Sharks upon the Land
Colonialism, Indigenous Health, and Culture in Hawai'i, 1778–1855

'With a masterful command of both history and epidemiology, Seth Archer convincingly shows how a national health crisis, driven initially by syphilis, gonorrhea, and tuberculosis, affected every realm of Hawaiian society, from religion to politics to labor. Sharks upon the Land is not only an innovative history of Hawai'i. It is a clarion call to recognize one of the most important and overlooked consequences of colonialism: the devastating and multigenerational impact on human health.' Claudio Saunt, author of West of the Revolution: An Uncommon History of 1776

'Sharks upon the Land is a readable, unflinching account of the ways disease and poor health drove Hawaiians to alter their lives. Eloquent, forthright, and utterly convincing, this book sets a new standard for future scholars.' Elizabeth A. Fenn, University of Colorado, Boulder

'More than just addressing the important role that diseases played in the colonization of Hawai'i, Archer's impressive use of Hawaiian-language sources and the archival record uncovers a compelling narrative about Islanders' cultural responses to catastrophic health challenges during the first century of encounters with those beyond their shores.' Joshua L. Reid, author of The Sea Is My Country: The Maritime World of the Makahs

'In this crisply written and compact book, Archer blends epidemiological, political, social, religious, and gender perspectives to paint the most convincing picture yet of the grim health experience of Hawaiians in the generations following the arrival of Captain Cook, his crew, and their microbes. An important contribution to Pacific, imperial, and health history.' J. R. McNeill, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

'Sharks upon the Land offers important insights into continuing controversies about virgin-soil epidemics … Archer's work is a major contribution to historians' ongoing efforts to understand what happened and why.' David S. Jones, The Journal of American History

'… Sharks upon the Land is a must-read for scholars looking for models of early contact population collapse and a provocative reinterpretation of a critical century in Hawaiian history.' Juliet Larkin-Gilmore, Journal of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association