Synopses & Reviews
Tracing 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 Cookand#8217;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.
Review
and#8220;A tale told for everyone. . . . Engaging and accessible. . . . It is a fascinating narrative, impossible to put down.and#8221;
Synopsis
and#147;Patrick Kirch's new book takes the reader to many distant islands and pivotal moments of discovery that have helped shape our understanding of the human past. He recognizes the important social experiments that Oceanic societies created through their epic voyages to explore and settle the most distant portions of the planet." and#150;Peter R. Mills, Professor of Anthropology, University of Hawaiand#8217;i at Hilo
"A Shark Going Inland is My Chief combines captivating history with Kirch's own personal story. The result is an extremely powerful piece of scholarship and a tremendous read." and#150;David Igler, Associate Professor of History, University of California, Irvine
About the Author
Patrick Vinton Kirch is Class of 1954 Professor of Anthropology and Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a fellow of the National Academy of Sciences and author of On the Road of the Winds and How Chiefs Became Kings (UC Press), among other books.
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Preface
Acknowledgments
Prologue: Islands out of Time
Part One: Voyages
One: A Trail of Tattooed Pots
Two: East from Hawaiki
Three: Follow the Golden Plover
Four: Voyages into the Past
Five: The Sands of Waimanalo
Part Two: In Peleand#8217;s Islands
Six: Flightless Ducks and Palm Forests
Seven: Voyaging Chiefs from Kahiki
Eight: Maand#145;ilikukahi, Oand#145;ahuand#8217;s Sacred King
Nine: The Waters of Kane
Ten: and#147;Like Shoals of Fishand#8221;
Part Three: The Reign of the Feathered Gods
Eleven: and#145;Umi the Unifier
Twelve: and#145;Umiand#8217;s Dryland Gardens
Thirteen: The House of Piand#145;ilani
Fourteen: and#147;Like a Shark That Travels on the Landand#8221;
Fifteen: The Altar of Ku
Sixteen: The Return of Lono
Seventeen: Prophecy and Sacrifice
Epilogue: Hawaiand#145;i in World History
Alphabetical List of Hawaiian Historical Persons
Glossary of Hawaiian Words
Sources and Further Reading
Index