Few places in the world have not been explored and reported on to the English-speaking world. The islands of Buton are one of them. In the first comprehensive summary of the people groups and cultures scattered among these islands, there are stories of kings coming back from the dead, holy men jumping from island to island in a single bound, and sea monsters dragging ships down because someone spoke carelessly. Much more remains to be discovered and told, but now you can start to understand these islands and how to get around them, according to the old men and me.