Margaret Titcomb
Twenty years ago when Margaret Titcomb was finishing her manuscript for this book there was little concern that the oceans of the earth might be endangered. Without doubt contamination of the seas was occurring, but there was no real public awarenessno sense of threat. A deleterious mercury content had not yet been detected in the great billfish and tunas. There were fewer oil despoliations, and the dumping of chemicals and radioactive wastes had not yet reached a level which would, in the next two decades, cause great submarine areas to be laid waste. Nor had commercial fisheries yet developed their omnivorous technical expertise to efficiency levels which, unless curbed, could wipe out whole species. There was another difference. Then, there were “a few Hawaiian fishermen still living who were trained in the Hawaiian knowledge” (p. 54), and who could supplement the prodigious fund of information of Mary Kawena Pukui, with whose collaboration this book was written. Now, as the Hawaiian fishermen pass from the scene, there goes with them much of the ancient lore of the sea. There is today an encouraging awareness on the part of scientists and the public at largeeven among public officialsin respect to our threatened and diminishing resources. And it is to be hoped that this general awareness will be translated into restoration measures and programs. Perhaps contributions of the kind provided by this work can be a positive influence. That it might well be would please its author, for she has long been an ardent conservationist. But there is another reason for welcoming the renewed availability of this book. It is packed with information. And it will please both those primarily interested in fish and those devoted to learning about ancient Hawaiian culture.
Read this work at the World Public Library (library card needed).