Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kapiʻolani Breast Cancer

“Kapiʻolani was born at Hilo, Hawaii, in the year 1781. She came into the world at a time when Kamehameha was engaged in his struggle for the conquest of Hawaii. … Her father was Keawemauhili, one of the very highest chiefs known to the heralds. He was half-brother of Kalaniʻōpuʻu, king of the island of Hawaii.” “Kapiʻolani was one or the most distinguished of the female chiefs of the Islands.” “She was the wife of Naihe, a high chief on the island of Hawaii, who was an early convert, and became one of the most influential Christian chiefs, and one of the ablest counsellors of the missionaries.”

“The conversion of Kapiʻolani, and her elevation in character, is perhaps one of the most delightful instances of the results of missionary labour.” Kapiʻolani, for more than a year before her death, suffered from breast cancer. “During the course of the operation, Dr. Judd asked her if it pained. She replied, ‘It does pain, but I have fixed my mind on Christ, thinking of his pain on the Cross for me, and I am thereby enabled to endure.’” “The wound healed kindly”. Kapiʻolani died about 11 am on May 5, 1841.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

The Alii, the Missionaries and Hawaii

On October 23, 1819, the Pioneer Company of American Protestant missionaries from the northeast US, led by Hiram Bingham, set sail on the Thaddeus for the Sandwich Islands (now known as Hawai‘i.) Over the course of a little over 40-years (1820-1863 – the “Missionary Period”,) about 180-men and women in twelve Companies served in Hawaiʻi to carry out the mission of the ABCFM in the Hawaiian Islands.

Over the years, the growing partnership and collaboration between native Hawaiians and the American Protestant missionaries resulted in the introduction of Christianity, a written Hawaiian language, literacy, constitutional government, Western medicine and an evolving music tradition.

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Tahitian Influence on Christianity in Hawai‘i

By the time European explorers entered the Pacific in the 15th century, almost all of the habitable islands had been settled for hundreds of years and oral traditions told of explorations, migrations and travels across this immense watery world. The first known Christian missionaries in Polynesia came from the London Missionary Society, an ecumenical Protestant organization; they landed in Tahiti, the Marquesas, then Tongatapu in Tonga.

The first Europeans arrived in Tahiti in 1767; in 1797 the London Missionary Society sent 29 missionaries to Tahiti. Toketa, a Tahitian and convert to Christianity, arrived in Hawaiʻi in 1818; he was a member of the household of the chief (Governor) John Adams Kuakini; he became a teacher to Hawaiian chiefs. William Ellis, with the London Missionary Society in Tahiti, arrived in Hawai‘i on February 5, 1823, other Tahitians joined him; the American Mission immediately saw benefit in working with Ellis and the Tahitians.

by Peter T Young 3 Comments

Was Christianity Forced or Sought?

To help answer the question posed in the title, we look at portions of letters written during the first decade of the arrival of the missionaries by various chiefs/chiefesses that were in power at that time. Follow the link to the full post – it includes a link to some of the Ali‘i letters – these letters are part of the Ali‘i Letters Collection at Mission Houses.

Related to that, there is also a link to an audio of Puakea Nogelmeier’s presentation at Mission Houses related to the translation project he worked on associated with these letters from the ali‘i to missionaries. In it he noted many believe the missionaries “just kind of came in and took over. They got off the boat and said ‘stop dancing,’ ‘put on clothes,’ don’t sleep around.’” He noted, “And it’s so not the case.”

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

‘And a Little Child Shall Lead Them’

Kalanimōkū was a trusted and loyal advisor to Kamehameha I, Liholiho (Kamehameha II) and Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III.) Through his father, he was a grandson of Kekaulike, the King Maui. He was a cousin of Kaʻahumanu, Kamehameha’s wife.
Reportedly, Kalanimōkū developed an immediate and sincere liking for the New England missionaries. Throughout his life, they turned to him for assistance and their requests invariably met with positive results.

“We honored the king, but we loved the cultivated manhood of Kalanimōku … Kalanimōku was prime minister of the king, and the most powerful executive man in the nation: “Now the great warrior was among us, learning the English alphabet with the docility of a child.” (Lucy Thurston) “Kalanimōku embraced Christianity soon, for he became a pupil of little Daniel Chamberlain Jr, the seven-year-old son of missionary Daniel Chamberlain.” (Taylor) “He often turned to it, and as often his favorite teacher, Daniel Chamberlain (Jr) … ‘And a little child shall lead them.’ (a line Lucy takes for Isaiah 11:6)” (Thurston)