LEGENDS OF OLD HONOLULU: Collected and Translated from the Hawaiian — By W.D. Westervelt — SCARCE HAWAII POLYNESIA FOLKLORE, Mythology, Superstition — 1st Edition / 1st Printing, 1915 Publisher: Constable & Co, London (1915)
Scarce first edition from 1915, by W.D. Westervelt. The book provides an
abundance of legends; of the struggles, the triumphs, and the travels of the
Hawaiian people. Sections written from the perspective of an outsider during the early 20th century (first sentence in Introduction reveals this). When the Hawaiian alphabet was prepared, in 1821, native
writers began delving into their past, finding a treasure mine of legends and stories — and writing down immensely valuable ethnological and historical facts surrounding Polynesia. These stories were written originally in Hawaiian, for native
newspapers, and were collected and translated by the author, W.D. Westervelt. Scarce first edition, in original brown cloth. 282 pages, with illustrations and black-and-white photographs. Includes page of genuine kapa / tapa cloth, which has bled onto preceding and following page. Book is in very well preserved condition, with no interior markings save 1916 signature on first blank page. A fascinating read.