In this volume, Kamakau examines the material culture of his ancestors, with a particular eye on the customs of the common people. He describes the cultivation of food and other plants used by the Hawaiians, such as olona for nets and rope, and hue ‘awa‘awa (bitter gourds) for containers. The book documents the rich Hawaiian tradition of fish farming, as well as the elaborate rituals of canoe making, kapa (bark cloth) making, and house construction. The accounts bring to light both technical detail and Hawaiian philosophy.
The text is a translated and edited version of a series of articles published in the Hawaiian-language newspaper Ke Au Okoa in 1869 and 1870. Additional volumes in this series included Ka Poe Kahiko: The People of Old and Tales and Traditions of the People of Old: Na Moolelo a ka Poe Kahiko also published by Bishop Museum Press.
