Images of Old Hawaiʻi

by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Reading, ‘Riting & ‘Rithmetic

The famous expression – “the three Rs—reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic”- is credited to Sir William Curtis (born January 25, 1752,) son of a British baker; the family made ships’ biscuits. He proposed it as a toast at a dinner given by the Board of Education in the days when folks were pleading for increased educational advantages for the poor. It was received with great applause and drunk amid much merriment.

Curtis was one of the principal financiers for the ‘Butterworth Squadron,’ a British commercial fleet of three vessels, the Butterworth, the Jackal, and the Prince Lee Boo. The Butterworth squadron first wintered at the Hawaiian Islands in February 1793; it was during this period that the Butterworth squadron became the first European vessels that entered the inner Honolulu Harbor.

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400 hogs or O‘ahu and Kauai

In 1791, Kahekili, King of Oahu, Molokai and Maui, was on Maui with his brother Kāʻeokūlani (Kā‘eo,) King of Kauai, preparing to resist the threatened invasion of Maui by Kamehameha of Hawai‘i. Captain Brown was a British trader; Brown’s three-vessel trading squadron included the ‘Butterworth’ (under Captain Brown,) ‘Prince Lee Boo’ (under Captain Sharp) and the ‘Jackal’ (under the command of Captain Alexander Stewart.)

Captain Brown seems to have entered into some sort of a politico-commercial agreement with Kahekili – that included guns, powder and canons. It’s not clear if the deal was for 400-hogs or “the whole right & property of the Islands Woahoo (O‘ahu) & Atooi (Kauai.)” On December 12, 1794, Brown assisted in a great battle; Kalanikūpule himself with the main army held the middle ground between ʻAiea and the taro patches; Captain Brown’s men were in boats guarding the shoreline. Kalanikūpule was able to overcome attacks by Kā‘eo and held O‘ahu (which he later lost to Kamehameha.)

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Niuhelewai

The ahupua‘a of Kapālama has two streams, the Kapālama and the Niuhelewai (“coconut going (in) water”). They merge and extend through the central fertile area also called Niuhelewai. This area drained into a pond called Kūwili II. “Through this valley, several streams descending from the mountains in the interior, wind their way, some six or seven miles watering and overflowing by means of numerous artificial canal the bottom of kalo patches, and then, by one mouth, fall into the peaceful harbor.”

Niuhelewai was the location for a famous battle between Kahekili’s forces and the O‘ahu ruling chief Kahahana. In the beginning of 1783, Kahekili sought to add Oʻahu under his control. Kahahana’s army was routed, and he and his wife fled to the mountains. Gathering his forces together, Kahekili overran the districts of Kona and ʻEwa, and a war of extermination ensued. This event was called Kapoluku – “the night of slaughter.” The waters of the Niuhelewai stream were turned back, the stream being dammed by the corpses.

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Kalaniʻōpuʻu and Maui

Kalaniʻōpuʻu was born about 1729, his brother was Keōua; his son was Kiwalaʻō; he was the grandfather of Keōpūolani. Kalaniʻōpuʻu, from the very beginning of his reign, made repeated attempts to conquer the neighboring island of Maui. He held portions of the Hāna district and the Kaʻuiki area in 1775.

At the time of Captain Cook’s arrival (1778-1779), Kalaniʻōpuʻu was on the island of Maui. Kalaniʻōpuʻu returned to Hawaiʻi and met with Cook on January 26, 1779. Back on Maui, Kahekili asked “How can the fortress of Kaʻuiki become a level plain?” Later (1781,) Kahekili was able to regain possession of the Hana district and this marked the beginning of the disintegration of Kalaniʻōpuʻu’s kingdom.

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1804

On the continent, Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr were dueling (Hamilton died;) following the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark “Corps of Discovery Expedition” was underway.

In the Islands, Kamehameha, following success at the Battle of Nuʻuanu, was initiating a second invasion attempt on Kauai that included about 7,000-Hawaiians along with about 50-foreigners (mostly Europeans.) The maʻi ‘ōkuʻu (believed to be cholera) struck the islands. Later, in 1810, Kaumuali‘i decided to peacefully unite with Kamehameha and join the rest of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi under single rule.