Long before the white man arrived in the new world, the people of Hawaii had developed a high culture, with many fascinating legends and myths concerning the people of the Mu. Many of these traditions had a deep spiritual meaning, which unfortunately became lost with the Christianizing of the islands.

In this book Leinani Melville writes of the esoteric code of the tahunas (priests) of Hawaii and recounts some of their traditional mythology. He received his instruction from an elderly Hawaiian woman who he believed was a tahuna mataura (seer). She drew the sacred symbols on the sand and explained their meaning to him. Later he learned to interpret the sacred chants and temple prayers, many of which contain concepts kin to the religions and folklore of other ancient cultures.

The author was a merchant sailor who steeped himself in the pre-Christian culture of his native Hawaii. He tells with simplicity and beauty some of the teachings and beliefs of the religion of the Mu. Written in popular form this book conveys the understanding and reverence which the author feels for the traditions of his forefathers.

The book contains 34 illustrations of sacred symbols of Hawaii together with descriptions as to their significance.

Contents

Acknowledgements
Dedication
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Origin
Chapter 3 Tane, our father in heaven
Chapter 4 Teave, the eternal creator
Ckhapter 5 The royal family of Teave
Chapter 6 Tales of the Hawaiians-The great white bird; Teh first day; The three princes; Tane's creative calabash; Birth of a nation; Invocation to Haumea; The stars and their hosts
Chapter 7 The Tumuripo
Chapter 8 Ra'i Ra'i foremother of the Mu
Chapter 9 The demolition of Ta Rua
Postlude-Return to Mu
Picture writing of the Tahunas
Keys to teh sacred symbols (with illustrations)