Olelo Noeau Quotes

The English annotations have been edited for clarity and brevity. However, as so much of the Hawaiian poetical expression depends on hidden meaning and connotation, even this was sparingly done. It is characteristic of poetry and proverbial sayings that superficial simplicity masks underlying complexity. As the phrase “A stitch in time saves nine” refers not to sewing but to preparedness, so do many of the sayings in this collection speak to unnamed concepts. Ambiguity, while sometimes frustrating, is in fact an intentional aspect of some sayings. It is to Kawena’s credit that the translations are so artfully suggestive. The editors have sought to preserve this richness of thought, avoiding clarification when it became interpretive, trying always to maintain Kawena’s personal style and outlook in the material.

the detailed editorial questions encountered in preparing a manuscript such as this for publication have, by necessity, gone unasked of the author. As a result, some of the more subtle connotations of the sayings may not be mentioned and may be discerned only by native speakers of Hawaiian, or by those others who are also deeply immersed in Hawaiian culture and history. Despite these difficulties, the editors have worked to produce the book that Kawena wanted.