Hawaiian idylls of love and death

"Hawaiian idylls of love and death" by Herbert H. Gowen is a collection of historical legends and tales written in the early 20th century. The work romanticizes episodes from Hawaiian history and myth—especially around Kamehameha I—blending warfare, politics, and the supernatural with intimate stories of lovers and chiefs under the gaze of gods like Pele. The opening of the book first sketches a vivid, admiring portrait of Kamehameha I—his unification of the islands, strategic patience, and ability to choose capable allies—before launching into linked legends and vignettes. Early stories include the deadly cult of the poison goddess Kalaipahoa and the fatal quest to carve her idol; the theft and recovery of Kiha’s magic war conch; the Puna fisherman whose stand with a splintered paddle leads Kamehameha to protect noncombatants; and the downfall of Oahu’s slandered priest Kaopulupulu as Kahekili seizes the island. Love and divinity entwine as Keala’s fidelity outlasts a cruel priest and even invokes Pele, while a catastrophic eruption at Kilauea signals the fire goddess’s favor toward Kamehameha and foreshadows Keoua’s doom; a poignant episode follows in which Kalanikapule spares two lovers who nearly reach a city of refuge. The section closes as “Sweet Leilehua” begins, with Oahu bracing for Kamehameha’s approaching invasion.

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