Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

$25,000 Annuity

“‘The people of my country do not want to be annexed to the United States. Nor do the people of the United States wants annexation … There is no provision made in this treaty for me. In the Harrison treaty I was allowed $20,000 a year, but that treaty never went into effect. I have never received one dollar from the United States. … ‘No one looked after my interests in the preparation of this treaty. Yet my people, who form so large a part of the population of the islands, would want justice done me.’” (Lili‘uokalani noted in Los Angeles Herald, June 18, 1897)

“One day while dining with Paul Neuman I said: ‘I think it would be a good thing if the Queen could be pensioned by the Provisional Government; it would make matters harmonious, relieve business, and make matters much simpler.’” “In the meantime he (Blount) had been to the Queen, to Mr. Dole, and had done what he could to prevent the carrying out of the plan.” (Bowen; Morgan Report) “Thus Blount intervened to scuttle negotiations between the Queen and President Dole that were strongly on track toward a mutually agreeable settlement whereby the Queen would give up all claims to the throne in return for an annuity.” (MorganReport)

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

‘Ōpūkaha‘ia Enters Foreign Mission School

“As Obookiah, at the time of his entrance into the school at Cornwall, had arrived at an age of considerable maturity, it may be proper that a more particular description should now be given of his person and character.” “He was considerably above the ordinary size: but little less than six feet in height, and in his limbs and body proportionably large. His form, which at sixteen was awkward and unshapen, had become erect, graceful, and dignified.”

“His countenance had lost every mark of dulness; and was, in an unusual degree, sprightly, and intelligent. His features were strongly marked. They were expressive of a sound and penetrating mind. He had a piercing eye, a prominent Roman nose, and a projecting chin.” “In his disposition he was amiable and affectionate. His temper was mild. Passion was not easily excited, nor long retained Revenge, or resentment, it if presumed, was never known to be cherished in his heart. He loved his friends, and was grateful for the favours which he received from them.” (All text is from Memoirs of Obookiah)

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Steward’s House

The Foreign Mission School was instituted in the autumn of 1816, and opened in the beginning of May, 1817 in Cornwall Connecticut. Much of the Foreign Mission School’s campus buildings were acquired through donations. The citizenry of Cornwall donated fourteen acres of land as well as the building that would become the main educational site, which had been built in 1797 as a school house. One of the main campus buildings, and certainly the most social and vibrant, was the Steward’s house. This building was constructed in 1814 and served as the steward’s family home, the school dining hall, a boarding house and a nurse room for sick students.

This weekend, June 16-18, 2017, the community of Cornwall is hosting a bicentennial commemoration of the formation of the Foreign Mission School. In part, this marks the beginning of bicentennial activities for the Hawaiian Mission, whose Pioneer Company landed at Kailua-Kona on April 4, 1820. Several young Hawaiians were instrumental in seeing the American Protestant missionaries come to Hawai‘i. ‘Ōpūkaha‘ia was considered a leader of the school’s student body and had planned to return to the Islands as a missionary; unfortunately, he died prior to the mission to Hawai‘i. Among the members in the Pioneer Company were Hopu, Honoli‘i, Kanui and Humehume, all students of the Foreign Mission School.

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Sword of Kaluiki

The time frame is about the 1300s – “(A) Japanese vessel that had been dismantled by a typhoon, driven toward the North American coast until it encountered the northwest trade-winds, and then helplessly blown southward to the coast of Maui. … The name of the captain was Kaluiki-a-Manu; the four others were called Neleike, Malaea, Haakoa and Hika – all names of Hawaiian construction. Two of them – Neleike and Malaea – were women, the former being the sister of the captain.”

“The comfort of the strangers was made the especial care of Wakalana, and they soon became not only reconciled but apparently content with their situation. But the kindness of the chief, however commendable, was not altogether unselfish. … The object of the rescued Japanese which attracted most attention was the sword accidentally preserved by the captain. No such terrible knife had ever before been seen or dreamed of by the natives.” (All from Kalākaua, click the link to read the full post, for the rest of the story.)

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Waiawī

The common guava was introduced into the islands in the early-1800s by the sea-faring Spanish botanist, Don Francisco Marin. Live plants of Waiawī (strawberry guava – a native to southeastern Brazil) were probably introduced into the islands from England on board the ‘Blonde’ in 1825. Shortly after their introduction, both species became wild.

“Of the thousands of plants that have been introduced into Hawaiʻi over the past 225 years since the arrival of Captain James Cook, the strawberry guava has to be one of the worst invasive plants in Hawaiʻi’s mesic to wet forests.” (Miyashiro) It is able to occupy and tolerate a broad range of environmental conditions (23 different vegetation types ranging from dry grassland to tall, native forest.)