Description:
Part ethnography, part geological description, Westervelt's work is a powerful celebration of the cultural traditions of the Hawaiian Islands. In these legends, ghosts and gods interact with the environment and the daily lives of islanders, shaping human society and the land itself. Hawaiian Legends of Ghosts and Ghost-Gods is a book by W. D. Westervelt.
Brief description:
W. D. Westervelt (1849-1939) was an American minister, historian, and folklorist specializing in Hawaiian mythology. Born in Oberlin, Ohio, he obtained his B.A. from Oberlin College before completing his B.D. from Oberlin Theological Seminary in 1874. In 1899, after serving as a pastor in Ohio and Colorado, Westervelt settled in Hawaii, where he married Caroline Dickinson Castle. A member of the Hawaiian Historical Society, he served as secretary, treasurer, and president, gaining a reputation as a leading scholar of Hawaiian folklore. Throughout his career, he wrote numerous articles and several anthologies on Hawaiian myths and legends, which continue to be recognized as some of the most reliable sources on the subject written in English.