Father Damien: A Bit of Taro, a Piece of Fish, and a Glass of Water - Softcover

Anwei Skinsnes Law; Henry G. Law

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0980212308 ISBN 13: 9780980212303

Publisher: ACTA Publications, 2010

Synopsis

By looking at the 16 years of his life spent at Kalaupapa through the eyes of those who knew him best, this book focuses on Father Damien's relationship with the people of Kalaupapa and also discusses his legacy in the context of current discussions related to leprosy and human rights.

About this title

About the Author

Anwei Skinsnes Law first visited Kalaupapa in 1968 at the age of 16. Over the last 40 years, she has extensively researched the history of leprosy in Hawaii and conducted over 200 hours of oral history interviews with the residents of Kalaupapa. In 1982, she received a Master's Degree in Public Health from the University of Hawai`i School of Public Health. In 1989, she published ''Kalaupapa: A Portrait'' with photographer Wayne Levin. She is also the author of ''The Great Flood: Johnstown, Pennsylvania, 1889.'' Ms. Law coordinated the Oral History Project of the ILA Global Project on the History of Leprosy, in which interviews were conducted with people from 35 countries, speaking in more than 20 languages. She is currently working on a detailed history of Kalaupapa entitled: ''Ka Hokuwelowelo: A Collective Memory of Kalaupapa'' to be published by The University of Hawai`i Press. She is the International Coordinator of IDEA and a founding member of Ka `Ohana O Kalaupapa. Henry G. Law was an Historical Architect and Park Manager with the U. S. National Park Service for more than 26 years. He has also been a photographer for more than 35 years. He first went to Kalaupapa in 1977 as part of the National Park Service planning team to conduct the new area study for Kalaupapa, prior to it being designated a National Historical Park in 1980. In 1982, he became the first National Park Service employee at Kalaupapa and in 1984 became the first superintendent of Kalaupapa National Historical Park.

Review

This excellent book is most timely, coming as the Vatican prepares for the canonization of Father Damien in October 2009. It is an invaluable and unique contribution to our better understanding of Damien the man. It brings us much closer than any previous biography, to the reality of his life and those of the people he worked and ultimately died for. People affected by leprosy have so often been cruelly and unjustifiably banished and separated from their communities, and it is not surprising therefore, that their voices have largely been absent from written history. This book goes a long way to redressing this injustice, by ensuring that their words and their personal recollections can also illuminate the life and work of the simple Belgian priest who, 120 years after his death, still stands as a reminder of the need for compassion and justice in our society. --Doug Soutar, General Secretary, International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations

I am an avid reader. It was something gifted to me by my mother and re-enforced by my 1940's to 1960 Catholic education. I've never read a book about a person that REALLY made that person very real. One exception would be Thomas Merton's Seven Storey Mountain. But your book not only brought Father Damien up-close-and-personal, but you also did that for many of the persons written about . . . your book wasn't really about feeling sadness and crying, it was about dedication, courage, fidelity, and above all love, real love. I will read your book again and again. --Natalie E. Diaz, Owner, Lilies of the Field Bookstore, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii

Edition details

• Publisher: ACTA Publications
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0980212308
• ISBN 13: 9780980212303
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 131