HONOLULU – Bishop Museum Press is set to re-release one of the most authoritative sources of Hawaiian wisdom and philosophy, ‘Ōlelo No‘eau: Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings,” by Mary Kawena Pukui in softcover and limited edition hardcover version. This extraordinary collection of Hawaiian sayings offers a unique opportunity to savor the wisdom, poetic beauty, and earthy humor of finely crafted Hawaiian expressions, bringing the reader closer to the everyday thoughts of the Hawaiians who wrote them.

Pukui is one of Hawai‘i ’s most prolific scholars of Hawaiian literature and language, and this book is the product of a collecting effort that was initiated by Pukui in 1910 at the age of fifteen. Offering 372 pages of sayings considered to be one of the highest forms of cultural expression in old Hawai‘i, the poetic proverbs may be appreciated individually and collectively for their aesthetic, historic, and educational values of humanity. The book will be available at Bishop Museum’s Shop Pacifica and bookstores statewide on November 10, 2004. The softcover book will be on sale for $24.95 and the hardcover will be available for $29.95.

Founded in 1892, Bishop Museum Press is the oldest continuous publisher of books in Hawai‘i, and one of the first scholarly presses in the Western Hemisphere. Proceeds from sales of Bishop Museum Press books further the Museum’s efforts in research, education and collections care. Books can be purchased at Bishop Museum’s Shop Pacifica, by phone (808) 848-4159, fax (808) 847-8249, e-mail shop@bishopmuseum.org, or by filling out an order form at www.bishopmuseum.org/press. Bishop Museum Association Members receive a 20% discount on all Bishop Museum Press books.

A treasured resource of Hawaiian history and heritage, Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop as a tribute to his wife Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha dynasty. Located at 1525 Bernice Street, the Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $14.95 for adults; $11.95 for youth 4-12 years; special rates for kama‘āina, seniors and military; children under 4 years and Bishop Museum Association members are free. For information, call 847-3511 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org.