A Shark Going Inland Is My Chief: The Island Civilization of Ancient Hawai'iTracing the origins of the Hawaiians and other Polynesians back to the shores of the South China Sea, archaeologist Patrick Vinton Kirch follows their voyages of discovery across the Pacific in this fascinating history of Hawaiian culture from about one thousand years ago. Combining more than four decades of his own research with Native Hawaiian oral traditions and the evidence of archaeology, Kirch puts a human face on the gradual rise to power of the Hawaiian god-kings, who by the late eighteenth century were locked in a series of wars for ultimate control of the entire archipelago. This lively, accessible chronicle works back from Captain James Cook’s encounter with the pristine kingdom in 1778, when the British explorers encountered an island civilization governed by rulers who could not be gazed upon by common people. Interweaving anecdotes from his own widespread travel and extensive archaeological investigations into the broader historical narrative, Kirch shows how the early Polynesian settlers of Hawai'i adapted to this new island landscape and created highly productive agricultural systems. |
Contents
4900318i_r1_xmf 1 | 143 |
4900318i_r1_xmf 2 | 144 |
4900318i_r1_xmf 3 | 144 |
4900318i_r1_xmf 4 | 144 |
4900318i_r1_xmf 5 | 144 |
4900318i_r1_xmf 6 | 144 |
4900318i_r1_xmf 7 | 144 |
4900318i_r1_xmf 8 | 144 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abraham Fornander adzes agricultural ahupua‘a Alapa‘inui ali‘i ancestors ancient anthropologists archaeological archipelago ariki arrived Austronesian barkcloth beach began birds Bishop Museum Bishop Museum Press bones called canoes century chiefess Cook’s coral culture district dryland early eastern Emory excavations feathers field system fish fishhooks Fornander gods Hākau Hāna Hawai‘i Island Hawaiʻi heiau Hiroa homeland Honolulu human irrigation Ka‘ū Kahekili Kahiki Kahikinui Kaho‘olawe Kalani‘ōpu‘u Kamakau Kamehameha Kāne kapu Kaua‘i Kauaʻi Kaupō Kealakekua Kekaulike Keōua Kiha king’s kingship Kirch Kīwala‘ō Kohala Kona La‘amaikahiki land Lapita later lava layers leeward Līloa Lono Mā‘ilikūkahi maka‘āinana Makahiki Maui Island Maui king Mo‘ikeha Moloka‘i O‘ahu Oʻahu Pacific Pi‘ilani plant pollen Polynesian population pottery priests Puna radiocarbon dates ritual royal ruling chief sacred sailed sand slopes social stone sweet potato Tahiti taro temple terraces tion traditions University of Hawai‘i uplands Valley vast voyage Waikīkī Waimānalo Waipi‘o warriors young