Unfamiliar Fishes (Review): Same Sharks, New Shore
Last night, I finished reading Unfamiliar Fishes: the nationally-hyped, historical account of Hawaii through the voice of the New York Times best-selling author, Sarah Vowell.
I found this book fascinating enough to drop a $20 bill on the day it came out, not because of its content (I’m wasn’t expecting much that is new), but because of the likely pervasion and influence of Vowell’s ideas and findings due to her prominence and droll-ish, digestible prose.
Following the stellar success of The Wordy Shipmates, Sarah Vowell brings a supposedly less colloquial work to the table (I haven’t read either of her previous books). But don’t get the wrong impression, this book isn’t dull or overly-academic AT ALL. Actually, it is quite the opposite: witty, sarcastic, wry, and a little cheeky (but never impudent) at times.
Sarah Vowell on the Daily Show:
Unfamiliar Fishes is written predominantly as semi-chronological prose, with instances of personal narrative perhaps to make her experiences more intimate to the reader, and essay’ic summaries only to highlight less obvious parallels and to wrap up chapters. It’s a perfect blend of literacy for the college student with a short attention span who happens to be interested in Hawaiian culture. Or really, it’s great for anyone interested in indigenous culture in general and its questionable compatibility with capitalism, religion, and imperialism. The book traces the history of Hawaii from before European contact, throughout the impact and effect of missionaries, whalers, plantation owners and more—all the way with a pronounced respect for the Hawaiian culture.
Through a foreign, slightly biased, yet well-informed lens, Vowell draws parallels between moments and language used in Hawaiian history to current events and dialog. Vowell examines the Americanization of Hawaii as a natural subsidiary and microcosm of the simultaneous Americanization of America. She points to American economic, religious, and military tycoons as the culprits of the takeover of Hawaii: these are the “unfamiliar fish” that metaphorically drift into shallow water and devour all that is “smaller” and disseminate the subsistent ecosystem that is Hawaii.
Similar to Professor Noel Kent, Vowell doesn’t overlook how mistakes by the Hawaiian elite and nobility mistakes contributed to the loss of their own kingdom and the denigration of their culture—provocative, I know. Other obvious themes include the competing interests of economic and traditionalist/religious interests and the adverse effects of imperialism, capitalism, individualism, and the American value system in general. Surely, many other subvert themes and biases may be uncovered by savvy readers.
Although she hasn’t spent more than a few years here, Vowell seemed to have really done her research. She writes about spending hours a day with numerous prominent Hawaiian Scholars representing diverse points of views including Keanu Sai, Jon Osorio, Noenoe Silva, and Kekuni Bliasdell. And I picked up themes of these Hawaiian leaders, recollected from past readings, lectures, and panel discussion, persistent throughout Sarah Vowell’s book. Reverently, she also took ample time out of her schedule to speak informally with Kupuna and dig through the archives of virtually every museum, library, and database Hawaii has to offer to the increasingly eminent field of Hawaiian Studies. As a reader, you will undoubtedly and sometimes inadvertently pick up on her journey of understanding the Hawaiian value system during the course of her research.
A YouTube video about Sarah Vowell’s first plate lunch experience:
For example, Sarah Vowell reveals her realization and sudden grasp of the importance of genealogy and continuity in Hawaiian culture about 3/4 the way into the book, when Noenoe Silva explains that the Kumulipo, the foremost creation/genealogy chant of Hawaii “can be read as a political text.” Vowell relates this idea to an aforementioned talk story session with Kekuni Blaisdell:
“I am beginning to realize that might be why Kekuni Bliasdell answered my question about the overthrow of the queen in 1893 by going back to the world’s creation. He was telling me the story told in Kumulipo, beginning with the births of the taro plant and his brother the first Hawaiian, a story that extends down the generations to Liliuokalani and her brother Kalakaua’s ancestors. Maybe Blaisdell was trying to make me understand that to remove the queen from her people in 1893 ws to sever a cord so long it stretched to the beginning of time (185).”
These types of epiphanies are inspirational and just great to see.
It will be interesting to learn how this book is received by the public as it is likely to contradict common U.S. continental knowledge on Hawaiian history. Vowell’s factual accuracy is good, her open-mindedness is evident, her vivid imagery and palpable passion for learning is likely to attract visitors to Hawaii, and her novel ideas (or at least ideas through a novel lens) persist and are persuasive throughout the book. I am not only happy to have taken the effort to buy and read Unfamiliar Fishes, but I am proud that Vowell invested the time and energy to dive this deep into our culture and push to communicate the Hawaiian value system to the world.
Are Generation Y'ers really the self righteous slackers, whiners and praise-junkies we're made out to be? It's time we break the stereotypes and start marking the changing tides in popular culture, politics, technology, human attitudes and behavior, and society in general. Choose what to embrace and what to refuse.
Mahalo ke kaana like ana mai ea! He waiwai no hoi na mea a pau au i hoouka ai ma luna ka PukeAlo nei a, he mahalo nui keia ia Sarah Vowell i kona hoomanawanui a me kona onipaa i ka imi naauao!
Nicely written! Saw her on the dailyshow… Glad she’s not one of those contributors to Hawaii’s “grass shack” image