In this volume, Kamakau examines the material culture of his ancestors, with a particular eye on the customs of the common people. He describes the cultivation of food and other plants used by the Hawaiians, such as olon? for nets and rope, and hue ? awa? awa (bitter gourds) for containers. The book documents the rich Hawaiian tradition of fish farming, as well as the elaborate rituals of canoe making, kapa (bark cloth) making, and house construction. The accounts bring to light both technical detail and Hawaiian philosophy. This book is a sequel to Kamakau? s Ka Po? e The People of Old, an account of the spiritual and religious belief and practices of traditional Hawaiian society. The text is a translated and edited version of a series of articles published in the Hawaiian-language newspaper Ke Au ? Oko? a in 1869 and 1870.