Hawaiian Mythology by Martha Warren Beckwith

Without question, Martha Warren Beckwith’s Hawaiian Mythology is one of the most comprehensive studies ever conducted on the indigenous culture of Hawai’i before annexation. Bringing together three decades of research; the book guides readers through variant narratives and core motifs, exploring every significant theme and deity within native Hawaiian folklore. Having studied under famed ethnographer Franz Boas at Columbia University, Martha Warren Beckwith dedicated her career to recording and contextualizing the traditions of people from around the world. Specializing in Jamaican, Hawaiian, Sioux, and Mandan-Hidatsa cultures, she published widely acclaimed works of folklore and ethnography through her interviews with native storytellers around the world. Hawaiian Mythology—her most recognized work—is a highly celebrated, monumental study that brings together three decades of exhaustive research of indigenous Hawaiian folklore, culture, and society. Setting itself apart from more conv