This picture book is based on a traditional Hawaiian story of an event that took place more than 700 years ago. The story of the healer stones of Kapaemahu has multiple versions and is a mix of history and legend. The picture book Kapaemahu is based on the earliest recorded version, written in Olelo Niihau and English.
The story starts with four Tahitian healers journeying across the ocean from their home in Moaulanuiakea to Hawaii. The visitors were tall and deep in voice yet gentle and soft-spoken. They were not male or female, they were mahu - a mixture of both in mind, heart, and spirit. They possessed great spiritual power and bequeathed their healing wisdom to the locals. When the healers completed their work, the people designed a stone monument to express their gratitude. Over the years, the stones of Kapaemahu were forgotten and eventually buried under a bowling alley. They have since been preserved and stand to this day on a beach in Waikiki, serving as a reminder of heritage and honor.
Kapaemahu is based on the magical 2021 Oscar nominated and PBS Short Film Festival animated film created by the authors. The picture book was awarded a 2023 Stonewall Book Awards - Mike Morgan and Larry Romans Children's Book Honor given annually to English-language works of exceptional merit for children or teens relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience. Available in hardcover and as an audio-enabled book with embedded sound recording, both versions of the book include helpful authors' notes, a history of the healer stones, information about the Olelo Niihau Hawaiian language, and a useful glossary.