Worldwide supplies of sugar and cotton were impacted dramatically as the U.S. Civil War dragged on. New areas of production entered these lucrative markets; particularly in the South Pacific; and plantation agriculture grew substantially in disparate areas such as Australia; Fiji; and Hawaii. The increase in production required an increase in labor; in the rush to fill the vacuum; freebooters and other unsavory characters began a slave trade in Melanesians and Polynesians that continued into the twentieth century. The White Pacific ranges over the broad expanse of Oceania to reconstruct the history of "blackbirding" (slave trading) in the region. It examines the role of U.S. citizens (many of them ex-slaveholders and ex-confederates) in the trade and its roots in Civil War dislocations. What unfolds is a dramatic tale of unfree labor; conflicts between formal and informal empire; white supremacy; threats to sovereignty in Hawaii; the origins of a White Australian policy; and the rise of Japan as a Pacific power and putative protector. It also pieces together a wonderfully suggestive history of the African American presence in the Pacific. Based on deft archival research in Australia; New Zealand; Fiji; Hawaii; the United States; and Great Britain; The White Pacific uncovers a heretofore hidden story of race; labor; war; and intrigue that contributes significantly to the emerging intersectional histories of race and ethnicity.
#72119 in Books Gavan Daws 1974-06-01 1974-06-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.02 x 1.14 x 5.98l; 1.50 #File Name: 0824803248512 pagesShoal of Time a History of the Hawaiian Islands
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Chills by the endBy D. MichaelThis book was slightly tedious at times but overall I must say; is an excellent review of the history of Hawaii from its origin to early statehood. At the age of nearly 60; I was blessed withe the opportunity to visit Hawaii for the first time in late February 2016. The history provided in these pages has enriched my plentiful and pleasurable memories of our visit. The author's conclusion brings renewed hope for me to our present political scene. Hawaii is a prime example of many races being brought together; often without consent; but with eventual mixing; melding; acceptance; and progress; to the point of we; the community of Hawaiians. In our present times of great splits and disagreements; we as Americans need to figure out how we are going to move ahead together to provide our children and grandchildren with a safe and healthy future.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Engaging; wry; and illuminatingBy David EideI have had several memorable visits to the Islands. On each visit; however; I felt that my ability to appreciate what I was seeing and experiencing was impaired by my superficial knowledge of the Islands’ history. How exactly did it come to pass that this Kingdom became an American state? What was life like there before the first western contact? Feeling guilty about the inadequacy of my knowledge of such matters I decided to remedy the situation. It was with that sense of obligation in mind that I acquired this book. I confess that the book sat on my shelf for a while; as I looked upon the educational exercise as something of a “chore.†I was quickly disabused of this mindset. Gavin Daws is a wonderful writer with a wry and judicious sense of humor. He takes the reader from the earliest history of the Islands to the battle for statehood. He introduces us along the way to a seemingly never-ending cast of characters from all over the world. He brings these characters to life and tells their stories in a truly engaging manner. His mastery of the subject matter is self-evident. One quibble: The story of Hawaii’s last monarch; Queen Liliuokalani; trails off without telling us the details of her last days as ruler; during which she penned her song of lament; “Ke Aloha o Ka Haku.†Nor is anything said of her death. Those omissions aside; the author has brought us a comprehensive; but not unduly lengthy history. If you have any interest in the subject matter; I recommend this book highly.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Hawaii ... not the "paradise" I/you may have pictured.By treeGavan Daws seems to be a good writer; but I am sorta disappointed in the subject matter. Maybe it's because it shatters even more the image i have of Hawaii being more of a "paradise." I already knew there was a lot of jealousy; corruption; sexual "immorality;" opportunistic investors; etc.; but this spells it out more succinctly than I even realized. I had lived in Hawaii for 3 yrs. as a kid (1960-63) when Dad was in the Army ... and they were 3 of the best yrs. of my life. I've always wanted to get back over there; but haven't been able to make it yet. I still have good memories of the landscape and native islanders. The Hawaiians we knew had generally seemed so warm and friendly. I do know things weren't "perfect;" but ... learned quite a few good lessons for a kid early in life .. e.g. folks of various cultures can get along with each other ... it often pays to be more laid-back and easier going ... etc. One other thing I was sorta disappointed about with this book was that there was much of anything about the history of Hawaii before pre-European contact.
