Beginning October 1st, we will post a new installment of Pele and Hi'iaka, A Tale of Two Sisters every two weeks, on the first and sixteenth of each month. Each installment will include a portion of the story and one of Dietrich Varez's signature woodblock images. Since each installment will be available on this page to read and view for one month, you can enjoy the story online at your leisure!

To purchase a physical copy of Pele and Hi'iaka, A Tale of Two Sisters, please stop by Basically Books, check your local bookstore, or contact us.

It is an honor and a pleasure to work with Dietrich Varez on his re–telling of the ancient Hawaiian myth of Pele and Hi'iaka, through the compelling vision of his iconic block print art.  Our intention is to bring a complex story to new readers through a simplified text and a sensitive visual interpretation that honors the rich mythology passed through Hawaiian oral tradition.

There were many versions of this classic, epic tale. One of the earliest English translations, Pele and Hi'iaka, A Myth from Hawai'i, was authored by Nathaniel Bright Emerson and first published in March of 1915. After remaining out of print for many years it is again in print through the Edith Kanaka'ole Foundation. This book was the primary source of inspiration for Varez, who started working on this project in 2006.

Important references consulted for place and character names were: Place Names of Hawaii, the Hawaiian Dictionary, Hawaiian Mythology, and Holo Mai Pele. 'Olelo No'eau, Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings, which features artwork by Varez, was also a valuable aid in the orthography.

We gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Maile Yamanaka, John R. K. Clark and Puakea Nogelmeier in sharing their mana'o. Alexander Reed gave valuable assistance in final proofreading and editing. A new vision of an ancient story will now be shared.