The Canoe Maker's Son

The Canoe Maker’s Son takes you on a glorious adventure from the tropics of Hawaiʻi to the open sea, to rugged coasts and dark forests, and to the Indians of the Pacific Northwest. A story of shanghai, survival, and surprising ancestry.

"My great-great-great-grandfather, ʻEleu, was born in 1773," the old man paused, watching his grandson’s face light up with excitement. "He grew up to be a canoe maker just like his father before him. Both were in service to Kalaniʻōpuʻu, the great chief of Hawaiʻi Island. Not only were they canoe makers to the king, but ʻEleu went to the Pacific Northwest Coast on a great tall ship."

"What? Papa, I can’t believe it."

"It’s true, boy. Now, let me tell the story of the canoe maker’s son."

-- Cecilia Johansen