Hawaiian Mythology Audiobook By Martha Warren Beckwith cover art

Hawaiian Mythology

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Hawaiian Mythology

By: Martha Warren Beckwith
Narrated by: Sarah Kempton
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About this listen

In this now classic text, Martha Beckwith skillfully navigated an expansive collection of books, articles, and manuscripts to compile the definitive collection of mythological narratives of the native Hawaiian peoples. In addition to its importance for Hawaiian folklore and ethnology proper, Beckwith situates these stories within their broader regional context, offering comparisons to the traditions of Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa and other island nations.

©1940 Martha Beckwith (P)2023 Licensing Management, Inc. Americas Australia, New Zealand & Oceania Cultural & Regional State & Local United States
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To begin with I am Hawaiian. While a bunch of these mythologies are interesting and gives me an insight into my heritage. What I have a problem with is the mispronunciation of a bunch of the Hawaiian words and names. It is bad how some of the names of people and places are absolutely slaughtered. The annoyance made it hard to follow some of this book since I had to figure out what they were trying to say.

I Have Reservations

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The five vowels in the Hawaiian language are always pronounced the same. There is no “magic e”. This audiobook would be so much better if just a little effort had been made to familiarize the narrator with the basics of Hawaiian pronunciation. No doubt, longer words can be very difficult, but given that the book is about Hawaiian mythology it seems reasonable to expect that the two syllable name of the highest deity in the Hawaiian pantheon, “Kāne”, could have been pronounced correctly, i.e. as something more like “KAH-NEH”, and not as a homophone of “Cain”.

Too much mispronunciation

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I read the book 20 years ago and was happy to find it finally available on Audible. The book is great and the narrator does a good job overall. The only downside was her lack of understanding of Polynesian pronunciation.

For those interested in exploring more titles on this subject I highly recommend Hawaiian Mythology: The Legends and Myths of Hawaii by King David Kalakaua.

Beckwith’s Hawaiian Mythology is a must have for any one interested in Hawaiian mythology.

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Reader could not pronounce Hawaiian words. Ruined the ability to listen to the book every time she read anything not English.

Readers accent and awkward pronunciation

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this book needed to have been read by a Hawaiian Language speaker. the performance was torturous to listen to due to the 100% mispronounced Hawaiian words. this is an insult to Polynesians everywhere and our ancestors.

I want my credit back and this recording should be removed immediately as every listener will receive wrong and confusing information. this is just plane shameful.

this recordding needs to be scrapped

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