valuable eommentary on the photography of indigenous peoples has been important as these images are the basis to how other people view them. A famous example are the photographs of Edward Curtis whose photography of Native American Indians at one time were praised as the last true images of them living in their own traditional culture. Careful examination of his photographs and new biographies on Curtis have reviewed that most of his photographs were staged poses in whieh he "dressed" his subjects to make them more "native" or "traditional" than "western" as they truly were.

In Voices on the Wind, there are photographs seen for the first time in print, such as those taken by Francis Sinclair whieh were "discovered" in the Auckland Institute and Museum. However, the commentary and description of these rare photographs is, at best poor. It cou!d have been noted that most people gathered in the photograph are in their Sunday best, but some of them are also still wearing malo. In a photograph of David Ka'iwa and son maintaining "the family treasures," more ethnographic information and insight could bring out the

vitality of the photograph; such as the usage of a taro corm Ka'iwa is rubbing on the calabash bowl. Or eommentary on the "Lu'au gathering" taken by Alonso Gartley could have noted the changes in food presentation as compared to today's buffet line. This is a contribution to visual understanding of Hawaiian life and it is a particular quality book to have been published in the Year of the Hawaiian. Like other historical photography books, this would be an exc.ellent addition to one's library and references. — MNC