Hawaiian Mythology. Illustrated

Availability:
Ebook in EPUB format. Available for immediate download after we receive your order

DRM:
Open - No Protection

Publication Year:
2025

ISBN-13: 9786178625313

Martha Warren Beckwith’s Hawaiian Mythology (first published in 1940) stands as a landmark work in the preservation and interpretation of the rich spiritual and narrative traditions of the Hawaiian people. As one of the foremost ethnographers of her time, Beckwith blends rigorous scholarship with deep cultural sensitivity, offering readers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of Polynesian cosmology, legends, gods, and folk traditions.

The book covers an impressive range of topics—from the creation myths of the Hawaiian islands to the adventures of gods like K?ne, Lono, and Kanaloa, and the legendary deeds of demi-gods like M?ui. Beckwith presents genealogies, chants, hero epics, and love stories, many of which were gathered from oral sources and early Hawaiian texts. She also compares Hawaiian mythology with traditions from other parts of Polynesia, placing these narratives in a broader cultural and historical context.

More than just a collection of stories, Hawaiian Mythology is a valuable academic and cultural document. It preserves a worldview where the divine and natural are deeply intertwined, and where storytelling functions as both entertainment and sacred knowledge. Beckwith’s careful annotations and insightful commentary offer readers both clarity and reverence for the traditions she records.

This edition of Hawaiian Mythology is essential reading for anyone interested in indigenous cultures, comparative mythology, or the spiritual legacy of the Pacific Islands. It remains a cornerstone in the study of Hawaiian oral literature and an enduring tribute to the island’s cultural richness.