Posted on: Wednesday, July 28, 2004

OUR HONOLULU
Museum press back on a roll

By Bob Krauss
Advertiser Columnist

Our Honolulu now has proof that there is life after death. Corpses do sit up and talk. The world-renowned Bishop Museum Press, dead as a doornail for a decade, has risen from its coffin.

For the past two years, the press has painfully published one book a year after complete silence for several years. Beginning this month, this catatonic literary institution will crank out 30 books during the fiscal year plus a catalog, limited-edition prints and stationery.

The first print will be the oldest photograph taken in Hawai'i. It's of 15-year-old Princess Bernice Pauahi, who later married Charles Reed Bishop and founded Kamehameha Schools.

"The first book will be about hats," said Blair Collis, director of the press since March 2003. Collis is an Australian who came to Hawai'i on a tennis scholarship and learned the book business under Bennett Hymer at Mutual Publishing.

Collis said the museum has a collection of about 100 hats ranging in style from 1850 to the 1960s. The collection represents a time when Hawaiian artisans turned their attention to making foreign-style hats with Hawaiian materials. There are hats made of peacock quills, monkeypod seeds, sugarcane and wood shavings from the original 'Iolani Palace. The Ka'ahumanu Society contributed a hat.

About one-third of the hats belonged to Princess Pauahi and some of them have a story. Marques Marzan, who works in the collection department, is a hat maker himself. He's consultant on the book.

The idea is to give people a chance to see rare objects stored at the museum that don't go on display because there isn't room to exhibit them.

Archivist Desoto Brown is doing a small book on early surfing photos, most of which have never been published.

Collis said that for the first time in its history the Bishop Museum Press is doing a children's book — three, in fact. One is a coloring book about the museum, the second is a book of Hawaiian riddles, and the third is a legend of Mo'okini Heiau in Kohala by Momi Lum, kahuna nui of the heiau.

The press is also issuing reprints of landmark books in new covers and at cheaper prices: "Native Planters of Old Hawai'i" down from $49.95 to $35.96; "Hula Pahu," two drum books dropped from $35 and $40 to $29.95 each; "Fragments of Hawaiian History," which will sell for $14.95 instead of $19.95.

Collis said part of the reason he can do this with 1 1/2 assistants is a new spirit at the museum. The museum staff pitches in to help him. Everybody works together. There's a lot of enthusiasm that comes from president Bill Brown on down.

Reach Bob Krauss at 525-8073.

Correction: Marques Marzan's name was misspelled in a previous version of this column.