Films about pre-missionary Hawaii (Captain Cook, Volcano: fit in, condo, hotels)

[jbowman09]

Pardon me if I should be posting in the film or history categories (and tell me if I should do so), but I thought inhabitants of Hawaii might be better informed and more helpful for my query.

Am looking for any good films about pre-missionary Hawaii. I've seen several short films that sweep rapidly over the islands' history, but nothing in depth, just highlights. I'd really like to see what Hawaii was like before the missionaries, whalers, etc. appeared.

Any suggestions?

[whtviper1]

Considering the Hawaiian language was not a written language prior to Captain Cook, pre-missionary Hawaii is ultimately speculation.

A decent fiction book is "Hawaii" - by James Michener.

[TwoByFour]

If you're ever on Oahu and you are interested in Hawaiian history I recommend a visit to the Bishop museum. It is 130 years old and is full of Hawaiian cultural exhibits. One of the Hawaiian islands - Ni'ihau, is reserved for people of Hawaiian ancestry who want to live traditionally. It is difficult living from what I hear, not many people actually live there full time.

[hotzcatz]

Eh, I don't think that Michener fellow had ever actually been to Hawaii. He mentioned the wahine had banana flowers in their hair. Who puts banana flowers in their hair? I mean, really!

"Six months in the Sandwich Islands" by Isabella Bird would be a better book for early Hawaii, although that is after the missionaries showed up even if they hadn't been here for all that long. "Shoals of Time: A History of the Hawaiian Islands" by Daw is another Hawaii book, but that one is a bit tedious at times. Most of Shoals is after the missionaries showed up.

There's quite a few books, but not sure of any films, has Bishop Museum made any?

[WaikikiBoy]

Perhaps the movie "Moana". But I think it is likely mostly fiction.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Eh, I don't think that Michener fellow had ever actually been to Hawaii.

Michener lived on Oahu in 1958 to complete his book and did his research at the Bishop museum - the Mission House Children's library - Public libraries - and University of Hawaii - with an assistant from the Star-Advertiser.

[hotzcatz]

Well, maybe he just didn't have a banana tree in his yard. A banana flower is not something that would fit in hair. They're huge, heavy and drip with that brown sap that stains everything it touches. Hmm, maybe banana flowers are to cover gray hair?

Wonder why there's not any house that claims to be the 'Michener house'? There's several for Twain and he was much earlier.

Well, anyway, back to the OP, I dunno of any movies of pre-missionary Hawaii. Maybe the OP could make one?

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Wonder why there's not any house that claims to be the 'Michener house'? There's several for Twain and he was much earlier.

He lived in Waikiki - in 1958, Waikiki was mostly open lots and single family homes with some hotels. Practically all the single family homes were torn down in the 60's during the tourist boom from the jet age and replaced by the hotels/condo towers, so his "house" likely does not exist.

[NorthofHere]

You might try this book, you can read it on google here https://books.google.com/books/about...page&q&f=false This was written in 1922 so it probably has a lot of prejudices in it. You can also read it here a little more easily https://archive.org/details/underhaw...950mbp/page/n7 and you can download for a kindle and in some other formats.

[DanArt]

So that 1922 book basically states ( as far as glancing through the book )

1. Aliens from another planet "We come from the night of moving space" or that we came from the darkness of space. A comet ? A ship ? A vessel ?

2. Then there is the land mass problem. Where did they come from Atlantis, or some Inca/Egyptian Provence? Nobody seems to take in the affect of Pangaea

3. Much of the history was passed down via story and not recorded despite the carvings on rocks and tombs in the areas. That the Hawaiian Moe ( sunken Hawaii ) basically describes the island was once a bigger continent. Perhaps an ice age blunder or from weather changes. Like the idea that mount Everest will one day literally be another Hawaii.

4. Hawaii and Tahiti are apparently near to each other and some sort of rivalry....cultural wise.

5. Then there is this Rainbow forgiveness thing between Nuu and Kain.

The book also contains some Jewish propaganda as well. Because in the past I have heard the Hawaiian aspect of religion is no different then god of Islam/Christan/Judaism in terms of the Volcano. Of course that could missionary mumbo jumbo.

Post Missionary basically is the leader took a shine to the western civilization and encouraged his people to integrate. Another variant shows force of integration as these words might have been manipulated or rewritten. His addiction to the west was similar to the native americans ( western Indian "Indians" ) where Manhattan was traded for mirrors.