A Shark Going Inland Is My Chief : The Island Civilization of Ancient Hawai'i

"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." -Peter R. Mills, Professor of Anthropology, University of Hawai'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." -David Igler, Associate Professor of History, University of California, Irvine 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 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.--book Jacket. Islands Out Of Time -- A Trail Of Tattooed Pots -- East From Hawaiki -- Follow The Golden Plover -- Voyages Into The Past -- The Sands Of Waimānalo -- Flightless Ducks And Palm Forests -- Voyaging Chiefs From Kahiki -- Māʻilikūkahi, Oʻahu's Sacred King -- The Waters Of Kāne -- Like Shoals Of Fish -- ʻumi The Unifier -- ʻumi's Dryland Gardens -- The House Of Piʻilani -- Like A Shark That Travels On The Land -- The Altar Of Kū -- The Return Of Lono -- Prophecy And Sacrifice -- Hawaiʻi In World History. Patrick Vinton Kirch. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 317-333) And Index. 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 Pele's Islands Six: Flightless Ducks and Palm Forests Seven: Voyaging Chiefs from Kahiki Eight: Ma'ilikukahi, O'ahu's Sacred King Nine: The Waters of Kane Ten: "Like Shoals of Fish" Part Three: The Reign of the Feathered Gods Eleven: 'Umi the Unifier Twelve: 'Umi's Dryland Gardens Thirteen: The House of Pi'ilani Fourteen: "Like a Shark That Travels on the Land" Fifteen: The Altar of Ku Sixteen: The Return of Lono Seventeen: Prophecy and Sacrifice Epilogue: Hawai'i in World History Alphabetical List of Hawaiian Historical Persons Glossary of Hawaiian Words Sources and Further Reading Index Tracing the origins of the Hawaiians and other Polynesians back to the shores of the South China Sea, this title follows their voyages of discovery across the Pacific and presents the history of Hawaiian culture from about one thousand years ago.