03-14-2019, 09:45 AM
Sea People is a new book about Polynesia and the inhabitants of its islands throughout the Pacific. So often the discussion on Punaweb concerning Hawaii and the Hawaiian people takes on a provincial viewpoint, as if the native culture here arose in a vacuum, which is understandable given a limited written and oral history. But even the more possessive claimants of first come first served occasionally acknowledge that everyone here originally came from somewhere else.
Sea People looks at the bigger picture, takes a longer view that encompasses the vast stretches of Oceania and connections native residents of the Pacific still recognize to this day. A few excerpts from the book:
"There is no written record of these events..."
...
Tanned, athletic-looking tourists milled about in bathing suits and life jackets, while big Hawaiian guys with tattooed calves sauntered back and forth with armloads of bright yellow paddles. It was clear that the Hawaiians were in charge of the rentals, so Seven went over to have a word with them.
“Hey,” he said, “how much for a kayak?”
“Thirty dollars.” And then, “Twenty for you, brother.”
The reason for this is that Seven is Polynesian. He is Maori...
...
This is what is meant by the Polynesian Triangle, an area of ten million square miles in the middle of the Pacific Ocean defined by the three points of Hawai'i, New Zealand, and Easter Island. All the islands inside this triangle were originally settled by a clearly identifiable group of voyagers: a people with a single language and set of customs, a particular body of myths, a distinctive arsenal of tools and skills, and a “portmanteau biota” of plants and animals that they carried with them wherever they went. They had no knowledge of writing or metal tools—no maps or compasses—and yet they succeeded in colonizing the largest ocean on the planet, occupying every habitable rock between New Guinea and the Galapagos, and establishing what was until the modern era the largest single culture area in the world.
https://lithub.com/tracing-the-incredibl...the-globe/
ADDED:
Here's the Amazon link for the book: Sea People
It's even available on an audio CD, at a lower price than the hardcover.
Sea People looks at the bigger picture, takes a longer view that encompasses the vast stretches of Oceania and connections native residents of the Pacific still recognize to this day. A few excerpts from the book:
"There is no written record of these events..."
...
Tanned, athletic-looking tourists milled about in bathing suits and life jackets, while big Hawaiian guys with tattooed calves sauntered back and forth with armloads of bright yellow paddles. It was clear that the Hawaiians were in charge of the rentals, so Seven went over to have a word with them.
“Hey,” he said, “how much for a kayak?”
“Thirty dollars.” And then, “Twenty for you, brother.”
The reason for this is that Seven is Polynesian. He is Maori...
...
This is what is meant by the Polynesian Triangle, an area of ten million square miles in the middle of the Pacific Ocean defined by the three points of Hawai'i, New Zealand, and Easter Island. All the islands inside this triangle were originally settled by a clearly identifiable group of voyagers: a people with a single language and set of customs, a particular body of myths, a distinctive arsenal of tools and skills, and a “portmanteau biota” of plants and animals that they carried with them wherever they went. They had no knowledge of writing or metal tools—no maps or compasses—and yet they succeeded in colonizing the largest ocean on the planet, occupying every habitable rock between New Guinea and the Galapagos, and establishing what was until the modern era the largest single culture area in the world.
https://lithub.com/tracing-the-incredibl...the-globe/
ADDED:
Here's the Amazon link for the book: Sea People
It's even available on an audio CD, at a lower price than the hardcover.
"I'm at that stage in life where I stay out of discussions. Even if you say 1+1=5, you're right - have fun." - Keanu Reeves
