Stuff We Like
Stuff We Like
Stories from the Marshall Islands
If your curiosity about the mythology of the Marshall Islands gets piqued by Robert Barclay’s new novel, Mel¸al¸, you may want to follow up with another University of Hawai‘i Press publication, Stories from the Marshall Islands, by Jack A. Tobin, who collected traditional stories and chants over the three decades he served as district anthropologist and community development advisor in the former Trust Territory. The Marshallese legacy of perhaps a thousand years of demon, god and seafaring stories is presented here in copious detail. Novelist Barclay says he wishes he’d had this work while he was writing Mel¸al¸ (see Pacific Magazine August issue, page 25). Stories from the Marshall Islands, UH Press, www.uhpress.hawaii.edu. US$19.95.
Breaking News on Reefs and Ponds
Fran Dieudonne has pulled together a neat and helpful book for researchers, and for any of us interested in the fish ponds, reefs and rock-walled fish weirs that were used throughout the Pacific. It’s an anthology of reports from ship journals, early explorers, ethnographers, journalists and travel writers—all divided by regions of the Pacific and put into chronological order for each region. There are wonderful maps, photos and drawings throughout the book. A must for anyone attached to the Pacific in its ocean form.
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Warriors Singing
Toa is a word used throughout Polynesia. Koa is its other form, meaning "warrior." These four vocalists have teamed up to produce a combination of Samoan and contemporary Hawaiian works like "Laie Girl," "O Le Afi" and "O Le Olaga O Samoa." With the talent and reach of Poi Pounder and Mountain Apple producers behind them, these Pacific musicians are bound to get some attention. Toa, Poi Pounder Records. $16.95. www.mountainapplecompany.com.
Attack of the Maori Clones
Maori actor Temuera Morrison, who won awards for his performance in the powerful Once We Were Warriors, joined the Star Wars culture in its Attack of the Clones permutation as the evil Jango Fett. Clones, which George Lucas filmed mostly in Australia, features other New Zealand actors such as Jay Laga‘aia (who once fought Xena the Warrior Princess) now in the role of Captain Typho and Daniel Logan as Boba Fett, Jango’s son. Once you tire of seeing the movie, there’s the Jango Fett action figure, which has got to be the first action figure with a Polynesian face. It’s put out by the American toy maker Hasbro and it’s complete with a missile-launching backpack—very handy in today’s uncertain world. Check out the Web sites at: www.hasbro.com and www.starwars.com.
