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March 12, 2019 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Entering Honolulu Harbor

There are certain things you should not or cannot do into the wind.

Tradewinds blow from the Northeast, the channel into Honolulu Harbor has a northeasterly alignment. Early ships calling to Honolulu were powered only by sails.

The entrance to the harbor was narrow and lined on either side with reefs.

Ships don’t sail into the wind.

Given all of this, Honolulu Harbor was difficult to enter.

The first European entry of Honolulu Harbor is credited to Captain Brown of the British schooner Jackal, accompanied by Captain Gordon in the sloop tender Prince Lee Boo.

They called the harbor “Fair Haven” which may be a rough translation of the Hawaiian name Honolulu (it was also sometimes called Brown’s Harbor.)

Following this, boats either anchored off-shore, or they were pulled, warped or tracked into the harbor (this was done with canoes; or, it meant men and/or oxen pulled them in.)

This might take eight double canoes with 16-20 men each, working in the pre-dawn calm when winds and currents were slow. Otherwise you had to contend with tradewinds blowing out of the harbor.

It was a narrow with reefs, but it was the only deep water harbor in the central Pacific.

In 1816 (as stories suggest,) Richards Street alignment was the straight path used by groups of men, and later oxen, to pull ships through the narrow channel into the harbor.

(Later, downtown’s Richards Street was named for a man who had a store on the street selling luggage to tourists.)

A few years after, in 1825, the first pier in the harbor was improvised by sinking a ship’s hull near the present Pier 12 site.

In 1854 the first steam tug was used to pull sail-powered ships into dock against the prevailing tradewinds.

Between 1857 and 1870, about 22-acres of reef and tideland was filled through a combination of fill and dredging, forming the “Esplanade” between Fort and Merchant Streets.

This created the area where Aloha Tower and Aloha Tower Marketplace are now located (prior to this, the waterfront was near Queen Street.)

In 1889, the Honolulu Harbor was described as “nothing but a channel kept open by the flow of the Nuʻuanu River.” In 1890-92 the channel was widened and deepened by dredging.

A channel 200 feet wide by 30 feet deep was dredged for about 1,000-feet through the sand bar which had limited depth to as shallow as 18 feet, restricting entry of the largest ocean vessels.

A series of new piers were constructed at the base of Richards Street in 1896, at the site of Piers 17 and 18 in 1901 (to accommodate sugar loading) and then at Piers 7 and 12 in 1907.

Today, Honolulu Harbor continues to serve as Hawai‘i’s commercial lifeline to the rest of the world.

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Honolulu Harbor-Ships pulled by canoes-Henry Walker-1843

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Honolulu Harbor Light – Harbor Wink -DAGS Honolulu (1887) GoogleEarth-1869

March 11, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

ABCFM Companies

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM), based in Boston, was founded in 1810, the first organized missionary society in the US.

“The American Board of Foreign Missions, however, can neither claim, nor does it desire exclusive patronage. There are other Foreign Missionary Societies, for whom there is room, for whom there is work enough, and for whose separate existence there are, doubtless, conclusive reasons.”

“The system of operation of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions may be considered under two divisions, – its Home Department, and its Foreign Missions. … The Board has established missions, in the order of time in which they are now named at Bombay, and Ceylon; among the Cherokees, Choctaws, and the Cherokees of the Arkansaw (and later) Asia.”

Then, they decided to send a Company of missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands. The Prudential Committee of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) in giving instructions to the pioneers of 1819 said:

“Your mission is a mission of mercy, and your work is to be wholly a labor of love. … Your views are not to be limited to a low, narrow scale, but you are to open your hearts wide, and set your marks high. You are to aim at nothing short of covering these islands with fruitful fields, and pleasant dwellings and schools and churches, and of Christian civilization.” (The Friend)

Over the course of a little over 40-years (1820-1863 – the “Missionary Period”), about 184-men and women in twelve Companies served in Hawaiʻi to carry out the mission of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) in the Hawaiian Islands.

Pioneer Company
Left Boston, MA October 23, 1819; arrived at Kailua-Kona April 4, 1820 aboard the ‘Thaddeus’

Second Company
Left New Haven, CT November 20, 1822; arrived at Honolulu April 27, 1823 aboard the ‘Thames’

Third Company
Left Boston, MA November 27, 1827; arrived at Honolulu March 30, 1828 aboard the ‘Parthian’

Fourth Company
Left New Bedford, MA December 28, 1830; arrived at Honolulu June 7, 1831 aboard the ‘New England’

Fifth Company
Left New Bedford, MA November 26, 1831; arrived at Honolulu May 17, 1832 aboard the ‘Averick’

Sixth Company
Left New London, CT November 21, 1832; arrived at Honolulu May 1, 1833 aboard the ‘Mentor’

Seventh Company
Left Boston, MA December 5, 1834; arrived at Honolulu June 6, 1835 aboard the ‘Hellespont’

Eighth Company
Left Boston, MA December 14, 1836; arrived at Honolulu April 9, 1837 aboard the ‘Mary Frazier’

Ninth Company
Left Boston, MA November 14, 1840; arrived at Honolulu May 21, 1841 aboard the ‘Gloucester’

Tenth Company
Left Boston, MA May 2, 1842; arrived at Honolulu September 21, 1842 aboard ‘Sarah Abigail’

Eleventh Company
Left Boston, MA December 4, 1843; arrived at Honolulu (via Tahiti) July 15, 1844 aboard the ‘Globe’

Twelfth Company
Left Boston, MA October 23, 1847; arrived at Honolulu February 26, 1848 aboard the ‘Samoset’

The ‘Companies’ are essentially groups of missionaries traveling together. Several individuals, not part of the 12-companies, also served in the Hawaiian Islands Mission.

The Missionaries included ordained ministers of the Gospel, physicians, teachers, secular agents, printers, a bookbinder and a farmer.

Most of them were young people, still in their twenties, full of life and enthusiasm. All were pious and accustomed to “lead meetings.” Some were scholars able, when the native language had been mastered, to put into Hawaiian the Scriptures from the original Hebrew and Greek.

Extract from a letter from Richard H. Dana, Jr., Esq., of Boston, written at the Sandwich Islands, and first published in the New York Tribune, June 5, 1860.

“It is no small thing to say of the Missionaries of the American Board, that in less than forty years they have taught this whole people to read and to write, to cipher and to sew.”

“They have given them an alphabet, grammar, and dictionary; preserved their language from extinction; given it a literature, and translated into it the Bible and works of devotion, science and entertainment, etc., etc.”

“They have established schools, reared up native teachers, and so pressed their work that now the proportion of inhabitants who can read and write is greater than in New England …”

“… and the more elevated of them taking part in conducting the affairs of the constitutional monarchy under which they live, holding seats on the judicial bench and in the legislative chambers, and filling posts in the local magistracies.”

Click HERE to view/download Background Information on the ABCFM Companies (including the names of the members of the respective companies).

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March 10, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Luluku Agricultural Terraces

Terraces for the irrigated cultivation of taro once occupied a significant area within every major stream valley on O‘ahu. Taro pondfields (lo‘i kalo) were particularly numerous in Kailua and Kāne‘ohe ahupua‘a (traditional land divisions) in Ko‘olaupoko District, on the windward side of the island.

Both of these ahupua’a were of central importance to early rulers: Kailua had once been the capital of O‘ahu; and Kāneʻohe was so favored by Kamehameha I that he retained the land division as his personal property when other conquered lands were distributed to his soldiers and retainers in 1795. (Allen)

Unbeknown to many, land within the loop in the off-ramp road from H-3 connecting to Likelike Highway holds evidence of an inland component of the prehistoric settlement in Kāneʻohe.

This area is a small part and representative example of what constitutes the most extensive early wetland agricultural complex known on Oʻahu and has evidence of a long period of continued use.

The ‘ili (a smaller land division within an ahupuaʻa) of Luluku, located in the ahupuaʻa of Kāneʻohe, district of Koʻolaupoko, is where these numerous agricultural terraces are located. The site is currently inaccessible to the public.

Luluku is one of five upland ‘ili (Luluku, Punalu‘u Mauka, Kapalai, Pa‘u and Kea‘ahala) that are within the traditional boundaries of Kāneʻohe.

The terrace system in Luluku followed the stream channels and utilized all of its tributaries to irrigate the various loʻi kalo (taro,) forming a continuous mosaic of lo‘i from the inland slopes to the lowlands along the coast.

The buried field systems at Luluku predate AD 1600 and the period of state development. The majority of the terraces at Luluku were almost certainly under cultivation by the fifteenth century; their cultivation may have figured importantly in the development of the ahupua‘a socioeconomic system. (Allen)

The upstream and downstream surface terrace sets in Luluku were awarded to different people during the mid-nineteenth-century redistribution of lands in fee simple: the upstream set belonged to Kekane (or Kikane), the downstream set to Makaiohua. Both men claimed taro lo‘i. (Allen)

The evidence from Luluku and some surrounding areas suggest that:

1) lo‘i cultivation in windward O‘ahu began in areas at the forest edge, where both forest and agricultural products could be collected for exchange.

2) agricultural production became standardized in some upland areas as early as AD 1000, suggesting developing centralization and involvement in a redistributive economic network.

3) agricultural construction and production in areas along major streams were coordinated at a broad level by A.D. 1400, probably predating and contributing to the emergence of the ahupua’a system of land division and administration.

4) production of taro surpluses by A.D. 1400 reflects the centralized control of agriculture not only for economic reasons but to ensure that a support base existed for administrators in an elaborated political hierarchy; and

5) coordination of elaborate water distribution networks that used water from main streams for agricultural purposes is reflected before A.D. 1500 and probably contributed to the development of the ahupua’a system, predating the development of the state system of government and codification of the Hawaiian legal system. (Allen)

As late as 1940, especially in the lowland terraces, Kāneʻohe ahupua’a was still one of the most active communities in planting commercial taro.

In modern times, uplands were planted in bananas and papaya; lowlands were planted with rice and taro.

I remember this upland area known as the “Banana Patch.” Large-scale banana plantations began in 1930s; rice and taro farmers also planted bananas in areas unsuitable for their main crop. (There’s even a “Banana Patch” boat design from this area.)

The lo‘i kalo complex of agricultural terraces were initially divided by the construction of the Likelike Highway. The terraces were further impacted by the construction of H-3 and are now located within the Kāneʻohe Interchange.

As part of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Highways Administration and H-3 Cooperative Agreement, Hawai’i Department of Transportation and Office of Hawaiian Affairs are undertaking a project that would preserve and interpret the cultural resources at the Luluku Terraces in Kāneʻohe.

To date, an Interpretive Development Plan has been prepared, a Hālawa-Luluku Interpretive Development Working Group has been formed, and mitigation measures and actions are identified. These efforts will restore a small portion of the once extensive loʻi kalo in Kāneʻohe.

The vision of the program is, “The Luluku Agricultural Terraces shall be restored through the perpetuation of culturally appropriate science, engineering and agricultural practices.”

“Research will be demonstrated through the planting of primarily native Hawaiian kalo using ancient and contemporary techniques in water resource management and sustainable agricultural practices.”

“The relationship between the land and its people are of both historical and cultural importance in the context of interpretations which emphasizes Luluku’s ability to feed many people in the Kāneʻohe district and areas beyond.”

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Former Taro Loi Converted to Rice Fields

Taro Production in Heeia – 1930

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Kaneohe Rice Mill-1913

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Kaneohe Pineapple Fields-1920

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Major Streams – Kaneohe-USGS-1959

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March 9, 2019 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Coastal Concerns

The distance from the state’s most remote spot of land to the shoreline is about 28½-miles; almost half of Hawai‘i is within only 5-miles of the coastline.

Hawai‘i’s historical, cultural, religious, environmental, social, recreational and economic foundations are centered on its coasts.

While it is such an important resource for us, we continue to have conflicts within this area. We need to address coastal concerns from these same broad, interconnected perspectives.

On the local level, I think we should expand our discussions to look at the myriad coastal concerns. Here are just a few of the initial discussion points and introductory questions I think we should consider:

Traditional and cultural practices (How should we assure that these rights are protected?)
Public access (How should we enhance opportunities for access to and across our island coastlines?)
Use of public property (How should we deal with the inherent conflict between wanting to increase the opportunities for the public to use and enjoy public resources, while not over-burdening these fragile resources?)
Commercial activities (Many commercial operators provide services residents and visitors want and/or need – how should we balance these activities with other coastal uses?)
Economy (How should we accomplish the essential balance of preserving and protecting our natural and cultural resources, while enhancing our economic opportunities?)
Private versus public interests (How should we balance private and public rights and interests?)
Carrying capacity of our coastlines (How should we deal with increasing numbers of residents, visitors and commercial users wanting to enjoy our coastal resources?)
User conflicts (How should we address user conflicts, not only from the perspective “between” different coastal user groups, but also conflicts “within” groups?)
Natural hazards (How should we mitigate impacts by natural causes, such as erosion, high surf, tsunami, hurricanes, etc?)
Marine ecosystems (How should we protect our marine habitats, coral reefs, fisheries, etc?)
Land-based influences on coastal resources (How should we deal with near shore improvements (public and private,) protecting open space, shoreline hardening, irrigation and storm run-off, etc?)
Encroachment onto public lands (Whether they involve structures, landscaping or irrigation, storage of personal property or other, what are the responsibilities of private property owners encroaching onto state (public) property?)
Shoreline modification (What responsibilities do people have to the public trust and their neighbors when they put up seawalls or other shore-hardening or altering structures?)
Enforcement (Given the size and distribution of state resources, it is impossible for enforcement officers to be in all places at all times – how should we work better to enforce state laws and rules?)
Setbacks (Given the diversity of shoreline characteristics (sandy beach, rocky coast, lava cliffs, manmade structures, etc,) should we consider alternative setback approaches, rather than the typical “one size fits all” process we have now?)
Jurisdiction (Should more authority be delegated to the Counties? Since shoreline certifications address County setbacks, should we assign the certification process to the Counties? How should we work better with the community?)
Impacts on natural resources (Given all these concerns, how should we preserve and enhance what we have? What is the future of our shoreline, beaches, coral reefs, biodiversity of the near-shore waters, etc?)
Rising sea level and projections of stronger and more frequent El Niño events and tropical cyclones in waters surrounding Hawai‘i all indicate a growing vulnerability to coastal flooding and erosion.
Responsibility (What are our individual and collective responsibilities? How can we all work better together?)

Our natural and cultural resources form the foundation of our quality of life and they are the backdrop to our economy. They are the essence of our sense of place; they make Hawai’i, Hawai’i.

Coastal concerns are complicated and connected.

There are, obviously, a variety of coastal controversies, conflicts and concerns, as well as equally complex solutions to these matters. In addressing one concern, we cannot overlook how solutions for it may impact others.

We need collaborative solution-based dialogue and action, involving all constituency and user groups, to make sure we continue to make Hawai’i a great place to live – not just for now, but for the generations to come.

I am proud to have represented Hawai‘i on the Coastal States Organization, as well as served on the Coastal States Stewardship Foundation.

We share a lot of challenges related to the coasts across the country. We can work together and learn from each other in addressing them.

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March 8, 2019 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

‘Umi in Kona

Pa o ʻUmi is the small point of land in Kailua Bay between Kamakahonu (King Kamehameha Hotel) and Huliheʻe Palace, near the middle of the Kailua Seawall in Kona on the Big Island.

It marks the location of the Royal Center of the ruler ʻUmi-a-Līloa (ʻUmi) (ca. AD 1490-1525) and where famed King ʻUmi landed when he first came to Kailua by canoe from his ancestral court at Waipiʻo.

On this point of rock, King ʻUmi ordered his attendant to dry his treasured feather cloak (ʻahuʻula) (so this promontory is sometimes referred to as Ka Lae o ʻAhuʻula.)

Over the years of widening Aliʻi Drive and adding on to the seawall, this point has been almost completely covered.

ʻUmi from Waipiʻo, son of Līloa, defeated Kona chief Ehunuikaimalino and united the island of Hawai‘i. He then moved his Royal Center from Waipi‘o to Kailua.

ʻUmi’s residence was near the place called Pa-o-ʻUmi.

At about the time of ʻUmi, a significant new form of agriculture was developed in Kona; he is credited with starting this in Kona.

Today, archaeologists call the unique method of farming in this area the “Kona Field System.”

This intensive agricultural activity changed farming and agricultural production on the western side of Hawai’i Island; the Kona field system was quite large, extending from Kailua to south of Honaunau.

In lower elevations all the way to the shore, informal clearings, mounds and terraces were used to plant sweet potatoes; and on the forest fringe above the walled fields there were clearings, mounds and terraces which were primarily planted in bananas.

In the lower reaches of the tillable land, at elevations about 500-feet to 1,000-feet above sea level, a grove of breadfruit half mile wide and 20 miles long grew.

Sweet potatoes grew among the breadfruit. Above the breadfruit grove, at elevations where the rainfall reached 60-70 inches or more, were fields of dry land taro.

The field system took up all the tillable land and cropping cycles were frequent. Agriculture supported the thriving and growing population of Kona.

The Kona Field System (identified as Site: 10-27-6601 and including multiple locations) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 28, 1977.

When it was nominated to the National Register, the Kona Field System was described as “the most monumental work of the ancient Hawaiians.”

The challenge of farming in Kona is to produce a flourishing agricultural economy in an area subject to frequent droughts, with no lakes or streams for irrigation.

The Kona Field System was planted in long, narrow fields that ran across the contours, along the slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualālai.

As rainfall increases rapidly as you go up the side of Hualālai, the long fields allowed farmers to plant different crops according to the rainfall gradients.

This traditional farming system disappeared by the mid-19th century and now coffee farms cover much of the land that once comprised the Kona Field System (we now call this mauka region the “Coffee Belt.”)

The photo shows Pa o ‘Umi, taken in 1928 from the area of the Kailua Pier – Huliheʻe Palace and Mokuaikaua Church in background. The little girl sitting on the left is my mother; the woman sitting in the middle (wearing a hat) is my grandmother.

Pa O ‘Umi was included as a Point of Interest in the Royal Footsteps Along The Kona Coast Scenic Byway. We prepared the Corridor Management Plan for the scenic byway for the Kailua Village BID.

We are honored that the project was awarded the 2011 “Environment / Preservation” award from the American Planning Association – Hawaii Chapter; “Historic Preservation Commendation” from the Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation and the 2011 “Pualu Award for Culture & Heritage” from the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce.

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