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September 30, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Day 024 – November 15, 1819

November 15, 1819 – no entry (Thaddeus Journal)

15th, strong gales. (James Hunnewell)

“Saturday Morning, 15th day after sailing: My Dear Brothers: We weighed anchor soon after you left us. A gentle gale wafted us about 10 miles that day, when we had a calm which detained us till the next morning. A kind providence seemed to order it for the best however, for, in the course of the evening, it was ascertained that our soft bread and crackers and all the ardent spirits were left behind. Consequently, a boat was sent off for Boston that night, which did not return until the next day towards night. A fine breeze blew up which took us off at the rate of 8 miles an hour. Our seasickness came on, and before morning every passenger, except the 4 native youths were broadside. I need not attempt to describe the horrors of seasickness, for I believe it is well understood by most of you. However, to make the best of us, we were a pitiable company. I think here was an exception to the saying that misery loves company, for I believe the miseries of one was no consolation to those of another.
Could the transactions of the first week have been penned, I am sure, while they would have called forth sensations of pity from your heart, would at the same time afford merriment. Sorrow and despondency were depicted on every countenance, while scarcely a look of love or complacency was discernable one towards the other.
To multiply our sorrows we were visited with unfavorable winds. high seas, and heavy gales, the three first weeks of our voyage. It will be 4 weeks tomorrow since we embarked, and we are now in Lat. 33, 20. Eleven days calm.” (Lucia Ruggles Holman)

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September 29, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kapiʻolani Park Bandstand

In the late-1800s and early-1900s the central area, and the dominant feature, of Kapiʻolani Park was an oval race track. The western end of Kapiʻolani Park was a swamp fed by runoff and sediment carried by streams from the Koʻolau Mountains.

A duck pond and kalo loʻi were in what is now the site of the Honolulu Zoo.

At that time, there was the desire to create a watery landscape and areas of dry parkland; this resulted in the “construction of a system of canals and ditches from which water was drained to create a collection of small islands and ponds.”

The largest of these ponds was located at the site of the current Honolulu Zoo. An island stood in the middle of the pond and was named Makee Island, after James Makee (a Scottish whaling ship captain, one of the founders of the Kapiʻolani Park Association that established Kapiʻolani Park and friend to King Kalākaua.)

The ponds created a watery landscape in an otherwise dry and flat park; the ponds were used for boating and the tree lined islands, which were accessible by footbridges, were popular spots for picnicking.

A small, covered bandstand (the first of several subsequent Kapiʻolani Park Bandstands) was located on Makee Island.

To get to there you either rowed across the waterway or crossed over on one of several narrow wooden plank bridges.

The Bandstand, originally built in the late-1890s, served as Kapiʻolani Park’s stage for community entertainment and concerts, including regular performances by the Royal Hawaiian Band.

Founded in 1836 by order of King Kamehameha III, the Royal Hawaiian Band is one of the last living links to Hawaiʻi’s monarchy. The “King’s Band,” as it was once known, became a staple of daily life with performances at state occasions, funerals and marching in parades.

The band accompanied reigning monarchs of the time on frequent trips to the neighbor islands and brought their music to remote destinations of the kingdom. Today, the Royal Hawaiian Band continues the legacy and performs and marches in over 300 concerts and parades each year.

By late-1920s the Ala Wai Canal project drained and filled Waikīkī’s waterways to create Kapiʻolani Park as we generally know it today. In 1926 a replacement bandstand in the drained Park was built.

A double row of ironwood trees flanked a path comprised of crushed coral was planted to the east of this second bandstand. The trees were planted as an “allee,” a term borrowed from French landscape architecture of the seventeenth century to describe a long, avenue lined by a double row of trees.

The allee is about 500 feet long and is a remnant of a former carriage road or system or paths and roads that were constructed to provide access to scenic areas within the park.

Bandstand number three replaced this facility in 1968. The pretty much concrete, utilitarian bandstand was designed by Wilson, Okamoto and Associates and was sited at the ʻEwa end of the Park (near the prior.)

Then, in 2000, the 4th and existing Kapiʻolani Park Bandstand was constructed in this location. Designed in the “Contemporary Hawaiian Victoriana” style.

Kapiʻolani Park has hosted four different bandstands over the years, and it appears each served a useful life of about forty-years before being replaced with another in differing design and functionality.

While the design and scale of each bandstand has changed each time, a constant has been its role as a focal point for island entertainment and festivals.

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Kapiolani_Bandstands-over_the_years-(kapiolani_park-a_history)

Kapiolani_Bandstand-Royal_Hawaiian_Band_Playing_in_Original_Bandstand_on_McKee_Island-(kapiolani_park-a_history)

20000629 – The original grandstand that stood on Makee island, Kapiolani Park. From the book, the View from Diamond Head. Hibbard and Franzen. Press release photo.

Kapiolani Bandstand-1926 construction (eBay)

Kapiolani Bandstand-1926 construction (star-bulletin)

Kapiolani Bandstand-1986 construction (star-bulletin)

Royal_Hawaiian_Band-Kapiolani_Park-1940-41

Kapiolani Bandstand-layout-(star-bulletin)

Waikiki-Kaneloa-Kapiolani_Park-Monsarrat-Reg1079 (1883)

September 29, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Day 025 – November 16, 1819

November 16, 1819 – Contrary winds still impede our progress. This evening in a prudential meeting of the brethren adopted several important regulations, with respect to our immediate concerns. Committed to Capt. C. the care of our provisions and property in common stock, and to Dr. Holman the superintendance of the medical stores. Requested Capt. B. to order our Table and provide at our meals. and in order to maintain suitable regularity and at the same time make ourselves as comfortable as our situation would admit, agreed unanimously that if any member of the family should need any thing from our common stores different from what was prepared for the family, at any time, such person should speak to Capt. B. for his permission. (Thaddeus Journal)

Nov. 16th. Winds still contrary—scarce any progress in our way, these many days. Have been in lat. 37 and 38 for more than ten days. How are we taught that they are GOD’s winds, not ours—at his command, and his alone. (Sybil Bingham)

Nov 16. Our Heavenly Father is trying us with adverse winds. For eight or ten days past the wind has been very unfavourable. We have been tossed about, sometimes in one direction and then in another, without making much progress. Capt B says, could we have had a favourable winds, we probably should have proceeded near to thousand miles father on our voyage. I hope we shall not be disposed to murmur, but be enabled cheerfully to acquiesce in all the dispensations of providence. By these adverse scenes, God is teaching us submission. O may we humble ourselves under his frowns, and thereby learn obedience. (Mercy Partridge Whitney Journal)

Nov. 16, At a Meeting of the brethren composing the Mission to the Sandwich Islands, on board the Brig Thaddeus, November 16, 1819, – Rev. Asa Thurston was chosen Chairman and Elisha Loomis Clerk –
Voted – That Capt. Daniel Chamberlain and Dr. Thomas Holman be a Committee to oversee the affairs of George P. Tamoree.
That the domestic concerns and Provisions of the Mission Family be committed to the care of Capt. Chamberlain, and that brothers Samuel Whitney and Samuel Ruggles be his Assistants.
That the Medical Stores be committed to the care of Doct. Thomas Holman.
That at our Meals all the Members of the Mission be present, if convenient, and take their seats in order; that a blessing be asked before the family is served;- and that no member leave the table until thanks are returned, except by leave of the Captain.
That the brethren of the Mission meet once a week for prudential purposes. – Adjourned. (Minutes of the Prudential Meetings of the Mission Family)

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September 28, 2019 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

Piʻilanihale Heiau

Piʻilanihale Heiau is Hawaiʻi’s (and maybe Polynesia’s) largest heiau that is still intact (it is situated near Hāna, Maui.)

Standing over 40-feet high, the stone platform is 289-feet by 565.5-feet; Piʻilanihale Heiau is a stepped lava rock platform the size of nearly two football fields.

Interior construction consists of eight lesser walls, three enclosures, five platforms, two upright stones and 22 pits.

The north wall is the longest wall and measures 565.5-feet. It is also the highest wall, measuring about 43-feet at its maximum point.

This wall contains the most unusual feature of the Heiau, the immense retaining wall that fills a gully between the two ridges comprising the Heiau foundation.

According to Cordy, this wall is unique in Hawaii: “it is built of superbly fitted stones ….. and has four [terraced] steps up its face.”

Piʻilanihale Heiau (also identified as Hale-o-Piʻilani Heiau) is one of the most important archeological sites in the Hawaiian Islands and is impressive in size and architectural quality.

Archaeologists believe the heiau (temple) was constructed in four stages, beginning as early as the 12th century.

The earliest shrines and rituals appear to have been simple ones constructed by families and small communities and dedicated to the gods of peace, health, fertility and a good harvest of the products of the land and the sea.

With increased population growth and social organizational complexity, religion, the legitimizing sanction of directed social and political change, evolved becoming integrated with government at the state level as well as at the local and personal level. Large and complex temples were constructed for public ceremonies dedicating major events.

Sometimes the ceremonies lasted for days. Between these major events, the temple might be left untended which accounts for the seeming neglect of some of these structures recorded by early voyagers to the Islands.

According to Kamakau, state temples were constructed on the sites formerly built on by the people of old. Studies have verified that these temples were constructed in a series of stages.

Archeologically Piʻilanihale Heiau’s occupation and use span both the prehistoric and historic periods.

Each rebuilding episode may commemorate a significant event in the reign of a particular chief or king. The stylistic changes embodied in these structures, therefore, not only document evolutionary changes in social organization and the evolution of religion, but may be stylistically identifiable with prominent lineages or personages.

In addition to serving as a heiau, some archaeologists believe this structure may also be the residential compound of a high chief, perhaps that of King Piʻilani.

The royal compound probably would have included the king’s personal temple.

The literal translation of Piʻilanihale is “house (hale) [of] Piʻilani.”

It is not known if the first king of the Piʻilani line built the structure or whether it was constructed by one of his several well-known descendants: his sons Lono-a-Piilani and Kihapiilani, and his grandson Kamalalawalu.

According to oral tradition, in the 16th century, Piʻilani unified the entire island of Maui, bringing together under one rule the formerly-competing eastern (Hāna) and western (Wailuku) multi-district kingdoms of the Island.

Hāna served as one of the royal centers of the kingdom.

Several generations later, through inter-island conquest, the marriage of his brother to the Queen of Kauaʻi, and appointment of his son to alternately govern Maui, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe and Oʻahu during his periodic absences, Kahekili by 1783 dominated all the Hawaiian Islands except for Hawaiʻi.

Hāna continued to be a center of royal power until 1794, when Kamehameha I, ruler of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i, defeated the Maui army and Maui came under him.

In 1848, the Hawaiian Monarchy was created and private land ownership was established. As a direct result of this new land ownership system, one-half of the ahupua‘a of Honomā‘ele, roughly 990 acres, was granted to Chief Kahanu by Kauikeaouli (King Kamehameha III).

In 1974, members of the Kahanu/Uaiwa/Matsuda/Kumaewa Family (descendants of Chief Kahanu) and Hāna Ranch deeded 61 acres of land to the then Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden to establish Kahanu Garden.

In exchange, the institution promised to restore Pi‘ilanihale, share it with the public, and provide perpetual care for this sacred site as well as the family graves that are on this ‘āina (land).

The restored Piʻilanihale Heiau is within the grounds of the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s Kahanu Garden.

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Halo_o_Piilani_Heiau-Schematics-LOC-Cover

Halo_o_Piilani_Heiau-Schematics-LOC-E_Elevation-Section

Halo_o_Piilani_Heiau-Schematics-LOC-N_Elevation-Section

Halo_o_Piilani_Heiau-Schematics-LOC-Overview

Halo_o_Piilani_Heiau-Schematics-LOC-Plan_View

September 28, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Day 026 – November 17, 1819

November 17, 1819 – Still watching for favorable winds, yet without prepining. Capt. B. tells us that in his last voyage he crossed the line in less time from Boston than we have now been out: But it is now the fourteenth night that we have been driven up and down like Paul in Adria, between the parallels of Lat. 38. 35 and 37. – We have been tossing rolling on an uncommonly rough sea, according to the account of the best seamen on board, 24 days, and yet have proceeded but 5 and a half degrees toward the equator. We cannot but conclude that He who controls the winds and the waves, and conducts all the affairs of nations is either kindly withholding us from dangers and disasters at Cape Horn or operating changes in the Sandwich Isles favorable to the introduction and success of our enterprse. He is kindly inuring us to a life of toil and hardship. He spreads our table on the face of the boisterous deep, gives us now the comfort of returning health, teaches us to sit with meekness at his feet and to trust in his all sufficient grace. (Thaddeus Journal)

Nov. 17th. Still watching for favorable winds. The sea more calm today, yet we are not wafted onward. Capt. B—just told me, that in his last voyage, he had reached the Line, by this time. Well, of this we may rest assured, that if our Heavenly Father, according to his eternal purposes, land us at length on the shores of Owhyhee, it will be at the very moment his sovereign pleasure deems it best. Our family appears to be recovering. May we not forget to be thankful. And also more life in spiritual things, within a few days, appears. 0, that our hearts were more alive—that we did more deeply feel the high commission which our GOD has given us ; Too much have our minds been occupied with the troubles of sea-sickness and the privations attendant on our voyages so the sound of our words, before the Ship’s company, has been too much, what shall we eat and what shall we drink. But I would fain hope the blessed influences of the Spirit are more felt in some hearts. Last evening, had a precious little session, in our room, with Thomas Hopii. His heart seemed to mourn under a sense of short comings, and his desires appeared to be strong, that he, with us all, might awake. He led in prayer, as did also Mr. B—, then withdrew, with some resolutions in each of our breasts, I trust, to live to GOD. (Sybil Bingham)

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