"Collaboration of the distinguished scholars Dr. Mary Kawena Pukui and Dr. E.S. Craighill Handy provides us with this fascinating review of traditional Hawaiian life. Manners and customs relating to birth, death, marriage, sexual practices, religious beliefs, and family relationship are all clearly described. The main sources of information were elderly Hawaiian informants of th ethen remote Ka'u district of the islands of Hawaii. The authors write directly from their own experience in simple and jargon-free language. Their book stands as a milestone in the history of Hawaiian social studies and lore. There is no better introduction to past writings on Hawaii- for example, to the Journals of Captain James Cook- or to recent studies on modern Hawaiians. Here is a classic, as useful today as when it was first written. 'The Polynesian Family System in Ka'u, Hawai'i' provides professional scholars and laymen alike with an unrivalled picture of traditional Hawaiian society. Based on original work in the field with living Hawaiians, it combines research into the literature by two authors of unusual qualifications with field work conducted under unique circumstances. Long out of print, this edition will be welcomed by librarians, anthropologists, and indeed all who have a serious interest in Polynesian life" (Inside Book Jacket).