Power of the Steel-tipped Pen

Noenoe K. Silva is Professor of Indigenous Politics at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and author of Aloha Betrayed: Native Hawaiian Resistance to American Colonialism, also published by Duke University Press.Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o is the author of numerous works of fiction, poetry, plays, and criticism, most recently, Birth of a Dream Weaver.

“A must-read for anyone interested in Hawaiian intellectual history and indigenous studies, this book results from amazing research and work that do not, however, weigh on Silva’s clear and cogent writing.” - Cristina Bacchilega (Journal of American History) "The Power of the Steel-tipped Pen is the most in-depth exploration of Native Hawaiian intellectual history to be published to date. . . . [It] is likely to join Aloha Betrayed as part of the modern canon of Hawaiian history, as well as provide a potential model for Indigenous intellectual histories in Oceania and elsewhere." - Kealani Cook (Journal of Pacific History) “Noenoe K. Silva’s work provides readers with a deeply meaningful way of studying the past in relation to the present and future. . . . Deeply motivating.” - Emalani Case (European Journal of American Culture) “The Power of the Steel-Tipped Pen offers a master class on how to use an archive. Required reading for anyone interested in the fields of Hawaiian history or Hawaiian studies.” - Hi'ilei Julia Hobart (Contemporary Pacific) "Any reader with an interest in indigenous studies will find this text offering several valuable methodological lessons as well as a wonderful example of a community-centered scholarship of practice." - Natchee Blu Barnd (American Indian Culture and Research Journal) "Noenoe K. Silva (Kanaka Hawai‘i) has published another brilliant and much-needed contribution to several scholarly fields, including intellectual history, indigenous studies, and Hawaiian historiography. . . . This project not only serves to add nuance to scholarly understandings of Hawaii’s history by considering the often-ignored archive of Hawaiian-language texts, but, more importantly, contributes to the indigenous sovereignty movement in Hawaii." - Leah Kuragano (Journal of American Studies) "A compelling and erudite book whose linguistic and methodological range demonstrates that dedication to Indigenous futures is deeply rooted in Native Hawaiian intellectual history. . . [The Power of the Steel-Tipped Pen] powerfully brings together close readings, biographical study, and historical contextualization. Silva has produced a major work that demands the attention of all readers committed to Hawaiian history, Hawaiian literature, and Hawaiian studies." - David A. Chang (Native American and Indigenous Studies)

• Foreword / Ngũgī wa Thiong‘o ixAcknowlegments  xi"Ke Au Hawai’i" by Larry Kauanoe Kimura  xiiiIntroduction  1Part I. Joseph Ho‘ona‘auao Kānepu‘u1. Joseph Ho‘ona`auao Kānepu‘u  212. Selected Literary Works of Joseph Kānepu‘u  533. Kanaka Geography and Aloha ‘Āina 82Part II. Joseph Moku‘ōhai Poepoe4. Joseph Moku‘ōhai Poepoe  1055. Singing (to) the ‘Āina  1506. Mo‘olelo Hawai‘i Kahiko  174Conclusion  211Appendix A: Kānepu‘u"s Selected Bibliography  215Appendix B: Poepoe Selected Bibliography  217Notes  221Glossary  241Bibliography  247Index  263