The Volcano is Our Home:
Nine Generations of a Hawaiian Family on Kilauea Volcano

The Volcano is Our Home follows the lives of the maka`ainana (those who farmed the land and fished the oceans) in Kalapana, located on the slopes of Kilauea Volcano on the Island of Hawai`i. Over 15 years in the making, the book has sold hundreds of copies and has received high praise from its readers since its release in 2014. The book chronicles how the lives of Hawaiians in Kalapana were impacted by historical events such as the surprise arrival of Captain Cook, Kamehameha’s rise to power, the ministry of Congregational missionaries from New England, and the exponential growth of the sugar cane and tourism industries. 

An Excerpt from the Book:

"My ancestors simply could not ignore the goddess who lived among them and continued to appear in their midst. As the culture changed dramatically, Pele was a constant presence from generation to generation. While villages disappeared, species became extinct, churches were established, and governments were stolen, the relationship between the people who lived on the slopes of Kilauea and Pele remained firm as ever; and the people continued to make sacrifices and prayers to her in the same way as their ancestors did centuries before them."

Praise for The Volcano is Our Home

When Alan Akana realized he had missed the gift of hearing many of his family’s stories, his search for his history became a gift to all his readers. The Volcano is Our Home introduces us in a very personal way to the influences that shaped Hawaii from an isolated group of islands inhabited by remarkable people with a unique and beautiful culture into the tourist mecca known today by travelers from all over the world. The author takes you to the real Hawaii, so that you may walk these islands with new understanding of the lost way of life of those who have gone before. You will journey over 250 years with a Hawaiian family, guided by their connection to the land, each other and a rich spiritual realm.You will join them on the slopes of Kilauea Volcano as they confront the arrival of each new wave of change—from Captain Cook to the missionaries, to the overthrow of the kingdom, to the 50th State, to the 21st century.

Alan Akana is one of the current generation of Hawaiians who has perfected the art of “talking story.”

—Gail Larsen, Founder of Real Speaking and Author of Transformational Speaking: If You Want to Change the World, Tell a Better Story