The latest contribution of beloved artist Dietrich Varezto interpreting and illustrating stories from Hawaiian folkloreis presented in 'Iwa, The Hawaiian Legend.When the fisherman Kea'au, renowned for catching octopus,finds two beautiful and rare red cowry shells hethinks they must be a gift from the goddess Hina. After hefashions them into a lure, the octopus swarm to the magicalshells and he gathers more than enough to feed his wholevillage. The bounty is short lived when chief 'Umi learnsof the magical shell lure and demands to have it for himself.Thus begins the tale of how the boy-thief, 'Iwa, whoexhibits the same thieving traits as his namesake, the GreatFrigatebird, is invited to the island of Hawai'i to retrievethe precious lure. There he encounters the high chief 'Umi,famous historical ruler of Hawai'i island, who puts 'Iwa'stalents to the test.The rich imagery of Hawai'i's diverse environment, itssea life, plants and animals is depicted alongside Varez'sinterpretation of the human aspect of this classic tale.

Ku and Hina—man and woman—were the great ancestral gods of heaven and earth for the ancient Hawaiians. They were life's fruitfulness and all the generations of mankind, both those who are to come and those already born. The Hawaiian gods were like great chiefs from far lands who visited among the people, entering their daily lives sometimes as humans or animals, sometimes taking residence in a stone or wooden idol. As years passed, the families of gods grew and included the trickster Maui, who snared the sun, and fiery Pele of the volcano. Ancient Hawaiians lived by the animistic philosophy that assigned living souls to animals, trees, stones, stars, and clouds, as well as to humans. Religion and mythology were interwoven in Hawaiian culture; and local legends and genealogies were preserved in song, chant, and narrative. Martha Beckwith was the first scholar to chart a path through the hundreds of books, articles, and little-known manuscripts that recorded the oral narratives of the Hawaiian people. Her book has become a classic work of folklore and ethnology, and the definitive treatment of Hawaiian mythology. With an introduction by Katherine Luomala.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Big Island, world famous for its active volcanoes and coral gardens, has many wonderful beaches. In fact its shoreline is as diverse and dynamic as the rest of this massive island and includes more than 100 black, green, and white sand beaches. The Beaches series by John R. K. Clark include Beaches of Maui County, Beaches of the Big Island, Beaches of Kauai and Niihau, and The Beaches of Oahu. The author, an ocean recreation consultant, includes comprehensive site descriptions of hundreds of beaches in the Hawaiian Islands and shares his extensive knowledge of, and deep respect for, Hawaii's shorelines.