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In Anahulu, Sahlins argues that the Hawaiian people were not passive victims of their own history but rather the authors and that they played a significant role in the collapse of the ancient system of an all-powerful divine monarchy.
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In Anahulu, Sahlins argues that the Hawaiian people were not passive victims of their own history but rather the authors and that they played a significant role in the collapse of the ancient system of an all-powerful divine monarchy. He emphasises that Hawaii did not simply capitulate and disregard their outlook on the universe when faced with the all-powerful western civilization. Rather Sahlins claims that the islands' ruling powers accommodated the western forces within their own mythology and where they might have visibly adopted western practices - for example the establishment of Christianity - this was only made possible by assimilating it with their traditional customs. In addition to this, the nature of the indigenous cosmology greatly amplified the effects of capitalism on the islands - an encouraged revelry in overt excess had a detrimental effect on both the inhabitants and the environment of the islands. The old order is...
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